Poison dart frogs raised in zoos

 A poison dart frog raised in a zoo won't hurt a fly.It's the wild diet that makes it deadly.

            The frogs get their poison from what they eat.In the rainforest,they consume formicine ants,melyrid beetles,and other arthropods that produce potent alkaloid toxins.These toxins are derived from plants the insects eat,creating a complex chain of chemical defense.

           In captivity,fed on fruit flies and crickets,the frogs produce no poison.They still look just as bright and behave just as boldly-but without the punch.

        The moral:You are what you eat.Even if you're a tiny,brightly colored amphibian.