Heat for Dart Frogs

[Pedro]

I have a Dart Frog enclosure in my basement in Toronto that I would like to provide with heat, especially at night when the lights are off.
Is there a method of elevating the heat in a Dart Frog enclosure such that the plants are not over-heated? I am looking for a heat source that will increase the temperature by 10-12 degrees F.

[Double J]

Heat for dendrobatids is generally a bad idea. They can overheat fairly easily. My frog room generally drops to around 68-72 degress fahrenheit at night. Though these temps are right at the bottom of the recommended range for most dendros, they are acceptable. If the temperatures in your basememnt are in this window at nights, I would not worry.
Remember, darts generally are uncomfortable above 80 degrees.
As for overheating the plants? Your frogs will overheat a hell of a lot easier than your plants. I'd worry about the frogs first. But that said, your plants will be fine if your frogs are comfortable, and the light and moisture levels are adequate for the needs of the plants. And for the love of god, make sure you do NOT use an incandescnent light on your dart frogs. It will turn them into crispy little frog cookies in no time.
Worst case scenario..... that is, if your basement falls into the mid to low 60s at night, I'd go with a SMALL (ie meant for a 5 gallon tank or so) under tank heater. It should of course, be SHUT OFF or unplugged during the day, as your fluorescnet lights coupled with the humidity should bring the temps into a sufficient range during the day.
That said, I have a number of friends who keep dart frogs in their basement and have no need to heat the tanks at night.
My frog room is in the loft (a glorified attic) which presents a plethora of other temperature concerns for summer AND winter.... but that is another issue altogether.

Good luck with your dart frogs.

[Jordan B]

Honestly, even here in San Francisco I don't heat my dart frogs. In their natural habitat it does dip occasionally into the high 50's/low 60's. It can dip into the mid sixties at night here sometimes, but I don't worry. Also, the tank is basically fully sealed so it is always warmer by a little in the tank than it is outside.

Jordan