Poison Dart Frogs

Poison Dart Frog Photo by Sylvestermouse
©Sylvestermouse -- All Rights Reserved
I am surrounded by Poison Dart Frogs!
When my son was just a little fellow, he adored Poison Dart Frogs. He has Dart Frog books, plush Dart frogs, plastic Dart Frogs, shirts with Dart Frogs and he even has Dart Frogs painted on his bedroom wall.  The only Dart Frog we don't have, is a live Poison Dart Frog.

However, there is always the zoo and we used to spend countless hours in the Herpetarium.

The Poison Dart Frog pictured here, is one of our favorites in our local zoo.


About Poison Dart Frogs 


Wall Mural ©Sylvestermouse - All Rights Reserved
These beautiful, brightly colored frogs are not always poisonous as their name would suggest.  Captive bred Dart Frogs are not poisonous while a wild Dart Frog is poisonous.

The difference is in what they eat. When they eat ants, centipedes or mites then they retain their meal's poison which in turn makes the Dart Frog poisonous to a potential predator.

Several chemicals from some these frogs are currently in experiments for use in medicine. It is hoped that their secretions can be developed as muscle relaxants, heart stimulants and appetite suppressants.

There is even one painkiller that is 200 times stronger than morphine, but has dangerous side effects.


Strawberry Poison Dart Frog, Rainforest, Costa Rica
Strawberry Poison...
Charles Sleicher
Buy This at Allposters.com

A Few Interesting Facts about Poison Dart Frogs

 

A few of my son's frogs on his bedroom shelves

  • Length: .59 in to 2.4 in.
  • Weight: approx. 2 - 8 grams
  • Lifespan: 1 - 3 years
  • Lifespan in Captivity: up to 10 years
  • More than 100 species varying in color & pattern
  • Named Dart Frogs because their toxins were used by American Indians on the tips of their blow-darts.
  • Live in the tropical environments of Central and South America
  • Many species are CRITICALLY ENDANGERED



Learn More About Poison Dart Frogs






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1 comment:

  1. I don't think I've ever heard of the Poison Dart Frog. Your son must be an expert by now, if he's been a fan of this frog since childhood. :)

    ReplyDelete

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