The largest poison dart frog and, in the wild, one of the most toxic animals on Earth, carrying enough batrachotoxin to be lethal. Captive-bred specimens are completely non-toxic because the toxin derives from wild prey, making this striking golden-yellow frog a manageable and rewarding vivarium animal.
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Small but large for a dart frog: about 1.5 to 2 in (4 to 5 cm)
Lifespan
10–20 years
Social needs
group
Native region
Pacific lowland rainforest of the Cauca Department, Colombia
Origin
New World
Climate
🌴 Tropical
Family
Dendrobatidae
Genus
Phyllobates
Part of the Poison Dart Frogs
Small, brilliantly colored diurnal frogs of the family Dendrobatidae from Central and South America. Captive-bred individuals are non-toxic because their alkaloid defenses come from wild ant- and mite-based diets. They thrive in planted, high-humidity bioactive vivaria and are display-only animals that should not be handled.
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Photo coming soon
Minimum
Bioactive vertical vivarium
18 × 18 × 24 in for a pair
Captive-bred specimens are toxin-free (alkaloids come from wild diet). Bioactive 18×18×24 with ABG, leaf litter, broms, and 75–85% humidity at 72–78 °F. Wild-caught animals are dangerous — only ever buy captive-bred from registered breeders.
Photo coming soon
Recommended
Larger planted bioactive
24 × 18 × 24 in for a trio
Golden poison frogs are the largest dart frog and need extra floor space. Trio (1.2) thrives in a 24-wide vivarium with multiple brom cups, water feature, and dense planting for sightline breaks.
Photo coming soon
Ideal
Planted bioactive 30+ gal
30+ gal display vivarium
Heavily planted 30+ gallon bioactive with dripper system, deep leaf litter, multiple egg/tadpole sites, and a thriving isopod + springtail crew. Larger volume buffers humidity swings and supports natural breeding behaviour.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Photo coming soon
Egg
Amphibian eggs are soft, jelly-coated spheres laid in or near water — in floating clutches, strings, or foam nests depending on the species. The dark embryo is visible within the clear gel as it develops.
Photo coming soon
Tadpole / Larva
The aquatic larva (a tadpole in frogs/toads, a gilled larva in salamanders and newts) breathes through gills and feeds and grows in water. Frog/toad tadpoles are limbless at first, then sprout hind then front legs as metamorphosis nears.
Photo coming soon
Juvenile (froglet / eft)
At metamorphosis the animal develops legs and lungs and typically leaves the water as a froglet or, in many newts, a terrestrial eft. It resembles a small adult but is not yet sexually mature and its coloration may still be changing.
Adult
Adults reach full size and breeding condition, with the species' mature skin coloration and pattern. Many amphibians return to water to breed and can show seasonal or sex-specific changes such as nuptial coloration or crests.
Color & pattern variants
Natural variants occur in the wild; selectively bred (man-made) variants were developed in captivity.
Natural
representative
Mint (Mint Green)
A pale mint-to-white locale form, one of the most common in captivity.
representative
Yellow
The classic solid golden-yellow form for which the species is named.
representative
Orange
A deep orange locale form prized for its intense coloration.
Habitat & enclosure
House in a tall, humid, heavily planted glass vivarium with a tight lid. A group of three to five thrives in an 18x18x24 in (45x45x60 cm) enclosure with ample floor space and leaf litter. Maintain 72 to 80 F (22 to 27 C) and humidity of 80 to 100 percent; avoid temperatures above 84 F (29 C). Provide broad-leaved plants, cork bark, and dense ground cover. This is one of the more social dart frogs and is often kept successfully in groups.
Substrate
Use a bioactive ABG-type mix over a drainage layer, topped with a deep leaf-litter layer. A bioactive cleanup crew of springtails and isopods maintains hygiene and offers supplemental forage.
Equipment & setup
Full-spectrum LED plant lighting supports live plants; low-level UVB is optional. No supplemental basking heat is usually needed. Maintain humidity with misting or fogging, a drainage layer, and monitor with a hygrometer and thermometer. Use a glass lid with controlled ventilation.
Diet
Offer flightless fruit flies as a staple, dusted with calcium plus D3 and a vitamin A supplement. Because of their larger size, adults also take small crickets, bean beetles, isopods, and other appropriately sized feeders. Feed adults every one to two days and froglets daily on springtails and melanogaster flies.
Behavior & temperament
Bold, diurnal, and conspicuous, frequently active in the open. They are notably social and gregarious for a dart frog, generally tolerating group living well. Despite captive non-toxicity, never handle them except with clean wet gloves; their skin is permeable and easily harmed. Males give a long, melodic trill.
Health
Hardy with correct husbandry. Watch for metabolic bone disease, vitamin A deficiency (short tongue syndrome), overheating, and chytridiomycosis. Source only captive-bred animals; wild-caught terribilis can carry dangerous batrachotoxin loads and the species is subject to strict trade controls under CITES Appendix II.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Buy captive-bred froglets only, and choose a single morph (such as 'Mint', 'Yellow', or 'Orange'). Their larger size means they need slightly bigger and more numerous feeders than smaller darts. A robust bioactive vivarium keeps a colony stable for years.
