Dendrobates leucomelas ‘bumblebee’

Application to Purchase Required - live animal purchases require a review of your setup. After placing your order, a Customer Care Specialist will reach out to review your husbandry and habitat. Approval for purchase is NOT guaranteed and if denied, the order may be cancelled. Upon approval, you will receive a link to set up a shipping date for your live animal. All animals ship via Fed Ex overnight.

Species Overview

Common Name: Bumble Bee Poison Dart Frog
Scientific Name: Dendrobates Tinctorius "Leucomelas"
Size when shipped: Juveniles quarter-sized or slightly larger; robust body type
Adult size: Around 1.5", one of the smaller kept dart frogs

In-house testing/treatment:
Each frog is carefully evaluated in-house for:

• Chytrid Fungus
• Rana Virus 
• Clean fecal 
• Healthy body score

• Normal activity and behavior
  

Only animals meeting our standards are made available for purchase.

Defining Traits

• Keeper level: Confident intermediate level dart frog keepers and up. Larger habitat is required.

• Biological niche: Diurnal, terrestrial leaf-litter predator in humid lowland rainforest

• Native range:  Primarily the Guianan Orinoco drainage in Venezuela, extending east to the Essequibo River in Guyana and into the Amazon basin

• Group vs. non-group:

  • Juveniles: can be raised in small, same-size groups in large, heavily planted enclosures. When they are about 0.5" they need to be separated. 

  • Adults: can be kept in pairs. Do not keep adult females together as they will fight. 

• Terrestrial vs. arboreal: Primarily terrestrial.

Care at a Glance

Vivarium size

• Minimum for a pair: 18 x 18 x 18 or 20 gallon high. Larger vivaria is enjoyed by this species. 

• Deep leaf litter, live plants, cork, and lots of microhabitats are strongly recommended

Temperature

• Day: 68–76°F (20–24°C)

• Night: ~65–70°F (18–21°C)

• Avoid temperatures of 80°F (27°C) or higher

Humidity

• High humidity: ~80–100% with good airflow

• Daily misting with dechlorinated or RO water

• Substrate and leaf litter should stay moist but not stagnant

Diet

• Staple feeders:

  • Flightless fruit flies. Hydei for adults

  • Bean Beetles 

  • Adults can handle pinhead crickets 

  • Isopods and other small invertebrates

• All feeders should be gut-loaded and dusted with a high-quality calcium and vitamin supplement on a regular schedule. Adults can be supplemented with Vitamin A plus twice monthly. 

Recommended Bioactive Setup 

These frogs truly shine in a mature bioactive terrarium. We recommend:

• Terra Flora bioactive substrate or ABG mix

• High-drainage tropical substrate system with a dedicated drainage layer

• Mixed leaf litter (magnolia, live oak, etc.) for security and microfauna habitat

• Clean-up crew: tropical springtails and isopods such as dwarf whites

• Dense live planting with low–mid canopy tropical plants and bromeliads

• Natural hardscape: cork flats/rounds, branches, and hides

• Quality LED lighting designed for plant growth

• Digital thermometer/hygrometer to monitor conditions

Caresheet & Resources

Full caresheet:

Click here for caresheet

IUCN conservation status:
View Dendrobates Tinctorius on the IUCN Red List

Important Policies (Please Read Before Purchasing)

After purchasing, upload your habitat for approval here: 

After approval, we will email you the animal purchase contract found here

Read our Live Arrival Guarantee prior to purchasing here

Scheduling:

We care about long-term success. All live animals require a scheduled shipping date set after the approval process.  To book your shipping day, click here.