Description
Other Names (How it Got Its Names)
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Commonly called the Strawberry Poison Dart Frog or Blue Jeans Dart Frog.
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Oophaga means “egg eater,” referencing the species’ unusual parental care where females feed unfertilized eggs to tadpoles.
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The nickname Blue Jeans comes from their unique look — a bright red/orange body that looks like a “strawberry” paired with blue-colored hind legs resembling denim jeans.
Characteristics
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Small, brightly colored frog with a striking two-tone appearance.
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Highly active, alert, and bold for their size.
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Famous for their elaborate parental care behaviors.
Recommended Vivarium Size
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Minimum: 18” x 18” x 18” for a pair.
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Ideal: 24” x 18” x 18” or larger for trios (1 male, 2 females).
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A well-planted enclosure with bromeliads, film canisters, leaf litter, and vertical climbing opportunities is best.
Temperature
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Daytime: 72–78°F (22–25°C).
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Nighttime: 68–72°F (20–22°C).
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Do not allow temperatures above 80°F for long periods.
Humidity
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80–100%, maintained with frequent misting or an automatic misting system.
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Provide plants such as bromeliads to retain water and support tadpole transport.
Size of Frog
Life Span
Feeding
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Main diet: flightless fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster and D. hydei).
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Supplements: springtails, isopods, pinhead crickets.
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Feed daily and dust prey with calcium/vitamins 2–3 times weekly.
Color/Pattern
Social Behavior
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Territorial, especially males who establish and defend calling spots.
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Females may show aggression toward one another in smaller enclosures.
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Best kept as pairs or small groups (with ample space and sight breaks).
How to Determine Sex
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Males: slightly smaller, slimmer, and produce a soft trill call.
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Females: larger, rounder bodies, especially noticeable when carrying eggs.
How to Breed
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Provide smooth, moist surfaces such as film canisters, broad leaves, or petri dishes for egg deposition.
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Males call to attract females, fertilize eggs externally.
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Females transport hatched tadpoles to bromeliads or small water pools.
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Tadpoles are fed by the female with unfertilized eggs until metamorphosis, a unique behavior among dart frogs.
