Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, Im new

I love lizards and frogs. Ive wanted a PacMan for years now and a few months ago finally got one. (after months of research and reading old posts on here!) Ive had all my questions answered by reading here without makeing a new post until now.

Like I said, Ive had this guy, (or gal) sence January. He's about the size of a fifty cents piece. Ive read over and over that these frogs are sposed to be *hungry*...like if it moves it eats it hungry My guy ony eats/moves in the dark of night...like long after I've gone to bed. In the morning he might be on the other side of the tank with a fatter belly and only a few crickets left. Im feeding him small/medium crickets and due to his eating habits I just try to keep about 10 or so in the tank with him at all times. Ive read where people throw 5 or so in time and the frog just eats them up right in front of them. Because he doesnt eat the crickets right away I cant dust them because the dust just comes off before he gets to them. Plus, Id like to offer him fish and pinkies, but cant if he wont eat them right when I offer. I worry about him not getting his calcium, I feed the crickets gut load...is this enough?
Id like to be able to hand feed dead mice some day...do pacmans get braver about eating as they get older? Should I take all the crickets out and get him hungry for a few days and then see if he'll eat them right as I put them in (or a fish?)How can I start training him to eat from tongs?
Also, after I clean his tank he goes through a "skinny" phase where he wont eat for about a week and acts stressed.. Is this normal. Is it normal for a young pacman to be so...not hungry?

Jennifer
(nice to finally be a part of this community!)

Hey. Well about your young Pacman...
-He needs to get dusted crickets often. If you feed gut load to you crix, it may be ok, but would definitly dust my crix anyway for a young Pac.
-Also you may want to reconsider putting in so many crix inside the cage overnight. The ones your frog doesn't eat can and will bite your frog.
-Another thing is that your frog may get impacted from consuming substrate when eating crix. To avoid this, you might want to:
1. Tong feed your frog.
2. Put your frog in a tank with soaked paper towels and drop a minimum amount of crix in.
-Young Pac's should be fed 1-2 small crix ever day or ever two days (depending on your frog).
-Also you mentioned that you want to start feeding him with a tong. If he is not used to it, then wait till he gets hungry, get a cricket with a tong, and wiggle it under his mouth. He WILL eat it. This will gradually make your Pac get used to tong feeding.
-You mentioned fish and Pinkies (baby mice). Your frog seems to be too small to start on pinkies. Wait till he gets bigger (1.5 inches at least)and then try pinkies. The general rule when it comes to food size is if the food lenght is smalller then the length between the eyes of your frog, then its ok. As for fish, I never feed fish to my frog becuase it is too risky. The bones of the fish may cause death and other issues. Also, some feeder fish are sometime kept in tank with dead fish, which cause bacteria to get ingested into the fish. I have read that feeder fish with soft rubbery skin and bones, like guppies are the best for Pacs.

Good luck with your Pac.

Thanks for the info.

I know he needs dusted cricket and I know that the crickets could hurt him and I know I need to get him to tong feed. Thats my question.

I was wondering how to get him to start tong feeding as Ive never seen him eat...he only eats at night (Im assuming).

*SO* If I hold off on the crickets for a few days to get him good and hungry and then offer them to him via tongs he should eat?

You dont think fish are a good idea? and he's too young for pinkies Great to know, thanks! Ill wait.

I use topsoil for substrate. I was using topsoil with moss on top and he seemed to dislike the moss as he always found a corner without the moss on top burrow. Ive sence planted a small plant and he sits under it.

Jennifer