Oophaga pumilio are “terrestrial” in nature, however they will utilize any vertical space you give them. In the wild, they can be found 9 ft above the forest floor hopping up rain forest trees roots so any space you give them will not be remotely close to what they use in nature. This is one situation where you should provide the largest tank you can afford and fit in your space.
Oophaga Tanks – Photo by Warren Prescott
What size tank?
Baby frog– should be kept in the tank with the parents for as long as possible. Make sure that the tank is well seeded with springtails and juvenile insects for the baby frog to eat.
RFB super red juvenile just out of the water – photo by Oophaga_Swede 
Popa just out of the water – photo by Dutch_Pumilio
Adult/ Established frog – The general rule of thumb is to provide each frog with a minimum of 10 gallons. However, for pumilio’s the smallest tank I would provide is a 18x18x24 tank for a tank with 1 male. I find that once the tank gets planted and all of the decor is installed, the amount of usable space has greatly diminished.
Salt Creek Tank – Photo by Warren Prescott 
Almirante tank – Photo by Oophaganut
Style of Tank
Another question I get often is what kind of tank I would recommend. There are many options from plexiglass, to aquariums, to front opening terrariums. I would recommend you spend the extra money and get the Exo Terra 18x18x24 to start. With a few minor modifications, it is all glass tank which will keep in the humidity and has the front opening doors for ease of cleaning and feeding. Read here about more modifications to make an Exo Terra tank dart frog compatible.
El Dorado Tank – Photo by Oophaganut 
Pumilio Tank – Photo by Warren Prescott
Male to Female Ratio
Oophaga pumilio are best kept in pairs. Calling males are very territorial and in the wild have a territory of 10-20 feet. Females of some locales may tolerate each other, however females can try to suppress other females. Most pumilio are sold/received as unsexed juveniles. This makes it more complicated. The ideal scenario would be to buy multiple frogs and once they reach an age you can sex them and hope for a pair or two.
Solarte photo by John Paganas
Ultimate Oophaga pumilio Care Guide:
- Introduction to care
- Locales
- Terrarium Size (Current Page)
- Lighting, UVB, Temperature and Humidity Requirements
- Terrarium Design
- Feeding
- Breeding
- Tadpole Care
- Shopping List
- Common health Issues
- Additional Resources
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Cover photo was taken by Brian Gratwicke and used with the Creative Commons License. Photo was cropped & text was added to original. See Original photo here.
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The Frog Lady 
“I find that once the tank gets planted and all of the decor is installed, the amount of usable space has greatly diminished.”
Unlike with aquariums, a ton of empty space in vivariums is usually not beneficial to the animal. Our frogs cannot fly, and will only be able to traverse walkable space, like bromeliad leaves, or pieces of wood. This space is the usable space. Decorating a frog vivarium should be about creating as much usable space as possible.