This is page is about and dedicated to keeping pacman frogs as pets. Pacman frogs are relatively low mantinence pets and have rewarding characteristics. However, if you want a cuddly pet that you can play with and handle often or an active pet these are not for you. Pacman Frogs are amphibians, obviously, and amphibians have highly porous skin that they can actually breathe through. So when we hold them the oils and what ever else is on our hands go right through their skin into their blood stream. So you should only handle them when necessary. Having said that, they are still good pets. Thanks for your interest! Email me at HerpHQ@yahoo.com for questions about pacman frogs or any other herp.

Things To Consider:

These frogs get up to a pound in weight and around 8 inches in length and can pack a mean bite;they require live foods such as Crickets, Rosey Fish, Meal/Waxworms, Pinky(baby) Mice, and eventually full grown mice;they have a very large appetite for their size meaning they'll grow very fast;do you have the time to commit because they live up to 10 years?

Housing And Basic Care:

Every animal needs somewhere to live. So what suits these guys? Well, suprisingly these big frogs will only need a ten gallon tank at their max size. You should provide substrate such as moss, peatmoss, chemical-free soil, bed-a-beast, or even grass. Never use bark or gravel because the frog may swallow this while eating leading to problems. They require a large Reptirock(tm) water dish to bathe in and eat fish in. A hiding space isn't really necessary since these guys burrow in the substrate anyway. You may want to provide plants (live or artificial) for it to hide among as well, just make sure whatever goes in is safe. Keep the water dish full to where it doesn't go above its nostrils, because they can't swim. Make sure the water you provide has been DECHLORINATED by chemicals you can purchase for fish like Aquasafe(tm) because the chlorine may harm your frog. Heat Lamps and Heating Pads are considered optional but make sure the temperature doesn't fall below the mid 70's. They appreciate humidity too. Never use heat rocks as they can burn your frog.

Feeding:

Feeding is possibly the most rewarding aspect of keeping pacman frogs. Feed small frogs a staple of crickets and roseys with a treat of waxworms (high in fat). Keep medium frogs on the same staple while occasionally feeding a pinky mouse. Feed large frogs the same staple while substiting an occasional pinky for an occasional full grown mouse. (Note: Crickets have little nutriets so should be powdered with vitamins. Roseys are high in protein. Waxworms are high in fat. Only feed pinkies/mice once every four times or so as your frog will get addicted to them and want nothing else.) To feed a cricket either drop them in a few at a time and wait for him to eat or dangle one in front of him until he bites it. Roseys are easier just drop them in the bowl and lead him into the water and he should gulp them up. Pinkies and Mice just need to be simply left in the cage until he finds them. Though sometimes Pinkies need to be placed in front of it. Do not over feed your frog as an obese frog will not live very long.

Diseases:

Pacman frogs can get two common diseases: Red Leg and Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). Red Leg gets its name from the red patches of skin on the amphibian's inner thigh. These red blotches are actually exploded blood vessels. Pacman Frogs get this through over handling or unsanitary conditions.Symptoms include laziness and lack of movement, puffy bloated body, red patches, and severe lack of appetite. It is often too late to treat by the time the patches appear but you can always try to treat it with a diluted iodine/water solution. Let the frog soak in this for 10 minutes or so every day and see if it improves. Keep the frog out of its possibly contaminated cage and in a backup cage until it recovers. Be sure to clean out the infected cage before putting him back. MBD is a dissorder that causes the frog to have weak, dissolving bones do to a lack of calcium in its diet. You can identify this by loss of weight/mass, droopy lims, lack of movement. MBD is usually fatal but can be corrected if caught in time by improving its diet by loading all of its food with vitamin powder.