Buying a pac-man frog

[Ollie]

Hey,

Im doing a little research to find out what i need for a Pac-Man frog. I have a 5 gallon tank already but it has a crack in the side, would that hurt the frog? or should i buy a new one? or can i use one i make out of plexi-glass? Also can i use peat moss that you get at a garden store or should it be some sort of special peat moss made for reptiles? I know what they eat. I also know that they need a fluorescent light and that the other kind can damage their skin. Also that they should have 8-12 hours of light a day. And when they hibernate to leave them alone. But mainly im not so sure about the tank set up, i have around 200 dollars (CAD) to spend on this so will i go over my budget if i have to buy a new tank? Thanks, if you guys can help that would be great.

Also a supply list would be great.

 

[Ollie]

some one help me please id like to know before tmorrow becuase thats when i plan to buy it

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

My, there seems to have been several pacman frog threads lately!

If the crack is minor, you should be okay, but keep in mind that it is a weak point in the glass and probably more danger to you than it is the frog. Personally, I'd invest in a new one. And while you are at it, you may consider upgrading to a ten gallon, those guys grow fast! In a year, maybe less, you'll likely find yourself wanting to place him in a ten gallon anyway. I started mine in a five-gallon, but only because someone provided me with it from the start. I recently moved him up to a ten-gallon and I'm much more pleased with it aesthetically speaking. The frog seems to like it, but he certainly does not take advantage of the additional space.
You could make your own out of Plexiglas if you have the know-how, but I prefer glass, mainly because it does not scratch.

Some people use peat moss, but the preferred substrate is coco-fibre. The stuff comes under a variety of names, Eco-Earh and Bed-a-Beast being a couple of the more popular brands. I've had good luck with the Eco-Earth brand myself. Do NOT use sphagnum moss, or any other type of moss that comes in strands, it is a bowel obstruction waiting to happen.

There seems to ve some debate about lighting. Some say not to use a light source that enits UVB, particularly with albino pacs. I use a fluorescent tube designed for aquariums and plants, it doesn't supply UVB and so far no problem.
12 hour light cycles are suggested, which is what I give mine. They say there is a chance of the frog refusing to eat without the proper cycle.

I can't imagine using 200 dollars for a pacman setup, their needs are pretty simple. Beyond the frog itself, the tank, lighting and perhaps heating are the greatest expenses getting started. Substrate is reasonably cheap, but of course it needs to be replaced from time to time. Naturally, food is an ongoing expense, unless you choose to start your own colony of something.

 

[Ollie]

Thanks but i would say it will run me 200 dollars beucase everything here cost more than every were else beucase of this damn island. And it dosent get that warm here even in the summer time, in the middle of july its only aournd 25-27 degrees, would that be a factor to the frog? and how much are uv lamps and how much would a 10gallon tank run me? also is there 10 gallon plastic tanks?

 

[kupo969]

These frogs do not require UV lighting. As for the temps, yes it will affect your frog. If the temps are too low it will go into estivation (deep sleep). The ideal temps are 75-85F during the day and at least 70F, 65F pushing it at night. Keep them very humid. Young frogs should have their food dusted with vitamins once a week, calcium every other feeding, and be fed every day. Sub adult/adult pacmans should be fed every other day.

If it is an albino pacman, it does not need any lighting.

 

[Ollie]

well most places ive read say to have a uv light if you live in colder climate places like me. Ive looked at uv lights and i might to what tim said he did take a reading lamp and out a uv blub in it and then at night time switch it to a night blub. Also theres a rain forest heating pad i saw would that be any good or would it burn the frog?

 

[JeffX]

I have an albino and I don't use any lights at all, but he's in a fairly lit room. I recommend an undertank heater to keep the temps up. I have mine at about 80 degrees and his humidity is usually around 80%.

I've found that the eco earth stuff if the best for substrate. My pacman buries himself in it after feeding. I've used the moss stuff in my set-up but only after he got bigger. I usually watch my pacman feed and if he does catch any of that stuff in his mouth he spits it out. The younger one's aren't so good at that though.

I just saw your last question. NO uvb lights they are deadly for Pac-mans. I have about three-four inches of substrate for my pac-man so he can burrow down. And the undertank heater should be on side of the tank so the frog can move to the other side of the tank.

 

[Ollie]

so only have the heater under 1/2 of the tank and the other half not heated?

also i need a back up pet, beucase i highly doubt that the pet store here is going to have them my second option was a spiked lizard(bearded dragon). how much more money would i have to fork over for one of those

 

[amplexus]

I´ve been trying to find a ceratophrys here in Argentina for 2 years! (for photography not as a pet) They are beautiful animals but so far the only ones I´ve seen are in bloody pet shops.

I don´t want to go on but please make sure any frog you buy is captive bred. These frogs used to be common here. Now they are VERY rare!

I won´t preach about keeping these animals as pets ( I used to keep them as a kid ) but it doesn´t hurt your pocket much to ensure the animals you buy are from a reliable source

Enjoy your pet

Kev

 

[Ollie]

were i live they have to be captive bred or else they would die relativly quickly outside

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

What amplexus meant is try to be sure that the shop stocks captive bred frogs, not ones that were imported from the wild. That might be a little difficult to determine at a petshop, though. I thought that most of the common species, C cranwelli and C ornata, were mostly captive bred these days, but that was just an assumption.

 

[kupo969]

FYI, UV lights only work up to 12 inches. So those lights don't affect you or your frog.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

were i live they have to be captive bred or else they would die relativly quickly outside

That's not what wild-caught means. Wild-caught means they were captured in their country of origin and shipped over to be sold in the pet store. I don't think anyone is suggesting that tropical frogs are being caught for sale in Canada.

Also yes, use a heating pad and not a light, and it should only be under (at most) half of the underside of the tank. If it gets too hot, your frog needs to be able to move somewhere cooler so it doesn't overheat.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

I think a light is okay-though admittedly not the best option-as long as you pay extra attention to the humidity and substrate moisture.. It can get kind of cool in my house, and sometimes a UTH doesn't seem to cut it, so I'm forced to use a light at times, and so far I've noticed no ill effects other than the expected decrease in humidity. But I agree that it is better to use an alternative source of heat if possible.

 

[kupo969]

That's not what wild-caught means. Wild-caught means they were captured in their country of origin and shipped over to be sold in the pet store. I don't think anyone is suggesting that tropical frogs are being caught for sale in Canada.

Also yes, use a heating pad and not a light, and it should only be under (at most) half of the underside of the tank. If it gets too hot, your frog needs to be able to move somewhere cooler so it doesn't overheat.

Placing the heat mat under the tank is not a good idea. These guys burrow, and sometimes they burrow very deep. I would recommend putting one on the side if you use one. I prefer using lights.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Placing the heat mat under the tank is not a good idea. These guys burrow, and sometimes they burrow very deep. I would recommend putting one on the side if you use one. I prefer using lights.

Wups, forgot what species I was talking about. Although you never know with burrowers, especially with deep substrate - my ball python digs in his aspen all day long, but he's never gotten within two inches of the glass floor.

The problem with lights, besides the humidity issue, is that unless you use a lightless ceramic bulb you'll have to turn it off at night. They might get too cold then.

 

[Archnophil]

The problem with lights, besides the humidity issue, is that unless you use a lightless ceramic bulb you'll have to turn it off at night. They might get too cold then.

Not rue...if you use an Infrared Heat bulb then there is no reason to turn the lights off at night, The frog cannot recognize the light as light....Just heat.

As far as basic care goes Heres a quick list

Get a bout a 10 gallon tankand fill ti woth about 3 inches of coco fibre substrate. This is the ONLY safe bedding to use with these frogs as they have a very aggressive feeding response and will often ingest bedding as they eat. The coco will pass easily while other beddings(moss, mulch, and gravel) will almost always cause impaction.

Get a water dish several times the size of the froga but not to deep and put it on the "warm" side of the tank. This allows for ideal thermoregulatio and the frog can soak and be warm at the same time.

A hide is not needed as these are burrowing frogs.

Forgs do not need a "basking" ambient temp should be about 80-85 on the warm side and 70-75 on the cool side. Too achive thsi you can use a heat light, or a heat mat secured to the side of the tank.

For feeding, juvvie frogs(1-3") will eat daily and adequate amount of 3/4" crickets or roaches.(My 1 inchers would eat 6~ a day). As they get older you can reduce the frequency of feedings to 2-3 times per week. Adults will eat anything they can get their mouths on, including you! Good foods are crickets, roaches, earthworms, and horned and silk worms. Foods to aviod are Goldfish and minnows(parasite and fat) and Superworms(hard shell difficult to digest). Occasionally you can offer an appropriately sized f/t mouse or rat, but only once amonth or so. I dis courage live feedings of anything bigger than a fuzzy, as the mice and rats can bite back.

I guess thats about it. If you have any further questions you can PM me or check out www.frogfreaks.com.

-Phil.

 

[Ollie]

im not getting a pacman frog now, they didnt have any in and were being dicks and wont ship them in im going to get a bearded dragon beucase they seem more fun and you can pick them up with out harming them