Poison dart frogs do not poison themselves when they use their toxic secretions because the poison is synthesized from the insects and other small animals they eat. The frogs sequester the alkaloids in their skin, making them poisonous to predators. As a result, poison dart frogs have bright coloration to warn predators of their toxicity, a phenomenon known as aposematism.

Furthermore, poison dart frogs have a unique adaptation. These frogs have a highly efficient transport system in their skin that takes up the alkaloids from their diet and then transports them to their skin glands. There, the alkaloids are stored in cells and modified to become even more toxic. This adaptation helps the frogs maintain a high level of toxicity while avoiding self-poisoning.