Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey, I was at the Pet store today, thinking of buying a Pacman, and the one I was interested in, well, the sales clerk brought it out, holding it in her hands for me to look at, when it shocked her by jumping out and hitting the ground, landing on it's back. Well, it didn't look injured, but...

How high up does a Pacman frog, (or any frog for that matter) have to fall before it's injured? Are these pets pretty resistant to falling from up high, (like from human height?) I mean, they of course jump a lot, so I just figure they're pretty resistant.

I didn't have the money to buy one today, (have to wait for payday) but what can I look for to see if a Pacman frog has been injured? That way when I do go buy one, I'll know if it's healthy or not...

well, its safer if you can another pacman. no one will know what injuries that pacman could have substained from that fall. i don't know how resistant pacmans are to fall... but they certainly don't jump alot...

Pacmans, although they have all of the same generalized adaptations for jumping as all the other frogs, they certainly are not resistant to dropping three or four feet onto a non compactible surface. The story that you relate is exactly why I do not recommend people buying live animals from a pet store. If the person truly was knowledgeable enough to sell you a frog like this, they would have not taken the risk in picking it up (first of all, amphibians should not be handled unless necessary), or they would have had the skills to restrain it properly. If you are serious about getting a pet frog, there are plenty of people who sell them on the classifieds here on Kingsnake.com. Also consider this, all animals get sick at some time, and require veterinary care. A single visit to the vet can easily cost $100. You should seriously consider if you are able to pay for the inevitable trip to the vet if you are unable to pay the $20 (?) for the frog.
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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes (Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink', 1991)

It's not JUST the 20 dollars for the frog, (and actually, the albino costs 25 at this place). I'm also going to have to buy an aquarium, the terrain to go into the cage, maybe a live plant or two, a healthy stock of crickets, a heating pad to place under the cage, and I'll be buying a book on how to raise horned frogs. All of which I predict will cost well over 50 dollars, and could be around 100 dollars. If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it right. Which is why I'd prefer to wait till payday.

And yes, if the frog were to get sick, I would take it to the vet. But just like when the kids get sick, or when you yourself get sick, you don't always have the money set aside for the doctor's visit. But you have to anyway. So you pull out the credit card. What I'm saying is, if the frog get's sick and needs a vet's attention, I'll be able to pay for it. I'm not going to let him up and die, (not without a fight anyway).

I'll save you 20 bucks... don't buy a heat pad. I think they do ok at room temp (don't quote me) but you definately don't need to heat the bottom of the aquarium to 140 degrees.
You could buy one from the pet store I work at though. I totally wouldn't drop it. I can't vouch for all the other pet stores.
The live plants will get dug up. You can have them, but they'll get dug up.
Disturbingly, I was just thinking that I could set up a pac man frog with materials I have lying around my house.
I have to go clean my house now. Anyone want an extra 29 gallon?
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

As long as it is between 72 F (22 C) to 80 F (27 C) they are fine they can tolerate higher and lower temps but this is like the perfect range.

Ed

There is no need to take it personally. I come across too many people who think that the quality of an animal's life is dictated by its purchase price. Some people refuse to take $20 animals to the vet, because they claim they can simply buy a new one for cheaper. Obviously you do not share some other peoples horrible ethics, but I felt it was necessary to point out that if you have difficulty coming up with the relatively cheap purchase price, then it may be even more difficult to come up with a couple of hundred dollars for a vet bill. For all I knew, you were a 16-year-old working at a burger joint.

BTW, save your money on books, I've yet this come across a single amphibian or reptile book that was worth its money. You will get more credible information on this forum!
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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes (Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink', 1991)

Okay, no problem. Sorry if I sounded a little testy. I was like, "He makes it sound like I'd let the frog waste away!" I'm not an expert like I'm sure many of you guys and gals are here on this board, but when I buy a pet, I'm going to do my best to make it a worthwhile experience.

Thanks for the advice on books. Yes, boards like this do contain a lot of information. I may just skip out on buying a book.

And thanks to everyone else who offered a response and advice.

Here's another question. Now I'm sure it gets asked a thousand times around here, but it doesn't hurt to ask again, as each time the answer can be a little different:

What do you think is the best set up for a pacman frog's terrarium? Someone else suggested not bothering with live plants. How about fake ones? Or is just a rock or two enough?

If you can get an old copy The General Care and Maitenance of Horned Frogs by Philippe de Vosjoli is a good choice and cover all of your questions pretty well.
Be careful of a lot of the web pages as they can often contain unsubstantiated information.

Ed

I keep my Pacman setup very simple, wich seems to be all it needs. A 20 gallon tank (I think it's about 20 gallons...), about 2-3 inches of fertilized soil and a shallow waterdish. And lightning ofcourse.
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CokeOfMan

Unfertilized soil, not fertilized. I haven't been able to find Bed-A-Beast where I live, but I think that is one of the best substrates.
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CokeOfMan