AVS Q&A with… Troy Goldberg

I’ve worked with reptiles and amphibians in some capacity for almost four decades.  I specialized in geckos, but the last several years I’ve pivoted into working with poison frogs, plants, and vivaria.  When I searched for YouTube videos about Dendobatids, of course Troy’s videos were front and center.  After going through all of his videos on YouTube, I stalked him on Instagram and listened to all of the podcasts he did.  I got to meet him at Andy Baker’s National Frog Fest, and he was friendly, approachable, and more than willing to talk shop.  With all of that said, I’m excited to have Troy as a guest on my Q&A.  

Troy, thanks so much for doing my little Q&A.  I know you’ve talked about your background numerous times on the many podcasts you’ve done, but I’d love it if you could share it here with the readers who’ve not heard your interviews.   

So, I’d have to say that it started back when I was just a little kid running around the neighborhood looking for any body of water whether it be a creek, pond or lake.  I loved catching frogs, crayfish, turtles and tadpoles.  I also spent a lot of time from the ages of 6-14 fishing whenever I had the chance. Luckily, there were several ponds within riding distance with my little BMX bike.  I also loved going to pet stores and aquariums/nature centers.  I saw my first dart frogs at the Cleveland Zoo rainforest on a school field trip in the early 90s.  I remember being completely enamored with them, and I guess without me even knowing it, I was already hooked.   After that field trip, anytime I saw a book about dart frogs I read it (looked at the pictures), or even searched on the Encarta encyclopedia… dart frogs were always something I thought about often.

If I remember correctly, you got your first frogs in 1999.  What species was it, and who had them?  Give us the timeline of your poison frog journey from those first frogs to now.

Yes, that is correct.  My pops brought home 3 tree frogs and a ten gallon aquarium, with all the fixins, to build a pretty shitty setup.  The frogs were a Cuban tree frog (Osteopilus septentrionalis), a green tree frog (Bryophytes cinereous or Hyla cinerea), and a kassina frog or Senegal running frog (Kassina senegalensis), which is what the pet store called it.  He actually got them from a mom and pop pet shop out in Mercer, PA… he was on a sales call, and sometimes interesting things are included in sales deals (haha).  That was my first real introduction to keeping frogs.  Roughly 6 months after that, I ended up buying my first red-eyed tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas) and my first dart frog, which was Dendrobates auratus.  I also got those from a mom and pop pet shop in Alliance, OH.  About 2 years after that, my Dad, while on another sales call, met a guy who had dart frogs, and he gave my dad the name Aaron’s Frog Farm in Buffalo, NY.  It wasn’t much longer after that I had my first Dendrobates tinctorius from Aaron, and then over the next 10 or so years, I had many D. tinctorius locales and some Phyllobates. I didn’t start keeping Oophaga until around 2010-2011.  I did a trade with a friend, and he had some bastimentos.  So, I gave them a shot, and like many others, I got the Oophaga bug pretty bad.  A couple years after that, I decided to jump into large obligates, and I’ve been happily residing there for the last 13 years.

I know you used to purchase enclosures from other folks, then you started making your own.  What were some of the issues you faced when constructing your first few enclosures?

Well, honestly not too many. I had some Euro-style tanks already, so I was able to use them as the reference for how I wanted to build my own, and I basically just made a more simplistic design with easy measurements.  The biggest issue was learning how little silicone you actually needed to build one.  My first tank used nearly an entire tube of silicone, and now I can build probably 6-8 enclosures off of one tube… haha!  I’m someone who thinks and plans out accordingly for whatever project I’m doing, and then I just dive in.  I’m not too cautious or scared to make mistakes.  I’ve made several changes to the design since 2018, but really just to make the build process cleaner, messing around with vent sizes, substrate dam heights and certain things to make weak points in the enclosure more stable.

I think I remember you mentioning that you just want the hobby to pay for itself.  I chuckled when you said that because that’s what I’ve always said over the years.  In 35 years breeding herps, I don’t think it ever has.  You?

Haha, yeah there are certain years that it has paid for itself, and then some years it’s close to even… and then there are also some years where I just buy buy buy buy… and I go way in the red. As a whole, I’m sure I’m still in the red unfortunately.  

Your vivaria are works of art.  Period.  It is evident that you have an artistic background.  The flow of your hardscape and plants pulls us through your builds in a pleasing manner.  What aspects of your art background have you incorporated into your vivarium builds?

Hey buddy, I appreciate that!  Well, I double majored in painting and ceramics/sculpting.  I’m not sure I can say that either of those medias actually contribute to the creations I end up with, but in general I think it’s helped with a general understanding of design, composition and spatial recognition.  Like I said earlier, not being afraid to make a mistake I feel has certainly helped me in this department too.  Sometimes I just wing it, and it’s very much like sketching out ideas, but 3-dimensionally.  I’m also often times thinking about how the frogs will utilize the hardscape, making sacrifices in the design that might not look the best artistically, but work out better for the animal.  Also, visualizing how plants are going to grow into the hardscape is also something I try to be conscious of.  

I know your love for plants has grown over the years.  What are some of your favorite genera and species?

It’s changed several times.  I used to only like smaller-leaved plants and vines like marcgravias, peperomias, and mini orchids.  Then I went crazy with philodendrons and anthuriums.  Now I feel like my enclosures live in a happy medium with a decent mix of it all.  I still love Marcgravia umbellata ‘Red', Marcgravia sintenisii, Peperomia emarginella, and many of the pleurothallis and masdevallia orchid species (many other orchid species I love but I kill those). I really love epiphytic ferns as well, such as microgramma and microsorum.   For bigger-leaved plants, I still use Philodendron verrucosum even though it goes a little too crazy. I also like Philodendron sp. ‘Lincoln Park Zoo’ and Anthurium forgetti.  Most of the other large-leaved plants I love simply get too big, even in the 300+ gallon vivariums.  Oh, I also like moss. 

Zoopoxy.  Let’s talk about it. How have you incorporated it in your builds?

I’ve only used it on my latest enclosure for Phyllomedusa bicolor.  They’re big, heavy frogs, and they like to be up high on branches.  So, I didn’t want to run the risk of the ghostwood or manzanita wood branches rotting out over time and wanted to build a more permanent branchy structure.  I also decided to mess around and make some fake rocks with it.  Its uses are kind of endless, and I think it’s something that any and every custom background maker/builder should have.  It’s very easy to work with, and Brad’s Bioactive Builds on YouTube has a nice livestream on there where he shows how to mix it up and a brief general tutorial on how to apply it.  Once you grasp that aspect of the media, it’s easy to see how the applications are literately endless.

Most of the folks I interview mention you as a big influence.  Tell us some of your influences.

Well, I sort of have two main forms of inspiration.  One form is the design and finished look of the vivarium.  For that, I’ve always been inspired by the Dutch and Dutchrana in particular.  A large part of how my tanks currently look is obviously derived from them. I also get inspiration from aquascapers and some of the vivarium YouTube channels from Korea and Indonesia.  The other form is really just frog/husbandry/breeding influence.  I think for this it’s great to have several friends that you’re able to bounce ideas off each other, inspiring and also being inspired at the same time. These are some of the names that have helped influence my keeping practices: Julio Rodriguez, Steve Reyes, Robert Nhan, Shawn Harrington,  Lynn Rech, Andreas Zarling, Damian Rama, Mike Novy, Bobby Zahradnik, Walter Grysko, Trey Bell, Nick Zoppa, and Travis Stutchman.

Finally, how can we find you online?

Instagram: ooFROGa_hisTROYonica

YouTube: Troy Goldberg’s Tropical Garage 

AVS Q&A with… Bonnie of Verdant Vivariums

I’m super excited about this Q&A! It’s Bonnie of Verdant Vivariums, and to say that she has a “green thumb” is an understatement.  If you have been in the vivarium world for any length of time, you certainly know Bonnie.  Aside from running Verdant Vivariums, she donates her time and energy to sharing her wealth of knowledge with other hobbyists. Here we go!

I ask everyone who participates in my little Q&A to tell the readers how they got into herps, plants, vivaria/terraria/aquaria, and nature in general.  I always tell people I was born this way because I simply can’t remember a time when I wasn’t absolutely enamored with the natural world.  What started the passion for you?  

I've been catching frogs and salamanders since I was a kid. I bought my original dart frogs when I was 16, while working my first job in the reptile department at a large pet store. I was afraid of snakes when I was younger after having one bite my hand when I was 5, so at my job interview I had to hide my fear and hold everything. In my first week on the job, I had the store's retics and Macklot's pythons tamed down and they could frequently be found wrapped around my waist or wrist while I worked. I had been keeping terrarium plants since I was about 13, mostly mini African violets and other gesneriads. I started off majoring in chemistry and math in college, but when I discovered the horticulture department I was hooked!

When did you start Verdant Vivariums?  Can you tell us the trajectory of your business over the years?  

I started my nursery in 2011, after having a pretty severe accident while working as a landscape gardener at Disneyland in my early 20’s. After 8 years of reconstructive surgeries, including bone grafts and cadaver ligaments, I decided to get back into horticulture in a way that I could more easily manage.  There seemed to be a fairly large hole in this market, so I figured it would be a fun transition to focus on something that I loved. 

I could ask you hundreds of questions about plants, but I will try to be succinct and simply ask you about some of the plant genera and species that fascinate you.  You know I adore mini orchids and big, beautiful, and showy aroids.  You’ve been working with plants for decades, so I’m excited to know what plants still pique your interest and why?

I love ferns! My favorites are usually miniature epiphytic species, and my all time favorite is Adiantum reniforme. I love unusual orchids like Bulbophyllum reticulatum or Trichosalpinx blaisdellii. Anything oddball usually has a home in the nursery. We grow ant plants, carnivorous, aquatic, and just about anything I find strange or unusual.

Frogs.  Let’s talk about ‘em.  What are some of your favorite poison frog species?  

For personality, I love my little pumilio and terribilis. For display purposes, my terribilis are definitely the boldest in the warehouse. I love my galactonatus and Capurgana auratus. I just rarely see them. We currently have over 24 species of frogs at the warehouse :)

We met when I was working with a lot of gecko species, and they will always be my first love as far as reptiles and amphibians are concerned.  Do you work with any other herps besides poison frogs?

I've kept and bred Uroplatus, including guentheri and sikorae. I bred panther chameleons for a number of years and used to vend reptile shows in my early 20’s selling them. I've bred other species of geckos including helmeteds, vipers, leachianus, webfoots, and other various Pachydactylus species. I've kept a number of rare chameleon species, uromastyx, tegus, tree frogs, rhino iguanas, etc. It's been a pretty broad list of reptiles over the years. 

I’m fascinated by the evolution of our hobby.  I think it’s wonderful that folks are focusing more on naturalistic setups as opposed to more spartan-style setups.  How do you think our hobby will progress over the next several years?

I hope to continue to see more frog species become established in the hobby, with more breeders figuring out the tricks and nuances to breeding some of the more difficult species.

I decided to do this Q&A to spotlight individuals I think are really having a positive impact on the hobby, and I’d love to know who has inspired you over the years.

Philippe de Vosjoli was my biggest inspiration when I was teenager. I grew up devouring Vivarium magazine and trying to source all the amazing stuff I saw in it.  Patrick Nabors was also an inspiration when I was younger, and he was one of the few commercial breeders consistently able to produce healthy CB frogs back in the day. 

My biggest goal with our local amphibian group is to try to make more established breeders accessible to newcomers in the hobby. We have so many amazing breeders that have been working with these animals for over a decade in most cases, and they're just a wealth of information.

Finally, tell everyone how they can find you online and in the flesh.  

Online, your best bet is to message me on Instagram or Facebook. We have a website, www.verdantvivariums.com, and an Etsy store, but less than 10% of what we carry is listed online at any given time. If you want to find me in person, our 3,000 square foot warehouse is open to the public 3 days a week and I also vend shows anywhere from Washington to New York! We also have our local society and Frog Fests that I run in Southern California. The group is the Western Amphibian & Terrarium Society and you can find us on Facebook and Instagram.

That was great! Go find Bonnie online or in the flesh and give her some love!

Arizona Monsoon Season

Several months ago I did an episode of Amphibicast hosted by Dan Drobates, and he asked me my favorite photography subject.  With little hesitation, I told him that I love shooting sweeping landscapes with an ultra wide angle lens.  My go-to lens for landscapes is the Canon RF 15-35mm F/2.8L IS USM lens.  It will always be in my camera bag, and I actually use it as my walkaround lens sometimes.  It’s a workhorse, and it produces stunning images.

I used to make a yearly pilgrimage to southeastern Arizona to photograph crazy weather patterns and unique nature during monsoon season, which takes place typically between the middle to end of June until about the end of September.  A shift in wind patterns brings moist air from the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Mexico (not the Gulf of America!) into Arizona.  The combination of heat and moisture are perfect for thunderstorm development.  Some of my best landscape photography work has been from my trips to Arizona during monsoon season.  It’s also an incredible time to go herping, which is the other primary reason I take the trips.

The photograph pictured is on the road to the Chiricahua Mountains outside of Wilcox, Arizona.  I was retuning to my campsite after a day of looking for reptiles and amphibians in the area when I spotted this gloriousness in my rearview mirror.  I immediately pulled my car over to grab my tripod and camera.  Unfortunately, I tripped when I got out of my car and slammed my tripod on the ground.  D’oh!  It broke one of the legs of my tripod, so I fumbled around to figure out how I was going to stabilize my camera to photograph the sun setting behind a rain squall.  I found a spot on my car that I was able to set the camera on and stabilize it to get this shot.  It worked!  This is still one of my my favor shots.

AVS Q&A with… Jack Small

Here we go again, y’all!  This week’s Q&A is Jack Small.  Jack is an accomplished photographer and works with some amazing poison frogs.  He’s contributed so much to the hobby and is always happy to answer questions and share his passion with other keepers.  His studio frog photography is stunning, and his nature/wildlife photography really conveys his love for the art.  Let’s get into it!

Tell us about your background.  What sparked your interest in herps, especially poison frogs? 

Ever since I was a little kid I’ve loved all critters! Animals and wildlife were a huge part of my upbringing. I would always go to my local ponds to catch frogs and tadpoles as a kid, and I loved attending reptile shows/expos. I had lots of different pets growing up, including birds, snakes, lizards, fish, and several others. Eventually I got my first dart frogs at a reptile expo, and kept getting more and more. I started phasing out some of the other animals I kept, focusing just on dart frogs, and now they’re pretty much all I keep! I think the diversity of different types that exist is one of the main reasons I’m so drawn to them.  

What poison frog species and locales/morphs do you keep?  Do you have a favorite? 

These days I keep mostly frogs in the genus Oophaga. I have mostly pumilio, some histrionica, lehmanni, sylvatica, and vicentei. I have a few pairs of tincs, but mostly focus on Oophaga. Super hard to pick a favorite, but lately my top 3 would have to be Escudo, Yellow Lehmanni, and Blue Histos! 

Let’s get into your photography.  Your frog photos are gorgeous, and your wildlife photography is top notch.  When did you get into photography?  What system do you use, and what are your favorite lenses for frogs and nature and why?  

Thanks so much! I’ve always been into taking photos, but got my first DSLR camera about 6 years ago. I really only started taking photography seriously a little over a year and a half ago, when I started upgrading my gear and expanding my knowledge. I’m a Nikon user, and I currently use my Z9 for both my wildlife and macro photography. For wildlife, my go-to lens these days is my Nikon 400mm f4.5. Super lightweight and portable, razor sharp, and a pretty decent reach and aperture! For macro, I most often use my 105mm f2.8 Nikon lens. This lens is super sharp, and gives me a great working distance. 

Poison frogs and tropical plants go hand in hand.  Is your plant game solid?  

I would say it’s decent! Haha. Back when I got in the hobby, I didn’t care about plants much at all. Now, I do like them quite a bit… not as much as the frogs though! I love Marcgravias and Philodendrons, and I usually include both in all of my builds. I don’t have too many super high end plants, but would like to build up my collection more! 

I know you’ve been in this hobby for a long time.  What aspects of the hobby still pique your interest, and how do you see our hobby progressing over the next several years?

Over the next several years I would really like to see some more new species and locales become available. I feel like these days there are lots of motivated, smart people in the hobby that are always innovating and improving husbandry, so I see a bright future for the hobby! Some things that currently still keep me interested are preserving some of lines and locales that have faded out over the years, as well as making new connections and talking with people. Breeding frogs (especially Oophaga) is always fun and not something I can see myself ever getting tired of! Finding new Oophaga froglets is always super exciting. 

In the last few years I’ve also started traveling more and seeing a lot of these frogs in their natural habitat, and I find it very interesting and enjoyable to take concepts of what I see in the jungle and try to apply it to my vivariums. 

Tell the readers some of your influences in the poison frog hobby and photography?

There are so many talented photographers out there, but two of the most influential for me are probably Isaac Spots and Thomas Mangelsen. I’ve been very inspired from both of them, and I think they are great influences in the photography world. As far as the frog hobby goes, I admire anyone who is interested in learning about the natural history of the frogs, is always trying to improve their husbandry, and is always trying to learn more about the frogs. 

Troy Goldberg is the king of vivarium building in my opinion, and I definitely use his vivs as inspiration when building my own. 

I know that you’ve been able to study poison frogs in situ.  Tell us about some of your memorable encounters with poison frogs in the wild.  Make us really jealous!

One of my favorite poison frogs to see in the wild is Oophaga pumilio in Panama. It’s super fun to see all of the different colors and locales that exist out there, and not necessarily knowing exactly what you’re going to find. One cool experience I had was on the mainland of Bocas del Toro in Panama, where I found a dark blue locale of pumilio. These frogs were so abundant that I had to watch every step I took because they were right under my feet! Some frogs can be as easy as that to find, and others the complete opposite. One time in Colombia, I was fortunate enough to see the red morph of Oophaga lehmanni, and it took a 3 and a half hour, uphill hike through dense jungle to get to them. We also only found one pair… but totally worth it! The reds on those, as well as most other frogs I’ve seen in situ, are so much brighter and more intense than what we have in captivity. Seeing frogs in the wild in their natural habitats is a really special and inspiring thing! 

Finally, how can we find you online?

My frog Instagram account is @jacksmallfrogs, and my wildlife account is @jacksmallphotos! My YouTube handle is the same (jacksmallphotos), and my website is https://jacksmallphotos.godaddysites.com. 

AVS Q&A with… Andy Baker

The hits keep coming!  This week’s Q&A is with Andy Baker.  Andy’s love for poison frogs prompted him to start the Poison Dart Frog Hobbyist Facebook Group and the National Frog Fest in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Andy’s compassionate approach to the hobby is what attracted me to participate in his Facebook group and NFF.  I had shied away from all Facebook groups until I found Andy’s.  With almost 18K folks in the group, it is a wonderful resource for beginners and advanced keepers.  Let’s shine a light on Mr. Andy Baker!

If I remember correctly, you have a background in aquatics, right?  Tell us your origin story that led to you keeping and breeding poison frogs.  Have you always been interested in the natural world? 

First off, thank you for having me and thank you for all of your support and everything you do for the community, including this blog.

I have always been extremely curious and particularly so about the natural world. As a child I grew up largely in rural Michigan, and I was always in a creek, pond, lake or swamp wrecking my newest shoes and catching anything I could. 

At around 8, I received a pair of green anoles and the world expanded. Fast forward to my early 20s around 1990, and I discovered saltwater reefkeeping along with building a fairly substantial herp collection. With help from a coworker/mentor, I built a 55 gallon tank and stocked it with mostly soft corals and large-polyp stony corals (LPS). The reef hobby was in its infancy at the time.

Through the early 90s I bred bearded dragons, ball pythons, children's pythons, jungle carpet pythons and assorted colubrids, but I was always drawn to chameleons and geckos. I especially loved terrestrial geckos. I kept and bred pictus geckos, leopard geckos, fat-tailed geckos, and frog-eyed geckos. I was also very interested in naturalistic displays and built a number of vivariums that were decent but primitive by today's standards.

In 1999, I had broken off a long-term relationship and was looking for room to grow. I sold off my entire collection along with most everything else I owned and backpacked Australia for a year logging 99 dives (yes one short of 100) on the Great Barrier Reef. 

Upon returning home I didn't return to herps, but I almost immediately set up a reef tank. Then another and another. Within a couple years, I had an online coral store, I  developed and marketed acrylic frag racks for growing coral, and I began selling at shows around the country. This eventually became a brick and mortar store and a full time gig until 2020 when I got out of reefkeeping completely. During the pandemic, my kids were home and I wanted a project to have some fun and use as a teaching tool. We built a 100 gallon vivarium and acquired Dendrobates leucomelas. 

What poison frog species and locales do you keep?  Do you have a favorite?

I keep Fine Spot Dendrobates leucomelas and several Oophaga pumilio locales, including Spotted Eldorado, Pico de Chiriqui, Colon Drago and Bastimentos. I also allegedly have Ranitomeya sirensis ‘Orange’ though they rarely show themselves. My favorite are probably my Spotted Eldorado. They're very bold and beautiful little frogs, and I got them from a late friend and mentor Justin Adamek. 

I absolutely love your Facebook group!  I feel like I’ve found my home.  You run a tight ship, and it shows.  It’s a super friendly and approachable group, which is almost unheard of for a group that large.  How did it get started?  What are your future goals for the group?  

That's so rewarding to hear because that is the mission! Hobbies such as this one can develop a sort of gate keeping, and I saw that in some of the other groups. I think the Internet in general can bring out poor behaviors. I set out to create a different kind of atmosphere. A place of support and encouragement and ideally even more. I have been aided in my endeavors by the support of many veteran hobbyists without whom none of it could work. 

I don't dabble well. That is to say I have a tendency to do things full on. Whatever it is. I need to be building, learning and growing. I am at a point in my life where I have become far less focused on myself and more focused on my community both locally and in the frog world. Poison Dart Frog Hobbyist and by extension National Frog Fest allow me to focus on community building and not collection building. I have kept large collections of animals. I don't need to do that anymore. I'm more interested in encouraging and inspiring folks to be and to embrace their best selves.

Amber and I had so much fun at the National Frog Fest!  I’ve been to hundreds of herp-related shows over the last thirty years, and I have to say that NFF is up there with some of my faves.  We met so many like-minded frog and plant enthusiasts, and we are so excited to continue to be a part of it.  How did it get started?  What are your future goals?  Side note, Ann Arbor is such a beautiful college town.  It’s the perfect spot for NFF!

It is so completely rewarding to hear that people had a great experience! I could not have been more pleased with the outcome.

So, a couple of years ago Frog Day was canceled. I have been a vendor at countless reptile and coral shows over the years and one of my closest friends hosts coral shows across the Midwest. PDFH was at probably 8,000 members at that point. I saw an opportunity to apply my background and build something community based. People have really bought in and we had over 350 people in the room this year. We raised a substantial amount of money for the ACA and hopefully we educated some folks. I found the event to have an electric atmosphere and I am grateful to all those who contributed. I look forward to trying to recreate the magic on March 22nd, 2026.

Do you like working with tropical plants as much as frogs?

I like everything about building and maintaining enclosures. I find that overall it pushes a lot of my buttons. So yes!

Who are some of your influences who’ve had a positive impact on you over the years? 

My wife and kids! 

Philippe De Vosjoli, Julian Sprung, Martin Moe, Todd Cherry, Justin Adamek, Jenny Hackforth-Jones, David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Joseph Campbell, Chuck Palaniuk, Herman Melville, Bill Hicks....countless others!

Finally, tell us how we can find you and give you some love online. 

I am readily available at the Poison Dart Frog Hobbyist Facebook group and messenger. 

@andybaker53 on Instagram 

andy@theblueglow.com email

AVS Q&A with… Julio Rodriguez

This week’s Q&A is with the OG, Julio Rodriguez.  Julio has been working with poison frogs for several decades, and he has traveled to Central and South America to study them in situ.  Julio’s dedication to poison frogs is undeniable, and he has contributed so much to the hobby.  He is a skilled keeper/breeder, photographer, and world traveler.  Let’s go!!!

Tell us about your background.  What are some of the poignant moments in your life that led to you keeping poison frogs?

As a kid, I always had a passion for animals so it didn’t matter where I went. If it was at the beach, I remember catching pipe fish and crabs by the ocean and searching the marsh for fiddler crabs. As I got older, keeping all kinds of reptiles against my parents’ will and later getting yelled at when they found out, though the prices were always kept low when they asked how much until I saw a poison dart frog at a pet store and my mom saw the price tag and said, "Forget about it!" That was back in 1990 when an Azureus went for $300. She reluctantly bought me a Dendrobates truncatus for $25.  When I got to hIgh school, I was blessed to have a high school biology teacher who had a connection at the Bronx Zoo's Reptile House, and so I got to be an intern my junior and senior year and later stayed on as a volunteer. I got to work with a lot of endangered animals and even got to breed some while under my care for the first time at the facility. Being there further fueled my passion to concentrate on Old World chameleons, day geckos and dart frogs. I was all about the colorful herps! 

You are really the authority on obligates, especially large obligates.  I know you’ve worked with tincs and other species throughout your long tenure as a keeper.  What led you to primarily focus on large obligates?

I am definitely not the authority on obligates. There are a few people who definitely know more. My focus on large obligates was mainly due to having little time on my hands and not having time to raise any tadpoles, which is what led me to mainly working with large obligates. In 2010, I changed my entire collection to just keeping Oophaga pumilio due to not having to care for tadpoles. Before Tesoros came along, some of us kept large obligates but definitely not in great numbers or with great success. When Tesoros was able to export, it was a dream come true as many species that we only saw in books were able to come into the hobby. Being that I live in NYC, I am limited on space so some of the Oophaga pumilio I kept had to be moved to make room for the large obligates.    

Your passion for photography is evident.  Tell us about the rig and setup you use for photographing frogs.  

My dad was a photographer, so I worked with him growing up. My dad was one of those people who refused to go digital in the 90s and still shot film due to the definition and sharpness. I personally never had a passion for photography until after college. I was mainly focused on animals and science. My dad always shot on any brand of camera. Personally, I stuck with Canon, and the past few years just use a Canon R5 with RF100MM F2 Macro or a 35 MM RF macro as well. My. photography got better during COVID as I had a lot more time on my hands to play around more with my camera. 

You’ve been fortunate to travel to some amazing poison frog locales.  Where are some of your favorite places you’ve traveled?  

Yes, I have been very fortunate to travel to some amazing places like Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. However, my favorite place has been Madagascar. Unfortunately since having kids, I have not been able to travel back to Madagascar and had to pull out of several trips with Black Jungle due to life and kids. Colombia and Ecuador are a close second. They have some of the most pristine rainforests and are fairly unexplored due to some danger factors, but with that comes such beauty among the chaos. 

We’ve all drooled over your amazing photos of Oophaga sylvatica ‘Koi’ and its many variants.  I’m sure finding them in the field was exciting.  Are they abundant in certain areas?  When do you think they will be available legally in the hobby?

Unfortunately, they are not abundant. We visited several populations, and on an all day hike we were lucky to see about ten frogs. Some other populations we visited we were lucky to see one or two frogs after several hours of hiking. Unfortunately, those populations have been heavily smuggled and the populations have really taken a hit.

With some luck, Tesoros can hopefully get their export permit for the Koi by early next year and hopefully we can see them in the hobby in 2026. 

Who are some of your influences in the hobby?

Definitely the pioneers in the hobby like Tor Limbo, Todd Kelly, and Ron Galiardo are the top 3 names that come to mind. They helped with a lot in the hobby and also caused me to be in a lot of debt. (Just kidding!)

Finally, tell folks how they can find you online.

You can check out my Instagram account @dartfrogs or my FB page: Frog Hub   

Thailand

Amber and I went to Thailand last year, and it was one of those fundamentally life-changing trips.  Neither of us had ever been to Southeast Asia, so we tried to do as much as we could in a relatively short amount of time.

We flew into Bangkok, then hopped on a plane to head north to Chiang Mai.  It is a beautiful mountainous city in northern Thailand.  The city has numerous historical Buddhist temples in the area, which was the primary reason we decided to start our trip there.  It is home to over three hundred temples!  I think we visited seven or so, and each one was uniquely stunning.  As a photographer, I really took my time photographing the temples we visited.

We spent a couple of days at the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, which is an elephant sanctuary, rescue, and rehabilitation center that is run by a legion of dedicated employees and volunteers.  We learned all about Asian elephants (Elephas maximus).  It’s an immersive experience that really highlights the need to protect those majestic animals.

Still buzzing from the Elephant Nature Park, we got on another plane and flew south to the islands.  Our first stop was the island of Ko Yao Yai, which is an island the Andaman Sea, halfway between Phuket and Krabi.  It has incredible sandy beaches, mangroves, and small fishing villages peppered throughout the island.  It is a tropical paradise!  Although it’s a small island, the biodiversity is off the charts.  As a gecko enthusiast, I was excited to hear tokay geckos (Gekko gecko) calling at night.  We explored a lot of the island.  We did a canoe trip through the mangroves and saw so many beautiful birds and reptiles, including the Asian water monitor (Varanus salvator).

After Ko Yao Yai, we decided to be a little touristy and spent a couple of nights at the world famous Railay Beach.  It is a small peninsula between the city of Krabi and Ao Nang in Thailand.  The high limestone cliffs attract rocks climbers from around the world.  We spent our time there eating incredible food and lounging around the beach.  There are macaques all over the area, and we made the mistake off leaving some food outside of our room that attracted a gaggle of those little food thieves.  To be fair, they were in the area long before all of the annoying tourists.

We finished our trip in Bangkok.  There are about ten million people in the city and almost seventeen million people in the area.  We both said we could easily live in Bangkok when we retire.  Progressive, clean, beautiful, and the people are super friendly.  It was a great way to end our trip.

AVS Q&A with… Kyle Martin of NCDartFrogs.com!

Another exciting Q&A!  Kyle Martin of NCDartFrogs.com is absolutely one of the premier poison frog breeders in the US, and he is very active on social media.  He eagerly shares his wealth of knowledge with other hobbyists, and he certainly helped me out a lot when I got started with Dendrobatids.  Like me, Kyle has a background in aquatics and has parlayed some of that knowledge into creating a tadpole rearing system that is as state of the art as one can get.  Let’s do this!

I start all of the Q&As by asking about your background.  What led you on this particular path, working with poison frogs and vivaria?  I’m sure the readers would love to hear about your extensive background in aquatics.

Well, first I would like to thank you for having me on for this Q&A! I have kept aquariums my whole life, and I took a career path in aquaculture. When I was working with aquariums on a professional level, I needed to find a new “hobby”, so I decided to try keeping some poison dart frogs.

I want to jump right in and talk about your amazing tadpole rearing system.  Can you tell us about it?

I fell deep into the hobby and before too long I had several breeding pairs of frogs. This lead to lots of tadpoles in cups. When I found myself with a bookcase filled with cups on every shelf, I was determined to find a better way. I had several issues I wanted to remedy, besides just being able to fit a bunch of tadpoles in a small amount of space. This included things such as being able to feed the tadpoles as much as they could eat, without compromising water quality, as well as eliminating competition between tadpoles. Basically, I wanted the benefits of all the different rearing methods, without the various downsides. It was an effort to grow the biggest and healthiest tadpoles the fastest, with the least amount of work for me. I drew on my aquaculture experience to design MartinMorphisis Tadpole Systems. These tadpole systems use individual cubicles of adjustable size to isolate tadpoles from their competition while allowing them to be raised in a shared body of water. Since there is just one body of water to concern yourself with, you can employ all the bells and whistles. This includes micron mechanical filtration, ceramic biological filtration, various chemical filtration, ultraviolet sterilization, automatic top-off, etc. Each system is custom made, so the options are limitless! 

MartinMorphisis Tadpole System

Let’s talk about NCDartFrogs.com.  I know it wasn’t your primary source of income for a long time.  What were you doing before working with frogs and plants?  What was the impetus to doing the frog business full time?

As I mentioned earlier, my career has been in ornamental marine aquaculture since I was still in college; getting my degrees in Biology and Chemistry. My two areas of focus had been coral aquaculture as well as seahorse aquaculture. After selling my seahorse farm in Maryland and moving down to North Carolina to build a commercial wholesale coral farm, I found myself getting more and more devoted to NCDartFrogs.com. After having twin daughters in 2023, I decided I needed to narrow my focus in order to be able to spend more time with my family. Naturally I chose working with the frogs out of my home versus a commercial warehouse with 100% humidity! 

What’s your favorite frog species and why?

That is easy! Dendrobates tinctorius! They are a large, bold, and colorful frog that are easy to keep, and there are a couple dozen locales to collect! 

Everyone raves about your plant packages.  Do you enjoy working with plants as much as frogs?

The plants have certainly grown on me! I have never had a very green thumb with keeping plants indoors, but it turns out that in a glass box with dedicated light and irrigation plants are easy to keep! As I got more and more vivariums, the diversity of my plant collection grew very diverse. I had been just trimming the plants in the vivariums as needed and throwing the trimmings away. When COVID-19 started, I had more time on my hands, so I decided to offer plant packages to people on social media. I sold over a dozen packages that first weekend! Turned trash into treasure. Hearing how much people enjoyed the packages and raved about the value of the bargain packages excited me and made me want to spread the joy of vivarium keeping even more. So I made more of an effort to collect and grow different vivarium plants that I could share with people. These plant packages have grown to be the most re-ordered item on my website, clearly people enjoyed them! 

NCDartFrogs.com Plant Packages

Who are some of your influences?  Doesn’t have to be strictly frog or plant folks.

I would say my Uncle Chuck, who first got me into aquarium keeping when I was a kid. This literally directed me to the course I took my life, and I couldn’t be happier! 

Finally, tell the readers how they can find you online.

You can find me on Facebook and Instagram @NCDartFrogs and my website NCDartFrogs.com! 

Another great Q&A in the books! Stay tuned for the next one!!!

AVS Q&A with… Achint of monmouthfrogs

Oh, man! This week’s Q&A is Achint of monmouthfrogs I’ve been following him on Instagram for a long time, and I’ve always been impressed with the quality of his photos, plants, and poison frogs. I had the pleasure of meeting him and picking up a pair of Oophaga pumilio ‘Bastimentos’ from him at National Frog Fest in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Let’s get into it!

Let’s start off by going back in time when you first started working with cold-blooded critters.  Did you work with any other herps or other animals before focusing on poison frogs?  Give the readers a little frame of reference by talking about what led to where you are now.

My journey into herps really started with fishkeeping and aquariums.  I had aquariums from childhood all the way until a few years ago. At one point I had 20+ aquariums and bred freshwater fish such as barbs, medaka, guppies, and more. I started branching out into herps in college where I picked up some leopard geckos. I can’t remember what got me into frogs in the first place, but once I found out about the PDF hobby I was in. I searched online and decided to go with some thumbnails and a converted 10-gallon aquarium to vertical vivarium. I ended up with a pair of Chazutas from Garden State Frogs. Shortly after getting these reclusive Rantiomeya I wanted to get something more bold and settled on a group of orange terribilis. I really started leaning into frogs when I moved to Michigan. Coincidentally, it seems like the midwest is really an epicenter for dart frog hobbyists!

Tell me about your plant game.  Do you think you have a green thumb?  I absolutely love working with plants as much as poison frogs.  You?  I’m an aroid fanatic! What are some of your favorite plants?  

I’ve always been into all things leafy and green! I’m a long way from a pro-grower like some of the other hobbyists out there, but most of my plants do pretty well! I’ve had aquarium plants before any terrestrial plants but also kept houseplants pretty regularly throughout my life. Aroids are definitely my favorite, and I’m always looking for new cool plants to add to my collection. Right now I’m really digging Anthurium sp. Limon, a cool vining plant with some interesting leaves. Another one of my favorites is Philodendron cf. inaequilaterum "Paper Thin".

You’re a skilled photographer as well.  Has photography always been a passion?  

Apart from aquariums, photography has been my primary hobby ever since high school. I started by shooting portraiture and events to afford better gear and spiraled down the rabbit hole of semi-professional photography. I got into studio work organically through portrait shooting, however, I ended up taking a hiatus from photography for some time. It’s been great blending my passion for photography and my passion for animals. It really makes both hobbies more enjoyable, and I’m glad I am able to share it all through my instagram and website!

This is a tough one.  I know I probably couldn’t answer it, but what species/locale of poison frog is your favorite?

As tough as this is I gotta say Phyllobates terribilis. These were probably the first frogs I ever found out about through a National Geographic book or magazine when I was a child. I still remember a picture of an indigenous man pinning down a frog while tipping a dart with poison. These frogs are the boldest ones I have, they are great to photograph, and incredibly fun to watch eat. Nothing beats a large colorful frog! If I had to pick a second I would say small form redheads I picked up! Oophaga have the most interesting behavior out of all other dart frogs and are incredible to watch.

I like to get out in the field to study reptiles and amphibians in situ?  I’m a diehard herper.  Do you go field herping?  

Going field herping is something I really want to do more of! I used to go hiking and catch frogs in a local stream but have not done that in years. I would love to make a trip out to South America and see these frogs in situ. Definitely a future goal of mine!

What is your favorite aspect of our hobby?  

This hobby is so multi-faceted, it’s so rewarding building vivariums, documenting their progress, keeping frogs, observing their behavior, and raising tadpoles. Despite this, my favorite aspect is definitely the community. It has been amazing meeting so many cool people with similar interests. Everytime I meet a fellow frogger, there is an instant connection over our love of amphibians. I chat with people on instagram daily and have made some cool friends through the hobby. It’s also the best way to get new ideas, learn more about the frogs, and get inspired. Plus I love taking pictures of all of my friends’ cool frogs. The community aspect of the hobby is also the most important, and through this community we are able to support conservation and educate others.

What are some of your goals/aspirations with the hobby moving forward? 

I would love to continue to keep posting some amazing frogs on my Instagram and grow my blog, monmouthfrogs.com. I would also like to help new hobbyists get into keeping dart frogs by educating and inspiring them! Finally, I have a long list of people who I need to visit and take pictures of their collections so that is definitely a priority for me!

I’m going to ask everyone I interview to tell me who they would like for me to interview.  Who has really been influential in your journey with poison frogs, tropical plants, vivaria, and photography?  You can mention as many folks as you want.  

Jake’s Jungles (@jakesjungles) , Mike from Glass Box Tropicals, Troy Goldberg (@oofrogahistroyonica), Shareef (@abunchoftanks), Braxton of Frog House Tropics and Marco (@king_mog). There are too many to list lol 

A big thanks to Achint for doing this for me! Be sure to visit his website monmouthfrogs.com and his Instagram.

AVS Q&A with… Opey (@mikegravia)

There are so many passionate people in the herp, vivarium, and tropical plant hobbies, so I decided to start doing a Q&A with some prominent figures who I think are positive influences in those hobbies.  I think it’s important to spotlight individuals who inspire me and so many others.  I’m really excited to dig in and find out more about these fascinating individuals.  

Our first guest is Opey, who makes absolutely incredible custom backgrounds/inserts for vivaria and terraria. His realistic backgrounds/inserts are really pushing the boundaries, and I think he is truly an artist. So, here we go!!!

Tell me your background/origin story.  How did you get into herps and vivaria?  

I guess my interest in herps began as a kid in the early 90s where I was obsessed with the Jurassic Park movie. Being born and raised in England, there wasn't much access to exotic type pets so my dad drove me 3 hours to a reptile convention in Manchester, England where he bought me my first lizard, Buddy the leopard gecko. He ended up living for 17 years! Over the years I had animals such as tree frogs and bearded dragons but took a break from keeping any animals when I moved to Texas from the UK in 2011. My wife and I bought our first house here in Houston in 2022, and that’s when I took an interest in keeping animals of some sort again. There was a perfect nook right next to our fireplace in our living room that was crying out for a tank of some sort! Initially I did research on saltwater fish but was quickly distracted when I came across Troy Goldberg on YouTube, and his videos really inspired me to step into the PDF hobby and I haven’t really looked back since. 

What species do you currently work with, and what is your primary focus?

Currently I keep a group (fairly confident it’s a 2.2) of ‘Orange Blackfoot’ Terribilis (Phyllobates terribilis), and I also have a pair of Auratus, Costa Rican green and blacks, which have produced 12 healthy froglets so far! It was my first time breeding anything so this was super exciting! I have space for one more tank that I am building for myself which I will use to house some Vanessas.

Your custom backgrounds/inserts are absolutely stunning!  You're an artist.  I've noticed on your Instagram that you share photos and videos of your construction process.  Can you briefly describe your workflow?  What do you think is the most challenging aspect of your background/insert building?  Have you standardized your workflow or do you approach each build differently as far as construction is concerned?  

I appreciate that! It’s something I just picked up doing in October of last year, and I’m just trying to continue to improve. I am pretty happy with my workflow process now after being fortunate to have about 11 clients so far who’ve asked for slightly different pieces so it’s helped me expand my techniques. But, my general flow is to get a feeling for what the client is looking for and most cases even request a reference picture to work off of. I am always in constant communication with updates on the build as I want to make sure each client feels part of the design process. Next is the part where I work with foam to create a generic structure or shape before carving it. Initially I started with cement but have switched to using Polygem Zoopoxy , which has allowed me to take my detailing to the next level. The painting part really makes each piece come alive, and it’s one of my favorite parts. I have a 7-step process that is working for me, and I have that nailed down now. I am definitely in need of improving my final display pictures and videos though!

Who are some of your influences?  You've certainly inspired me to step up my background game!

As mentioned earlier, Troy was the first person I came across on Youtube and always creates beautiful scapes. He really got me started just by watching his videos, and it’s funny how life works out as we became friends a couple years later. When I first started building my display tank back in 2022, I reached out to Brandon (@lost.vivariums) for some tips as he was local to me in Houston. I also got a lot of help from Shareef (@abunchoftanks) in my early days in the PDF hobby and now both Brandon and Shareef I consider friends. I think that’s been my favorite part of entering the hobby. I have made some great friends that I talk to regularly now not only about frogs but life too!

What's next?  Are you working on anything new and exciting that you'd like to share with the readers?    

Yes! I am about to build my final 18x18x24” which I hope to have done in a few weeks. Other than that, I am available for commissions if any readers are interested in having their own background or insert created!

Our hobby is always evolving.  What are some aspects of our hobby that you think can be improved?  

I still feel like a newbie in the hobby, but thankfully I feel that I have gotten connected with the right people to help me improve my knowledge and husbandry. I have been lucky with this, but I know others have not and I believe people sharing knowledge is a powerful tool to improve all aspects of the hobby, including building backgrounds etc. I am more than happy to give people advice if they reach out.

Finally, tell everyone how they can find you online.    

For now, I am only reachable via direct message on Instagram, @mikegravia

Awesome! Y’all cruise over to Instagram to give Opey some love! Stay tuned for the next Q&A!

The One That Started it All - Texas Alligator Lizard (Gerrhonotus infernalis)

My family moved to Austin, Texas in 1980 when I was just a wee laddie.  At 5, I was already obsessed with reptiles and amphibians.  I remember the first time I saw a Texas alligator lizard (Gerrhonotus infernalis) in the wild, and it changed my life forever.  I talked about this experience on my recent interview on Amphibicast.

There was a rock retaining wall in the backyard at our house in Austin, and I was looking around the wall for herps when I noticed a really long tail hanging out of one of the cracks in the wall.  I’ve never been afraid to stick my hands in holes and other places where most folks wouldn’t.  I slowly pulled the tail, trying not to break it, and pulled my scaly prize out to hold and admire.  Most Texas alligator lizards are relatively docile when encountered in the wild.  Sometimes, males can hiss and try to bite, but they’re usually pretty chill.  That moment, discovering the beautiful lizard, changed my life.

I’ve spent the last several decades working with reptiles and amphibians, and this species will always hold a special place in my heart being the species that fueled my lifelong fascination for all things cold-blooded.

Plant Propagation Boxes

Plant propagation boxes are great alternatives for those of us who don’t have greenhouses but would like to keep our tropical plants in ideal growing conditions. It’s essentially the same concept as a greenhouse but on a much smaller scale. Vivaria are great for tropical plants, but where is the best place to keep cuttings taken from your vivaria? Yep, plant propagation boxes.

Prop boxes are simple and effective. I use clear 60-quart Sterilite® boxes that measure 24" x 19 1/4" x 11 1/8" because they fit on the shelving unit in one of my closets. If you can go bigger, do it! I put about an inch or two layer of perlite on the bottom of the prop boxes simply to stabilize the potted plants and absorb some humidity. I used to use soil in the entire boxes and plant cuttings or rooted plants directly into the soil in the boxes. After using that method for about six months, I found that roots from the different plants would get tangled, and I would have to carefully separate all of the plants. Potting them individually is certainly the way to go. After watering your potted plants, place them in your prop boxes. Some folks like to add some ventilation holes in the boxes, but I find it unnecessary.

Let’s talk about lighting for your prop boxes. Good LED lighting is fundamentally important in successfully growing plants in the artificial conditions. Thankfully, LED lights are relatively inexpensive, and there are almost endless options. I typically like 6000-6500K. Most of the plants we use for vivaria are considered understory plants, which simply means they are often found in somewhat lower light conditions in the rainforest. There’s absolutely no need to blast your prop boxes with tons of light. I use a single LED strip light above each prop box, and that is more than enough light for the plants to grow and thrive.

As mentioned, prop boxes are perfect for growing cuttings from your vivaria, and if your boxes are large enough, you can keep the mother plants in them and take cuttings as needed for future vivarium builds. The boxes will require light misting and watering as needed, and the perlite on the bottom should be replaced when it gets water logged or too dirty. If your plants need to be watered, do so outside of the prop boxes so the water can drain before placing them back in the boxes.

Field Herping is LIFE!

Field herping means going into the wild in search of reptiles and amphibians, and I try to get out into the field as much as possible to study and photograph herps in situ.  I’ve been a field herper all of my life, and I get excited every year when spring rolls around because that means it’s herping season again in the US.

Most of the herping that I do is in the deserts of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.  My wife and I have some land outside of Big Bend National Park, and it’s some of the best field herping in the country.  I’ve been herping the Chihuahuan Desert for over 30 years, and I’ve found most of the species in the Trans-Pecos.

There are several different ways to herp.  Most folks are familiar with road cruising, which simply means driving slowly down roads at night to look for reptiles and amphibians crossing or resting on roads.  Road cruising is actually illegal in some states.  Most of the herping that I do in Texas involves pulling off the side of the road and walking “cuts” with a flashlight.  “Cuts” are manmade rock cliffs where the highway department blasted the land with dynamite for road development.  The last way I herp involves walking through habitat during the day (more often at night) in search of reptiles and amphibians.  I prefer getting out and walking over road cruising, but some areas do not have shoulders so road cruising is the only viable option.

A “lifer” is a new species that a herper discovers when in the field, and it is the reason that we continue to get out and look for specimens.  I don’t keep any of the animals that I find in the wild.  I simply photograph them when I can and send them on their way.

Fielding herping is such a rewarding endeavor and requires very few supplies.  When you’re herping at night, a good flashlight is fundanemnatlly important.  I use Fenix flashlights exclusively.  I always take 3 with me, with plenty of backup batteries.  Many of my friends also use headlamps when herping at night, but I only use my flashlight(s).  A really good snake stick like one from Midwest Tongs is great when you come across venomous and/or cantankerous specimens.  I also use some of my less expensive sticks to flip rocks and debris.  You’ll also want to have a good pair of gloves when digging through brush and rocks.  In Texas, a safety vest is required to wear at all times at night so others can see you.  Those are the most important tools of the trade.  I take extensive notes on the specimens that I find, so I often carry a small notebook or simply make notes on my iPhone.  A temperature gun and hygrometer are great tools if detailed field data is desired.  That’s about it.  Water, specimen cups and bags if collecting, and maybe a small backpack to keep all of your supplies.

Oh, one last thing. I document all of my finds on iNaturalist. “iNaturalist is a social network for sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature. The primary goal is to connect people to nature, and the secondary goal is to generate scientifically valuable biodiversity data from these personal encounters.”

Upcoming Studio Photography Tutorial

I’ve been a commercial photographer since 2009, and I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many amazing subjects over the years. My primary focus has been press kits for bands and musicians, but my personal work is landscape, nature, and photographing my herps in a studio setting.

I’m currently working on a detailed tutorial about my workflow when photographing reptiles and amphibians on white and black.

Stay tuned!!!

National Frog Fest 2025

Andy Baker put on one heck of a gathering for poison frog enthusiasts!  350 like-minded folks descended on Ann Arbor, Michigan last weekend to celebrate all things poison frogs, other amphibians, and vivarium plants and supplies.  This was the second year of the festival, and by the look of it, it’ll be happening again next year.

There was a meet-and-greet on Saturday night, but we were pretty tired after a long day of exploring Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Saline. We haven’t spent much time in the area, so we really wanted to check it out.

NFF 2025 started with a couple of great presentations. The first presentation was “Poison Frog Husbandry 101” with Jacob Van Keuren. Great talk! The other talk was “Tesoros and the Active Conservation Alliance” with Ivan Lozano Ortega. “Founded by International conservationist Ivan Lozano, Tesoros de Colombia and Tesoro Frogs promote ethical bio-commerce by providing an alternative to the illegal pet trade, ensuring that rare and endangered species are preserved through sustainable practices.” I simply can’t stress how important it is to support endeavors like Tesoros to cripple the illegal poison frog trade. The Active Conservation Alliance (ACA) is a grassroots effort to “help restore balance in our ecosystems.” As a community, we have to be proactive to help preserve the rainforests and animals in them for future generations to enjoy.

There were so many great vendors at NFF 2025, including Glass Box Tropicals, FrogDaddy, and Verdant Vivariums. We picked up several new frogs and lots of amazing plants. We got to meet so many prominent frog and plant folks.

I really can’t praise Andy enough for putting the event together and bringing so many amazing froggers to his event. I think everyone left the event inspired and invigorated and ready to start planning for National Frog Fest 2026!