Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I currently keep my two horned frogs in about approximately 1" - 1.5" of bed-a-beast (seperate cages). I keep it very moist most of the time and when it starts to dry out I pour a cup of water or two back into the tank. They never leave their substrate, only to come out and hunt when crickets are put into the cages. They eat extremely well and go to the bathroom regularly.

My albino pacman *refuses* to sit in his water bowl. For a week I let him sit in dry substrate and he refused to go near it. If Ii set him inside he more then not jumps out before I can get the lid back on. So I figured it would be better to keep the substrate very moist then to let him dry out. My green pacman will sit in his waterbowl if I put him there but will not go in it himself.

I scoop out the poop from the tanks every time they go (they get up and move every time they poop) and I change the substrate and clean out the entire cage once a month.

Am I doing something wrong? Is my substrate to moist? If I dry it out, what do I do about my albino avoiding the waterbowl?

On an interesting note the one time my albino did sit in his waterbowl I had to refil it TWICE within 30 minutes. Now im thinking that he just moved around in it and splashed out all the water, but the first time I had to refile it it was completely empty. Is it possible that he absorbed all the water in the bowl? *shrug*

Thanks in advance.
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2.0 Ball Pythons
0.1 Leucistic Texas Rat
0.1 Kenyan Sand Boa
1.1 Bearded Dragons
0.0.1 Albino Ornate Pacman Frog
0.0.1 Ornate Pacman Frog
2.0 House Cats

And a partrige in a pear tree...

~!Bearded Dragon Custom Cage Design!~

If you moist the substrate too much, there wouldn't be any reason for your frogs to go to their bowls. Just let the substrate dry up once in a while.
My pacman is the same as yours but she goes to her pond when the moss is dry. Sometimes, even when the moss is dry she just stays there maybe because frogs need to feel dry even once in a while. I'm sure your froggies will go to their water bowls when they feel the need for it.
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1.0 Garter Snake (Evola)
0.1 Python
1.0 Green Tree Boa
1.0 Green Iguana (Shhhhhhhh)
5 (unknown sex) Read eared Slider (Ganbu, Shoty, Aulfayan, Phlegm, Lucky, n/a)
3.3 Malayan Box Turtle
1.0 Pyxidea Mouhotti (Driffy)
0.1 Diamond back Terappin (Genbu)
1.0.2 Sulcatta (Darien Wings, Tblt, and Damaso)
0.1 Red Foot(Elsa 140)
1.0.2 Alligator Snapping Turtle (Kilthum, Leudo, and Nanazusa)
1.0 Skinnypig (Poppolochrois)
1.1 Rabbit (Bugs, n/a)
0.1 Albino Cranwell's horned Frog (Mandella Banana)

*Fishes, insects, Dogs, Cats, and Birds are not included.

Sounds like your frog is "brumating", similar to hibernating. They do it for months on end sometimes. They either do it because temperatures are too warm, too cool, or they feel like it, I guess.
It is something that we as horned frog owners have to accept. My HF has been under for a few months, save for coming out once or twice and soaking in the water dish (I did not see this, but knew becuz of dirt on the water dish one morning.)
Your frog is acting normal, and your care sounds fine. You aren't doing anything wrong by letting the frog stay buried. But digging him up a lot could result in stress, which is not good and could lead to other problems. I'd continue pouring water in every few days though, but make sure it isn't ice cold.

I am Ginevive's boyfriend, not just some random poster.
lol

I dont think they are brumating if they are still up, active, and defecating. If they are brumating, they should have the waxy mucous layer on the outer layer and shut eyes. BTW, nice name. Good band. Andy
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Andy Maddox
AIM: SurfAndSkimTx04
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Burgundy baby, With your blue eyed soul, You play the hits and I'm on that roll, Capricorn sister, Freddie Mercury, Jupiter Child cry

hey, this is just Ginevive on my boyfriend's name. But I made him use typeonegative cuz it is my favorite band. I am glad that other people beside me have ehard of them!
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*~Ginevive~*

It does sound somewhat like the substrate is too moist. The frogs defecate when in the water or a moist area, and that means if they are pooping on the substrate, likely it is quite damp. Personally, that is why I favor the half land/half water set up. It allows the frog easily to move to the water and soak if its want. It gives the frog a nice, large water area, and my frogs seemed much more interested in soaking as soon as I supplied them with this set up. Andy
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Andy Maddox
AIM: SurfAndSkimTx04
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Burgundy baby, With your blue eyed soul, You play the hits and I'm on that roll, Capricorn sister, Freddie Mercury, Jupiter Child cry

Mkay, since i have posted i have let the tank dry out much more. But what do i do if my pacmen dont go into their water? Im assuming they will simply realize it and just go but im just being over cautious.

BTW im interested in setting up a tank like that, do you have any instructions as a how to? Ive got a ton of questions but i gotta jet for now.

If you dont mind can i catch you on AIM and waste a few minutes of your day sometime? o)
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2.0 Ball Pythons
0.1 Leucistic Texas Rat
0.1 Kenyan Sand Boa
1.1 Bearded Dragons
0.0.1 Albino Ornate Pacman Frog
0.0.1 Ornate Pacman Frog
2.0 House Cats

And a partrige in a pear tree...

~!Bearded Dragon Custom Cage Design!~

IM me anytime on AIM. That is why my name is there. To set up a barrier, just get some aquarium sealent from the store. Get a piece of plexiglass cut to shape for the tank and position it as a gentle slope up from the water. Fill in all the land side inlcuding under the slope with a beast and then you can put something like rocks too larger to swallowed as the substrate on the water side. Make sure you give it ample time to cure after applying the sealent. Also, make sure it is 100% water proof so you don't have the water leaking out to disperse all over the tank. Good luck.
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Andy Maddox
AIM: SurfAndSkimTx04
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Burgundy baby, With your blue eyed soul, You play the hits and I'm on that roll, Capricorn sister, Freddie Mercury, Jupiter Child cry

My Pacman is on quite a moist substrate. He ususlla only goes to his waterdish when he just taken a dump.
It was quite cool acctually, my Pacman was quite big yesterday, and my dad commented it. Anyway he/she took a leak and got segnificantly (How do u spell that word?) smaller. Ofcource I removed the urined area.
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CokeOfMan