Anyone keep Mantellas?

[snitz427]

I stumbled upon a great deal on an 18x18x18 exo terra, herpstat ez2, and a bunch of random supplies. I’m thinking of setting the enclosure up for mantellas (not using all the other stuff).

Curious if anyone is keeping them, or if you know of a good source? Josh’s Frogs and most othet sites Ivd found are out of the species Im interested in (viridis or baroni).

Any pointers are appreciated. They seem easy enough to keep but are apparently moderately difficult to breed. Not planning on intentionally breeding, but if it happens, great!

 

[Syreptyon]

In my experience, they are extremely easy to keep. If you can keep a chameleon, they should be no problem at all! I've found the mantellas I've kept to be fairly shy (which is why I keep dartfrogs now instead), so if I were you I would look into ones that are considered "bolder" in nature if you want to see them out and about. The biggest thing to be concerned about imo is humidity. They like very highly humid enclosures, so screen-top enclosures can be a problem for them (though this can be easily fixed by a well placed piece of glass or plastic).

I would also recommend bioactive for them, since they like to eat springtails. That way there's always something to access if they so choose. They're no chameleons, but frogs are pretty rad too

 

[snitz427]

In my experience, they are extremely easy to keep. If you can keep a chameleon, they should be no problem at all! I've found the mantellas I've kept to be fairly shy (which is why I keep dartfrogs now instead), so if I were you I would look into ones that are considered "bolder" in nature if you want to see them out and about. The biggest thing to be concerned about imo is humidity. They like very highly humid enclosures, so screen-top enclosures can be a problem for them (though this can be easily fixed by a well placed piece of glass or plastic).

I would also recommend bioactive for them, since they like to eat springtails. That way there's always something to access if they so choose. They're no chameleons, but frogs are pretty rad too

Absolutely going bioactive, no question about it! I have been on the fence about dartfrogs but I like that mantellas are kind of the underdog. Thanks for the info, especially the screen top tip. Ill add a piece of acrylic to see id it helps stabilize the humidity

 

[CJ's Exotics]

I don't have experience with mantellas, but I will say that maybe building a "pond" in front where it is water in front is something that I have been experimenting with for my tincs, and they seem to like it! It makes drainage super easy, it looks nice, and I collect tadpoles out of there too!

 

[snitz427]

I don't have experience with mantellas, but I will say that maybe building a "pond" in front where it is water in front is something that I have been experimenting with for my tincs, and they seem to like it! It makes drainage super easy, it looks nice, and I collect tadpoles out of there too!

How do you keep it from getting stagnant/funky?

 

[CJ's Exotics]

To be honest I don't really do anything. I have a pothos that lives in the water, maybe that helps with some of the absorption of stuff? The springtails and isopods clean stuff before it gets into the water, and every once in a while I drain some of the water.