The Pacman Frog is a unique frog that makes a great pet for people with an experience in exotic care pets whether beginners or experienced keepers. They are popular due to their forgiving nature and wide availability of captive-bred specimens. This species is also known as Fantasy frogs or Horned frogs, and they are popularly known for their style of eating and the skin fold that is found over the eyes, and this gives the frog appearance of horns.
These chubby and adorable frogs are undeniably the best, and they will provide some hours of delight, more so when they eat in a true Pacman style. This frog will feed on any creature that hops, crawls, or lands Infront of this frog. The process of taking care of this frog is easy as long as you do not stick your fingers within the chomping distance of its mouth. This is a great frog that you should consider trying with its at least 18 popular color morphs, you can choose one, and the experience will be great.
Whether you are a first-timer or a person who has kept the frogs before, or an expert, this care guide will provide some more insightful knowledge about the care of the frog. If you follow all the guidelines, you are assured of a long relationship and a happy frog.
PACMAN FROG APPERANCE
The Pacman frog is a great frog with a larger, stocky-looking body with an average weight of half-pound to a pound when fully grown. When threatened, this frog species will bury its body in the substrate leaving only the horns and eyes exposed ready to deal with the predator. This frog is mainly active during the night, and they spend most part of the day buried in the substrate. This species will adapt to a new environment within a few days, and this makes them a good choice.
This species is available in different colors and skin patterns which can be green, red, orange, and albino. As the pet ages, the colors and pattern may change. This species has a sedentary behavior, and for this reason, they require minimal space. This species has some teeth that are capable of biting, and it is, therefore, better to observe than handle them. The skin of this frog species is fragile and porous, and it can easily absorb bacteria from human hands, which can lead to a potential skin infection. It is, therefore, advisable to handle them using some protective gear like gloves.
PACMAN FROG SIZE
Pet Pacman Frogs that are captive bred are sold at a size of around a quarter-inch, and they take approximately one year and a half to attain the adult size. The adult males ate a bit smaller compared to the females, with an adult size of between 2.5 inches to 4 inches, while the females can reach between 4 to 7 inches in length.
THE ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION
The Pacman frogs are mainly found inhabiting most parts of South America which include Uruguay, Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil, Columbia, Argentina, and Bolivia. Across this range, this species lives in different habitats, but they prefer mostly to live in hot, damp grasslands with relatively little tree cover. They also love living near human habituated areas where there are activities going on, which include yards, gardens, and parks.
With their beautiful camouflage coloring of brown-green, yellow, and red this species blends in well with the leaf litter in the forest as they hide, waiting for their prey.
PACMAN FROG LIFESPAN
The Pacman Frog can live for up to 15 years in captivity under optimum care. However, if you subject them to poor care, this will significantly reduce their lifespan.
PACMAN FROG CARE AND TANK SET UP
TANK SIZE
Due to their tendency towards cannibalism, these aggressive and carnivorous species should be housed alone. This species does not grow to a large size, and therefore, the ideal tank size should be at least 10 gallons. However, if the frogs are in the juveniles’ stage of approximately 3 inches, a 5 gallons tank will do before they fully grow. Some of the frog keepers find using a non-conventional tank such as a plastic storage box is less stressful for the Pacman due to the opaque nature of the sides. However, the opaque tank will limit the visual access to the pet. This will also house some specific habitat conditions that an owner should be looking for.
When the tank is opaque and can only be viewed from the top, a lot of things can happen n the tank without getting noticed. Most professional keepers opt for a glass tank, with one portion being dry while the other has a micro pond or a shallow water dish.
SUBSTRATE
This species needs some substrate in the tank, and the ideal one is that which can be kept very damp without falling apart, growing mold or fungus, or mashing down. Some of the keepers opt for a paper towel, but they are very unappealing, and they must be changed daily, and they also deteriorate quickly under extremely humid conditions. Also, using a paper towel will deny the frog somewhere to burrow.
Some of the keepers also go for the shredded clothes towels as substrate, but this does not work well with this species because it does not replicate their natural environment. In the wild, the Pacman Frogs spend most of their time buried in the sand or leaf litter. Despite the fact that they may help in maintaining the moisture well, they do not give the frog the sense of complete emersion that they require.
Most of the keepers prefer using the high humus topsoil. If you do not purchase it, then it should be baked in an oven at approximately 350 degrees for at least 1.5 hours for a natural yet sterile substrate to be achieved. For efficiency, you can bake two batches at the same time. After about two weeks, you can replace the first batch with the other one that you set aside.
If you do not want your tank to have a small that resembles of a compost that is toasted, then you can go for the commercial product such as Exo tetra plantation soil or the Zoo med eco earth. Irrespective of the type of substrate that you will choose, it should be moistened daily using dechlorinated water. You can also use tap water that has perfectly been aged or dechlorinated chemically. To age water, allow the chlorinated water to sit in the open for one to two days.
DÉCOR AND FURNITURE
It is very crucial to ensure that you avoid messing up your Pacman frog habitat, but you do not want to simply provide your frog with an empty home with no visual barrier and hiding spots. It is, however, important and advisable to ensure that your tank has a few hiding spots with some live or artificial plants. This will help in mimicking the natural habitat.
By equipping the tank with some hiding spots, the frog feels safe, and this helps in keeping the stress levels low, and this becomes important to the overall health of the pet. You can use different things for hiding spots. You can use a small plastic container with a door cut into the side, but you can also opt for commercially manufactured hide boxes. Wood pieces and cork bark can also make good hiding places, and they will look more natural.
There are several plant species that will be ideal for this species tank. You need to ensure that you select a plant that thrives in damp low light conditions. The ideal choice is the golden pothos, and they have been selected by most keepers before, but you are free to try other plants as long as they are not toxic.
WATER RESERVOIR
It is also important to ensure that you provide your Pacman frog with a larger, shallow water dish. It should be larger enough to accommodate the whole of the frog’s body. Also, it should be shallow so that the frog can rest in water and leave its nostrils above the water surface. Do not let the frog swim since they may end up drowning. It is important to avoid using chlorinated water for your frog pet. Instead, make sure that you use treated water, also known as dechlorinated water or spring water. Avoid using distilled water.
HUMIDITY
For the Pacman Frog to remain healthy always, it is important to provide high humidity always. The adult frogs can survive in lower humidity levels, but none will survive in extremely dry conditions. If you allow the environment around your frog to be dry, you might notice the frog starting to estivate. The ideal method to make sure that the humidity levels are always kept high in the tank is by ensuring that the substrate is kept damp and misting the tank every other day with treated water or the spring water.
While this species will accept more moisture than needed, it is crucial to keep the habitat clean. A wet environment will encourage the presence of fungi and bacteria, which affects their health.
TEMPERATURE AND LIGHTING
The temperature and lighting requirements for the Pacman frog are quite easy to satisfy. In some instances, you will not need to use heating or lighting at all. This species will thrive with nothing more than the normal room light that enters the tank. You do not need full-spectrum lighting as some other species do. This species can even get stressed if subjected to a lot of light. To ensure the tank and your pet look attractive, you can still use low-wattage lighting over the tank.
If you decide to use some lighting in the tank, ensure that you provide a continuous 1 hour’s photoperiod to avoid stressing your pet. This species needs relatively warm temperatures of approximately 75 to 80 degrees F. This can simply be achieved by placing the tank in the warm part of your home. If this is not possible, a low-watt heat lamp will easily bring the temperature within this range. However, ensure that you use the thermometer to keep monitoring the temperature.
PACMAN FROG DIET
The cost of feeding afro is low, and depending on the size and the body’s condition, you are likely to spend less than 20 dollars every month. This is estimated by assuming that you are feeding your frog roaches every day or twice a week, depending on how round your frog becomes. This species has a high appetite, and being round, they can easily become obese. It is, therefore, advisable to keep monitoring their body conditions all through and ensure that you are feeding them the right diet and quantity.
To ensure that your Pacman frog remains healthy throughout, it is important to feed them a balanced diet that consists of crickets and roaches. This frog can also feed on earthworms, small mice, fish, and nightcrawlers, among others. You should only offer the small mice as a threat since they are rich in fat and can lead to obesity in your frog. To ensure the frog gets the best nutrition, ensure that you feed them on gut-loaded insects that are fed a nutrient-dense diet.
Before feeding the insect with high-quality vitamin and mineral supplements for bone growth, ensure that you dust them. Your pet frog is likely to suffer serious health problems if they are not fed with vitamin D and calcium that is found in dusted, loaded gut insects. This species has exceptional teeth that help them in eating the carnivorous diet.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD THEY BE FED
The Pacman Frog can eat any prey that will fit into their mouth, and this is why they are classified as gape-limited predators. For instance, a young Pacman Frog can only be able to handle small insects such as crickets and roaches, while the adult can be able to handle a whole nightcrawler with less difficulty. This is mainly due to the large jaw that enables them to devour even the larger prey.
Whenever you are feeding this species, ensure that you only offer the insects that can be consumed overnight. If you notice some insects in the tank that has not been eaten later after a few hours, you should reduce the amount you are feeding. It is good to feed them at night since they are active during the night.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD A JUVENILE BE FED
At this stage, the Pacman frog needs nutritious food that will support its growth. You should dust invertebrate food such as roaches and crickets with a vitamin and mineral supplement and feed them to the juvenile two or three times a week.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD AN ADULT BE FED
An adult can be fed frequently after a few days, but some can last for up to a week before taking a meal. It is up to the keeper to gauge their pet from the appearance and determine whether they need to be fed after two days or after even a week. The adult species are more aggressive when feeding compared to the juveniles, and therefore, it is advisable to use forceps to avoid injury.
DOES THE PREY NEED TO BE ALIVE?
Some of the keepers believe that the live prey is the best since it gives the flog the natural experience. Others claim that this is pure nonsense and that the rich environment should provide enough stimulation. The advantages of pre-killed prey over the live prey include;
- The live prey can be too active for the frog, especially the young ones
- Sometimes the prey might fight back to save themselves and end up biting the frog. These attackers might end up disfiguring or injuring the frog, which includes; laceration to the frog’s mouth area and eyes and cutting on its tongue.
- Attacks by the live prey can be so traumatizing to the frog, and it might be difficult for them to ever feed on that prey again, whether dead or alive.
- The pre-killed prey can last in a fridge for up to six months, but whenever you want to feed them on a frog, ensure that you warm them to room temperature.
INTERACTING WITH YUR PACMAN FROG
Generally, as a keeper, you should limit the amount of direct handling and hands-on interaction you have with your frog. When you subject your pet t excessive handling, the pet gets stressed, and your dry worm hands usually irritate their skin too. This species naturally rarely tolerates handling. This species does not love being handled, and whenever they feel threatened, they might even bite, and this so rate among frog species. Due to their strong jaws and large mouth, their biting can be very painful.
This does not, however, mean that you should not interact with your pet. You should keep monitoring them to at least make sure they are in good health. You will also need to remove them from the tank regularly in order to conduct cleaning in the tank. So, whenever it is necessary to interact with this species, try to move them in a small plastic container since handling them can be dangerous.
WHERE TO BUY THE PACMAN FROG
The Pacman Frogs are easy to take care of, and this makes them so popular. They can commonly be found in pet stores, amphibian and reptiles expositions, and reputable breeders of the frogs. The pet stores can also have some healthy animals, but they do not have the experience necessary to provide personalized care for their various species. It is, therefore, advisable to look for a reputable frog breeder. They are likely to have high-quality frogs, and that can be very resourceful in answering a question about the whole process of taking care of these species.
Some of the factors that you need to have in mind as you select your new pet include;
- Always ask the seller to feed the frog so as to check for a good appetite
- Avoid picking thin frogs since they are supposed to be round normally.
- Look for a frog that has a round body, clear eyes, and moist skin.
As a beginner, it is advisable to start off with a larger juvenile frog rather than the adult one. Frogs that are at this stage of development are harder, and you also get to experience their growth and development as you form a bond over time. If you are getting into the business of keeping the Pacman Frog, you will be surprised to understand how cheap this species is. However, if you are buying them from a foreign store, then it might be a bit expensive since you have to factor in the cost of shipping.
TANK CLEANING
Daily Cleaning
It is important to do frequent cleaning of the tank because the adult frogs produce a lot of water every day. It is, therefore, advisable to ensure that you do proper cleaning to remove the water every day. It is advisable to use the forceps where possible to prevent your pet from beings startled into hiding or being motivated to bite.
Weekly Cleaning
Ensure that you remove and dispose of the one inch of the bedding and replace it afresh every week.
Bi-Cleaning
Place the dishwasher-safe furniture in the dishwasher after every two weeks. This helps remove any waste that might have stuck in the furniture.
Monthly Cleaning
After every month, ensure that you remove everything and spray the tank interior with about 10 percent bleach solution. You should spray the tank sides with some vinegar if the tank is made of glass and this will enhance visibility. Do not use more than 10 percent for the bleach solution, and do not bring back the frogs before wiping sorting everything back to normal.
After wiping down, you can wait for another half an hour and add some fresh substrate and place back the cleaned furniture back to where they belong. To do this, you need a separate tank for putting the frogs as you do the cleaning.
PACMAN FROG HEALTH AND DISEASES
You might not notice so much difference in your frog’s activity even if it is feeling a bit under the weather, and you will likely notice a significant change in appetite if something is not right. If you find out that your pet’s appetite has dropped or completely disappeared, then there could be a health issue. Despite the fact that the Pacman Frog is a hardy frog, they also experience their fair share of illness. Some of the common diseases that you should watch out for include;
CORNEAL LIPIDOSIS
Despite the fact that it can be interesting to watch your frog swallow an entire small mouse in one bite, you should limit these occasions. This is because the mice are rich in fat which can cause corneal lipidosis. As a keeper, you should avoid potential corneal sources by feeding your frog a high-quality, nutritionally balanced diet with a few high-fat preys. Also, ensure that you are providing fresh dechlorinated water and a damp environment.
FOREIGN BODY INGESTION
The Pacman frogs have a high appetite, and they are likely to eat anything that they can find. This appetite is dangerous, and it can land them in trouble. If you find out that you have decorated your frog’s tank with small items that can be snatched by the frog, you should ensure that you are feeding them in a separate tank that does not have any decorations. This is because some small rocks, pebbles, and tiny decorations might also be eaten by your pet as they blindly feed on the food provided. The Pacman frogs usually close their eyes as they eat their prey, and this means that they can easily ingest small objects as they eat small insects such as crickets.
METABOLIC BONE DISEASE
The metabolic bone disease is a skeletal system disease that affects the captivated amphibians and reptiles. This disease is majorly caused by a lack of calcium and proper supplementation in the diet of this species. This disease can be identified by the inability of the pet to latch onto the prey using its bony teeth and dropping jaw. This disease is dangerous since it causes weak and brittle bones, and this can lead to deformed bones that can easily break. This can also lead to death. To prevent this, ensure that you always supplement the diet with calcium powder or high-quality vitamins and minerals supplements before offering them.
TOXIC OUT SYNDROME
This refers to a condition that occurs when frogs sit in dirty substrate or water and end up absorbing some toxic substances through the skin. When you notice some erratic jumping and stretched-out hind legs in your frog, it indicates this particular disease. If this disease is left untreated, it escalates and can lead to death. To prevent this disease, always ensure that your pet’s tank is clean by using clean and fresh water and replacing the substrate frequently.
CONCLUSION
The Pacman Frigs are easy to take care of, and they can make the ideal choice for both the beginners and the experienced frog keepers. They can be rewarding pets to the keepers who like unusual looks and spunky attitudes. To ensure that you succeed in keeping this species, just do a proper analysis before getting one and pick a healthy frog as you begin. Set up the tank correctly and provide the necessary conditions.
If you are able to provide all that and follow all the guidelines as stated in this guide, you are assured of a healthy relationship with your pet, and it will be long-lasting. Feed them well, and you will raise a healthy and happy Pacman Frog.
