Painting Tree Climber (Dendrobates tinctorius)- one of the most recognizable and colorful frogs on the planet. Thanks to its rich colors, it has gained fame not only among scientists, but also among lovers of exotic animals. This member of the woodchuck family is known not only for its appearance, but also for its highly toxic poison, which is a powerful defense against predators.
In this article, we will look at the biological features of the coloring tree climber, its natural environment, lifestyle, reproduction, toxicity features, and even the possibility of keeping it in captivity.
1. General characteristics and scientific classification
🔬 Scientific classification:
✔ The Kingdom: Animals (Animalia)
✔ Type: Chordal (Chordata)
✔ Class: Amphibians (Amphibia)
✔ Row: Tailless (Anura)
✔ Family: Derevolazovye (Dendrobatidae)
✔ Gender: Dendrobates
✔ View: Dendrobates tinctorius
2. Description and physical characteristics
✔ Size: 3.5-5 cm (some individuals can reach 6 cm).
✔ Weight: about 3-5 grams.
✔ Life span: 5-7 years in the wild, up to 10 years in captivity.
🔹 Main features of appearance:
Bright color-a combination of blue, yellow, black and white.
✔ Unique skin pattern, individual for each individual (similar to human fingerprints).
✔ Large protruding eyes that provide a wide view.
✔ Long, slender limbs designed for climbing.
✔ Strong fingers with sticky pads that allow you to hold on to smooth surfaces.
🔹 Interesting facts:
✔ Painting tree climber it doesn't jump over long distances, and moves in small jerks.
✔ The color may be dominated by different shades-depending on the habitat.
Young frogs are usually duller than adult frogs.
3. Habitat and habitat
🌍 Where does the coloring tree climber live?
✔ South America: Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, northern Brazil.
🔹 Typical habitats:
✔ Tropical rain forests with high humidity.
✔ Close to water bodies, springs and rivers, as larvae develop in the water.
✔ Often found in coastal areas rivers and lakes.
🔹 Adapting to the environment:
✔ It lives mainly in the lower tier of the foresthiding among the vegetation and fallen leaves.
✔ Well adapted to climbing on leaves and branches.
✔ Thanks to its moisture-retaining skin, it can survive short-term droughts.
4. behavior and lifestyle
🔹 Basic behavioral traits:
✔ Leads daytime lifestylewhich is rare for amphibians.
✔ Very active and territorial-males often guard their area from other frogs.
✔ Communicates using short trills and cricketswhich can be heard in nature.
✔ Uses bright coloring like warning to predators about their venom.
🔹 Main enemies:
✔ Some snakes that have developed resistance to toxins.
✔ Birds of prey, although most avoid frogs because of their venom.
5. reproduction and development cycle
💞 Mating season: usually falls during the rainy season.
🔹 The breeding process:
✔ Males sing loudly to attract the attention of females.
✔ After mating, the female lays 5-10 eggs in wet places (for example, in an email).
✔ The male protects the clutch by keeping the eggs moist.
✔ When tadpoles hatch, parents carry them on their backs in shallow water bodies (puddles, tree holes).
After 6-12 weeks, the tadpoles turn into young frogs and come out on land.
6. toxicity: natural protection of the coloring tree climber
☠ Why is a tree climber poisonous?
✔ Its skin contains alkaloids batrachotoxinswhich can cause paralysis and death in predators.
✔ Venom accumulates in the body due to the consumption of certain ants and termites in the wild.
❓ Is it dangerous for people?
✔ In captivity, when feeding on unnatural food, the toxicity disappears.
✔ In nature, the poison can cause severe skin irritation or even serious poisoning when it comes into contact with the mucous membranes.
7. nutrition
🍽 What does the coloring tree climber eat?
✔ Ants, termites, spiders.
✔ Small bugs, midges, crickets.
✔ In captivity, it feeds on small invertebrates (fruit flies, microworms).
🔹 How does he hunt?
✔ Uses a long, sticky tongue to catch small insects.
✔ Prefers live lootby reacting to movements.
8. Keeping in captivity
🏠 Terrarium for a tree climber:
✔ Size: 40 × 40×50 cm for a couple.
✔ Temperature: 22-28°C.
✔ Humidity: 80-100%.
✔ Plants: bromeliads, moss, ferns.
✔ Water: Small pools of water or leaves where tadpoles can develop.
🚨 Main content issues:
❌ Need high humidity level.
Uraz are vulnerable to stress and sudden changes in the environment .
Kharchuyutsya eat exclusively live insects.
Conclusion
The coloring tree climber is one of the most impressive amphibians on our planet. Due to its bright colors, poisonous nature and interesting lifestyle, it is a real decoration of the rainforest and a popular object of research in terrariumistics.
