California Zoological Supply

CALZOO'S REFERENCE SHEET > Mantellas

Latin name	Mantella sp	Maximum length	1 - 2 inches
Native to	Madagascar	Approximate life span	5 - 10 years

GENERAL INFORMATION

ENCLOSURE
Mantellas are small colorful frogs from Madagascar. There are thought to be 10 - 15 or more different species. Color and pattern are extremely variable making exact classification very difficult. Mantellas are diurnal (active during the day and sleep at night). They reach sexual maturity after 1 year but sex determination can be rather difficult. Males are typically smaller and sit more upright while females are slightly more robust. During the day Mantellas are very active and you can hear males calling from under the leaves. These little frogs can be great for the person not caring to have their house filled with the clutter of shelves stacked with sterile looking cages. Their small size allows for a nice variety to be housed in a single, well-decorated cage.

SUBSTRATE
A 10 - 20 gallon aquarium with a screen cover should work fine for 2 - 4 Mantellas. A long, low enclosure is better as Mantellas are found primarily on the forest floors.

TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY
The substrate should be a mixture of semi-moist peat moss and potting soil about 2 - 4 inches deep. Make sure all substrates are pesticide and Styrolite™ free. Change the substrate about every 3 - 5 weeks or more often if it appears dirty. If you choose to use live plants, make sure they are free of pesticides. A top layer of dead leaves and sphagnum moss will help to provide plenty of cover and will provide small hiding areas.

HEATING
Daytime temperatures should be near 76°f. Nighttime temperatures can drop to 65°f. Temperatures that are too high may cause stress in Mantellas. Humidity should be high, 80 - 90%. To help maintain the high humidity level, lightly mist the enclosure once or twice a day with fresh de-chlorinated water. (Hint - when spraying glass enclosures, do so with distilled water. This will drastically reduce the amount of water spotting).

LIGHTING
Mantella frogs do not like bright light. A low wattage bulb should be sufficient, either incandescent or fluorescent. All reptiles and amphibians need a photo period (light cycle). A plug in timer (for your lights only, do not use a timer for your heating devices) works well to develop a regular photo period of 12 hours light, and 12 hours dark. UVB lighting is not required for Mantellas, however the fluorescent Zoo Med REPTI IGUANA LIGHT™ with its high UVA output is an excellent choice for daytime lighting. UVA will help reptiles develop regular feeding and breeding habits as well as show their colors well. Use a low wattage red bulb can be used at night to view your Mantellas.

FOOD & WATER
The Mantella diet should consist of pin head crickets and wing-less fruit flies (Drosophila species) fed daily. Be sure to feed your crickets assorted fruit and vegetables or a commercially prepared cricket diet 12 - 24 hours before feeding the crickets to your pets. Dust crickets with Zoo Med REPTIVITE® vitamins once a week just before you feed them to your frogs. Provide a shallow water dish that allows the frogs easy access. Mantellas are not typically strong swimmers and prefer to be able to sit or wade in the water. The water level should be no deeper than ½ the frog's height when at rest. Amphibians absorb water through their skin, so the water must be kept clean. Change the water at least every other day with de-chlorinated or spring water. Change more often if the water appears dirty.

NOTES
Always wash your hands before and immediately after handling reptiles and amphibians. Never leave live food long term with reptiles & amphibians. They can inflict severe harm, even kill your pet. If your animals take some time to eat or you feed them at night, leave a slice of potato, carrot or dry dog food for the live food items to eat. Your local pet shop is an ideal source for reptile and amphibian related books and supplies. Please make sure you read and become familiar with any instructions provided with reptile support products you may purchase.

For further information on reptiles and amphibians we recommend you read REPTILES MAGAZINE and THE VIVARIUM. California Zoological Supply hopes you have enjoyed reading this reference sheet on Mantella Frogs. We hope that our guidelines will assist you with the care or possible purchase of your new pet.

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