Poison Dart Frogs – Frog Blog
Dart frogs may be some of the cutest, most vibrant little frogs we know of. They are also considered to be some of the most toxic animals on the planet. However, not all poison dart frogs carry a toxin deadly to humans, some produce poison only strong enough to discourage predators from eating them (they’ll spit the frog out once they get a taste of the poison.) while others are extremely toxic and even touching them is fatal to humans.
These frogs produce toxins in their skin, which can make even handling one of them very dangerous. There is one animal known to be immune to the poison these frogs produce, and is able to feed on them, that animal is Leimadophis epinephelus, a species of snake.
Phyllobates terribilis, otherwise known as the Golden Dart Frog holds the title of the most toxic animal on Earth. These little bright yellow frogs are one species of poisonous frog used by the Choco people of Western Columbia for their potent toxins. The Choco people will hold the frog with a leaf, and rub the tips of their blow darts on the frog’s skin to coat them with poison, making them much more effective for hunting.
Not all poison dart frogs are used to coat darts; in fact, only about three species are. nor are all poison frogs toxic to humans (as mentioned before). Captive-bred dart frogs don’t produce toxins, and are completely safe to handle and own as pets! Wild-caught dart frogs in captivity will slowly lose their toxin over time, and eventually stop producing it all together. But how does this work, how does an animal known for its toxicity simply become safe once put in captivity?
Well, their toxins are linked to their diet in the wild. Dart frogs will eat certain insects in the wild that provide them with chemical compounds needed for them to produce their toxins. In captivity, they lack these insects in their diet, without these insects, they cannot synthesize toxins, as they don’t produce the chemicals necessary on their own.
With that being said, you can own the “gems of the rainforest” in your own home with enough knowledge in keeping amphibians! These beautiful, vibrant frogs are endangered in the wild, however. You can help keep these frogs around through WWF’s “bucket of frogs“, not only do you get a bucket of non-toxic plush friends, but part of your purchase is donated to aid in the conservation of wild dart frogs.
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