10/05/2023
Frog care tips
Temperature and Lighting
Pacman frogs need to be in the 70 to 85-degree range. Daytime temperatures can be kept about 80 to 84 degrees. It can drop down to the mid-70s at night.
Place an undertank heating pad on one end of the cage, but use a thermostat to prevent the frog from burning if it digs down too far. Add an incandescent heat bulb for supplement heat, if needed. Keep in mind that young frogs can quickly dry out under a hot lamp.
Other than the potential heat lamp, Pacman frogs don’t require special lighting; regular room lighting will suffice. If you have live plants, add a fluorescent fixture and put it on eight to 12 hours a day. For a UVA/UVB light, make sure it’s an amphibian-safe strength and not one designed for desert inhabitants.
Pacman Frog Food and Water
Pacman frogs are easy to feed, as they are greedy and indiscriminating eaters. Babies will mainly eat small insects and fish, including crickets, guppies, minnows, mealworms, dubia roaches and wax worms. Sub-adults can be fed the occasional pinkie mouse. Adults can eat an occasional full-grown mouse or baby rat. If you do offer goldfish, limit the amount as goldfish contain a chemical called thiaminase that can build up in the body and potentially harm your frog.
Smaller Pacman frogs that are mainly fed insects should be offered food daily. Larger frogs can be fed every two to three days. However, please note that Pacman frogs will eat anything that fits in their mouth, including other frogs, so don’t house two or more frogs together.
Watch your frog’s body weight and feed it accordingly. Supplementation in the form of “dusting” the food should be done at least every other feeding with a high-quality vitamin/mineral supplement to ensure proper bone growth and prevent deficiencies.
Provide a shallow dish of water that allows the frog to drink and bathe without drowning; Pacman frogs are terrible swimmers and don’t like deep water.
Handling and Health Problems
Note that Pacman frogs have teeth and can bite, so handling should be done with care. Do not put your hands or fingers in front of their mouths.
Like all amphibians, the skin is highly sensitive; handling should only occur when necessary with clean, wet hands that are free of soap or lotion residue.
The most common health problem with amphibians is bacterial or fungal infections, primarily in the skin and eyes. Look for redness or abnormal swelling.
Another health issue is ammonia poisoning if waste is allowed to build up. Toxic levels of ammonia can then enter through the skin and potentially be fatal to the frog. Avoid this by regularly cleaning the cage.