Buyers market for arrow frogs

Question
I love arrow frogs and have had them in the past.I would like to raise and breed them part-time, but I would like to know what the buying/selling market is like out there, particularly online. I do want to get into the reptile-selling business in some capacity, and would love to do it with this species. I guess I need the basic questions answered like what is the selling rate for these frogs, how often to they produce eggs, etc. Practical questions. I know that many think that raising these guys should only be for personal satisfaction, but I also need information on the selling end of things. I do appreciate anything you could provide.

Answer
Hi,
I'm from Germany and cannot really tell you for how much money and how amny of these frogs are sold. You can check out the ads at www.kingsnake.com for a first impression. Another source might be Doyles Dartden, there's a list of breeders and their homepages
http://www.doylesdartden.com/Link_Animals.html

Most Poison Arrow Frog species can produce eggs all year round, but it's better to lower the temperature a bit for three months to give the females a rest (otherwise they die sooner). The frogs are adult after about one year, depending on the species. It's not easy to tell the sexes apart and it's best to buy a larger group of young frogs to make sure you have both sexes. The clutches can consists of 5-20 eggs, depending on the species and the individual frog.

Most species are very territorial and often both sexes fight, so you need a rather large terrarium for more then a pair. For example Dendrobates auratus, one of the middle-sized PAF, needs a 20'' cubicle for a pair. You'll need terrariums because of the high humidity they need, converted fish tank are less than ideal for this because of the low air circulation and the resulting growth of mold.

And you'll need to breed fruit flies and springtails, which is a lot of work and takes up a lot of room. The tadpoles of many species are cannibals and must be kept seperate, which takes up some more room. Some PAF species lay eggs for their tadpoles to eat and are very difficult to raise, especially when the female ignores the tadpoles.

If you don't want to do this full-time, you won't really earn money with it. The upkeep of the frog terrariums costs a lot of money (light, heat, water, food) and time.
For more information on PAF, I recommend "Poison Arrow Frogs : Their Natural History and Care in Captivity" by Ralf Heselhaus.
Before you start breeding, make sure that there is enough demand in your area or at least some pet shops that would take the frogs (and that make a knowledgable impression).

I hope I was of some help to you
Jennifer