High Desert Reptiles

11/29/2025

Are you ready……..

11/28/2025

You can never have too many ladies

11/28/2025

is officially loading! Tomorrow and Sunday only all leopard geckos and whites tree frogs will be 20% off! We currently have a beautiful selection of Frogs and Leos excited for their forever homes 🤍

11/28/2025

Roflmao

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from Gouda and the whole High Desert Family!!
🧡💛🤎💛🧡
We’re so thankful for each and everyone one of you for being on this adventure with us!

11/26/2025

I've just reached 1K followers! Thank you for continuing support. I could never have made it without each one of you. 🙏🤗🎉

11/23/2025

This is awesome!!

11/22/2025

Looking for something special for the weekend? Check out our inventory and see if its on there :)

Send a message to learn more

11/22/2025

Many individuals in house looking for adoption, at reduced rates :)

v🌟 Fun Facts About D. tinctorius ‘Azureus’
💙 1. They’re naturally bright blue

Their electric-blue skin with black spots isn’t just pretty—it’s a warning to predators. The bright color signals toxicity, a survival strategy called aposematism.

☠️ 2. Wild individuals can be toxic—but captive ones aren’t

In the wild, their toxicity comes from eating certain alkaloid-rich insects like ants and mites.
In captivity, without those insects, they lose their toxicity and are safe to handle (though handling is still discouraged to avoid stressing the frog or damaging their skin).

🌿 3. They come from a very small region

The Azureus morph is naturally found only in a small area of the Sipaliwini Savanna in Suriname. This makes them one of the more geographically restricted dart frog morphs.

🎤 4. Males are the singers

Male Azureus frogs call to attract females and defend territory. Their call is a soft buzzing trill, quieter than many other dart frog species.

👨‍👩‍👧 5. Excellent parents—especially the males

Males typically:

Guard the eggs

Keep them moist

Carry newly hatched tadpoles on their backs to small water pools

Females may help choose the tadpole deposition sites, but males do most of the child-rearing!

🐸 6. They’re bigger than many dart frogs

Azureus frogs can reach 4–5 cm (1.5–2 in), making them one of the larger D. tinctorius morphs.

🖼️ 7. Their spots are like fingerprints

No two Azureus frogs have the same pattern of black spots. Keepers can often identify individuals by their unique “constellation” of markings.

🔵 8. They live surprisingly long lives

In captivity, with good care, they can live 10–15 years, and some even longer.

🧗 9. They’re bold and curious

Unlike shy species such as Phyllobates or Ranitomeya, Azureus frogs are notorious for being out in the open, hopping around the terrarium like they own the place.

🧬 10. They’re not a separate species

Although often called Dendrobates azureus, they are not a distinct species—just a color morph of D. tinctorius.

11/20/2025

Meet the Zoo Med Environmental Control Center 🌡️🦎
This all-in-one unit lets you manage heating, lighting, and humidity from a single, easy-to-use controller.
✔️ Multiple timed outlets
✔️ Temperature + humidity monitoring
✔️ Programmable day/night cycles
✔️ Built-in safety shutoff
Perfect for creating stable, species-specific habitats!

🦎in store now!