Care sheet guide by DartFrogsAndGeckos.com

Getting Fruit Flies Out of the Cup

A common question is: “How do I get the flies out of the cup without them escaping everywhere?”

There is a simple trick—fruit flies cannot walk up walls when their feet are coated with the dusty supplement.

1. Put a bit of supplement into a cup that is the same size as your culture cups.
2. Tap the culture gently on your hand to knock the flies down from the top.
3. Remove the lid and carefully bring the fly culture up to meet the mouth of the feeding cup.
4. As the flies climb toward the top, fully invert the culture over the feeding cup and tap lightly.
5. Avoid tapping too hard, as this can dislodge the media inside the culture.

At this point, most of the flies will be in the feeding cup, coated in supplement. Replace the lid on the culture and swirl the flies in the dust to coat them thoroughly.

Feeding Frogs in a Shoebox Setup

1. Open the shoebox enclosure and check on the frogs, performing any necessary maintenance.
2. Tap a few dusted flies into the enclosure near the frogs—just a small amount at first.
3. Observe their feeding response. When they finish, add a few more flies.
4. Continue this cycle for a few rounds, as frogs can eat a surprising number of flies!
5. If short on time, add about 30 flies per frog, close the lid, and avoid reopening it too soon.
6. If flies have walked on the moist substrate, the supplement will wash off their feet, allowing them to climb again.
7. To help, tap the lid occasionally to knock the flies down from the top of the shoebox, making them more accessible to the frogs.

Feeding Frogs in a Tank

For feeding in a terrarium-style tank, follow the same basic procedure.

• Ensure there are no gaps or cracks in the enclosure where flies can escape.
• If the tank is properly sealed, loose flies should not become an issue inside your home.

With the right setup, feeding fruit flies to your dart frogs should be easy and mess-free!