Poison Dart Frogs - Facts for Kids

Basic Information

Poison dart frogs belong to the family Dendrobatidae (den-dro-BAT-ih-day), which comes from Greek words meaning “tree walker”!

There are about 200 types of poison dart frogs, and each one is painted in its own bright, unique colors!

A group of poison dart frogs is called an “army” — imagine a tiny rainbow army hopping through the rainforest!

Most poison dart frogs are found in the rainforests of Central and South America, where they hop among colorful flowers and leaves!

Poison dart frogs can live up to about 10 years in captivity — that’s like having a tiny hopping friend from kindergarten all the way through middle school!

The tiniest poison dart frogs are only about half an inch long — no bigger than your thumbnail — and they’re still full of color and personality!

The largest poison dart frog can grow to about 6 centimeters (2½ inches) long — much bigger than a quarter!

Most poison dart frogs weigh less than a penny — usually between 1 and 6 grams — tiny enough to sit right in the palm of your hand!

The golden poison dart frog is thought to be the most poisonous (toxic) land animal in the world, but when kept as pets (in captivity), they’re completely safe!

Physical Features

Poison dart frogs have special sticky pads on their toes that help them climb leaves and trees like tiny superheroes!

Unlike most frogs, poison dart frogs don’t have webbed feet (toes connected by skin) because they spend most of their time on land!

Poison dart frogs come in amazing colors like electric blue, strawberry red, sunshine yellow, and mint green!

The bright colors of poison dart frogs are like wearing a warning sign that tells predators (animals that hunt them) “Don’t eat me!”

Some poison dart frogs have patterns that look like tiny fingerprints — no two frogs have exactly the same pattern!

Poison dart frogs have special parts (glands) in their skin that make their protective poisons (toxins)!

Poison dart frogs have excellent eyesight and can see colors just like we do!

Baby poison dart frogs start life looking brown and plain before growing their bright colors!

Poison dart frogs shed their skin every two weeks, and they eat the old skin to get back important nutrients (food parts their body needs)!

Behavior & Abilities

Poison dart frogs are awake during the day (diurnal), which means they’re active during daylight just like us!

Poison dart frogs can jump up to 50 times their body length — that would be like you jumping across an entire football field!

Male poison dart frogs sing to attract female frogs (mates) by making quiet buzzing and trilling sounds!

Some types (species) of poison dart frogs work together as parents to take care of their babies!

Poison dart frogs can swim if they need to, but they’re not strong swimmers. Without webbed toes, they prefer to hop around on land instead of spending time in the water.

Poison dart frogs use their long tongues to catch prey (animals they eat), and they can strike faster than you can blink!

Poison dart frogs protect their own space (territorial) and will defend their small piece of the rainforest from other frogs!

Some poison dart frogs do a super-fast toe-tapping dance — not to talk to other frogs, but to make tasty bugs move so they can catch them!

Poison dart frogs are active hunters and spend their days searching for tiny insects to eat!

Habitat & Environment

Poison dart frogs live in tropical rainforests (hot, wet forests) where it’s warm and humid (moist) all year round!

Most types (species) of poison dart frogs prefer to live on the forest floor among fallen leaves and moss!

Some poison dart frogs make their homes in small plants called bromeliads (bro-MEE-lee-ads) that collect rainwater!

Poison dart frogs don’t need to drink water — they soak it up (absorb) through their skin like little wet sponges. That’s why they live in steamy, humid rainforests!

A single poison dart frog might spend its whole life in an area smaller than your bedroom!

Poison dart frogs prefer places where the temperature stays between 75-80°F (24-27°C), just like a warm spring day!

During dry seasons, poison dart frogs find moist (wet) places under leaves to stay comfortable!

Some types (species) of poison dart frogs live high in the rainforest treetops (canopy), up to 30 feet (10 meters) above the ground!

Poison dart frogs help keep their homes (habitat) healthy by eating lots of insects and keeping their numbers down (controlling insect populations)!

Poison dart frogs often choose homes near small streams or water sources!

Diet & Hunting

Poison dart frogs eat tiny insects like ants, termites, and mites that are smaller than a grain of rice!

A single poison dart frog can eat up to 50 tiny insects in one day — using their sticky tongues like a fast bug vacuum!

Poison dart frogs get their poisons (toxins) from the insects they eat in the wild!

Poison dart frogs in zoos aren’t poisonous because they eat different insects!

Poison dart frogs hunt by sight and can spot tiny moving insects from several inches away!

Poison dart frogs swallow their food whole by blinking their eyes! Pulling their eyes in pushes the food down their throat—like a built-in frog fork and spoon.

Poison dart frogs are picky eaters — they only go for live, moving bugs. If the bug doesn’t move, the frog waits until it wiggles before it strikes!

Once poison dart frogs grow up, they don’t need to eat every single day. They might skip meals and eat just every other day or every few days instead!

Some types (species) of poison dart frogs eat only one type of ant or mite (specialize)!

Life Cycle & Growth

Poison dart frogs lay their little eggs — tiny as a pinhead! — in cozy, wet spots like damp leaves, moss, or crevices under logs.

A mother poison dart frog can lay between 2–12 eggs at a time!

Poison dart frog eggs usually hatch into tadpoles in around two weeks — anywhere from 14 to 18 days. Sometimes it stretches to a few more days, depending on the temperature and frog species!

Parent poison dart frogs carry their tadpoles on their backs to find safe pools of water!