Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted a message a few days ago asking about substrate and how my frog wasn't acting right. Well he just wouldn't eat and kept burying himself, and just didn't seem adjusted. I can't think of what I did wrong. I only picked him up once because he buried himself completely and I got him out and lessened the amount of substrate I had in the cage. Everyone kept saying just leave him be and he would come out when he was ready. Well he burrowed completely again and I just left him alone, kept some crickets in there, changed his water and kept the humidity up. I didn't bother him for like 36 hours. I came home from class today and just had to check because I was sure he was dead and sure enough he was.

I just don't know what I did. I want to get another one but I don't want him to die in a week. I want to make sure I'm doing everything right. The problem is I can't find anyone around here to rely on. A Petco opened in our town a couple weeks ago and that's where I got him, and those people don't seem to have a clue what they're talking about. There's no way a new store can hire 50 employees that know what they're talking about. The people at the other pet store where I've been buying crickets just keep wanting to sell me stuff and get me to spend money and they seem like a bunch of sleazeballs anyway. I'm getting the next one at a different pet store and I know someone who knows the owner real well and he supposedly knows what he's talking about so maybe that will be better.

I'm begging for advice on exactly what to do when I bring my next one home. I feel like I shouldn't even get a new one because I'll just kill it again. The only thing that I can think of that I did wrong was get up near the cage and look at him at the few times he was out, and he's in my room, which is the only place I can keep him, and I have two real loud alarms because I can't wake up very well in the morning. Would alarm clocks scare him so much that he would just starve to death? I just don't know. I'm posting pictures of my setup and some of the stuff I use so let me know if something is wrong and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure everything is perfect the next time.

The first is the overall setup. The second is the pool area. Is it not high enough for him to get into? I was thinking about making a cardboard platform to set in the bottom of the tank witha cutout so the pool will be in the corner and will be just about level with the ground. The next is of the other corner with a cave and and artificial plant. Then comes the substrate I used and a closeup of it in my hand. It's supposed to be ideal for pacmans. The last is the light I bought. I use a screentop cage with fairly big holes to allow plenty of ventilation. The light is a UV light and is made for reptiles and doesn't produce a lot of heat, but enough. My cage stayed between 75 and 79F and the humidity was kept between 70 and 80% and I made sure to keep the substrate fairly damp too. The lady at the sleazy petstore said I needed a UV light or else he wouldn't grow and would die within a year, and I'd been leaving it on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours.

Is there anything else I can do? Thanks for your help and I hope I can do a better job next time. Sorry the pictures are so big.

img3.imageshack.us/img3/overview4rg.jpg
img3.imageshack.us/img3/7247/pool4au.jpg
img3.imageshack.us/img3/4376/cave7wa.jpg
img3.imageshack.us/img3/6539/substrate9zz.jpg
img3.imageshack.us/img3/1700/substratecloseup6tl.jpg
img3.imageshack.us/img3/1892/light3eq.jpg

Sorry the overview image was messed up. Here's the link.

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/2525/overview5kn.jpg

=( I'm so sorry for your loss. I don't think you did anything wrong, and your not the only one who has been a bit preturbed by the knowledge of staff at your local petshops. Its amazing how little they know. I'm nowhere near an expert, I've only had my pacman for 2 days as well. Although I have done extensive research on the web about them.

One major problem I see with your tank is the substrate =( It looks like little bark pieces, which pacmans can sometimes get injested. Doing so will make them not want to eat at all and they will die of starvation, as they can't pass the wood/substrate. I'm using Eco-earth. It's a block of coco fiber, that you put in water. It expands and you break it up and put that in your tank.

I hope you get another, they seem like such great pets. Good luck!

p.s. As for substrate depth, I am not sure how much to put in, I've got about an inch and a half. I built it up so that it reaches the top of my water dish. I also put in a bunch of flat river rocks so he has an easy time of getting in and out. Although since I have gotten him, he hasn't moved. I hope I have better luck then you did =( Still hope you don't shy away from getting another! Let us know!

Well, I'm no expert on the species, but I've read many books on them. The light should be fine. Your temperatures and humidity are fine. I've never used your substrate, but I use Bed-a-Beast and my pacman frog loves it. It retains moisture and doesn't give gut impaction when swallowed. Also, pacman frogs don't need hide logs or rocks, they just need a water bowl, substrate three inches deep, and plants, fake or real to hide under. Your setup doesn't have to be so complex, these frogs poop alot and the crickets die all over, so you need room to pick it all out and clean. Make sure you mist your substrate, these are still frogs and need to soak through their skin. Bury your water bowl in the substrate so the frog can easily climb in, and make sure the water is under the nose and mouth. All I can say it I wouldn't know for sure unless I saw your other frog on how it died, but if I were you I would go with Bed-a-beast and take out logs and stones.

Is there a place to order bed-a-beast online where I can get it overnight? I called Petco and talked to the frog girl, who actually does seem to be pretty knowledgable and she says it sounds like I did everything the right way. She's getting two new albino pacmans tomorrow and Petco has a 15 day guarantee so I'll be able to get a new Herbert tomorrow.

I don't think they carry bed-a-beast though and I don't want to try this substrate again because no one has said good things about it from the internet and everyone seems to say bed-a-beast is good. If I can find a place I might just have her hold the frog until I can get some in.

I feel bad about getting another one so soon but I just want another chance to give a pacman a good home and lots of crickets, hehe.

One more question? Is it true that it is essential that they need that UV light? The heat isn't a question, and I like the light I have, it lights the cage well and looks nice. As long as it isn't harmful then I plan to keep it. Is the twelve hour on/off cycle adequate?

If anyone has any advice on the lighting I'd appreciate it. I like the one I have so as long as it isn't harmful and it will work then that's great.

P.S. I just ordered 3 bricks of bed-a-beast express shipping. 30 bucks but that's ok.

Thanks again!

Hey Nickmo =)

Well as for the lighting, I have an aquarium hood, so it holds two of the smaller lights. What I was told to buy was:

Sun Glow 25W (warm side of tank)

Day Glow 15W (Cool side of tank, where the water dish is)

They both say on the packaging :
Desert and Tropical lamps
Broad spectrum daylight bulb for terrariums
Stimulates natural behavious through UVA rays
Can be combined with Night Glo or Heat Glo for 24h cycle

Now.. what I have read is, you can go on a 12 on 12 off cycle. Which is what I do. However, if your temperature drops below 75 degrees at night, its best to have a night lamp to bring up the temperature.

My tank, I have the two lights on during the day, with a reptile heating pad. (25 w and heating pad underneath tank is on the hot side, oppisite from the water dish) During the night, I have the lights off and the heating pad on. My tank seems to be about 78 degrees at night, with about 85 degrees during the day.

Hope this helps.

Some say they need the UV light, others say they don't need any light, but I use UV light and it does fine. You should be fine with a 12 hour on and 12 off period, I use an 11. Bed-a-Beast is great, just put the block in a pale of water, using how much water the package says to use and when you come back in about 25 minutes it will be huge and soft. Don't forget to take out the stones and logs though, unless you never want to see your frog, I'd stick with an easy setup. This is mine, just a plant and a water dish with some more side to the right of open bed-a-beast to burrow and hop. Not a great pic but you get the idea of how simple it is.

Hey I just want to thank everyone who replied for all their help and concern. I'm gonna try really hard to let my new pacman adjust and keep the cage simple. I'll post some pics and progress reports when I find out what happens.

Thanks again!

If you get a healthy pacman frog, then you'll do fine. I think you can make a good home. Lemme know how it goes.

Hi
From past experience I've found that with regards to setup, simplicity works best.
I've posted a pic of my setup. It doesn't look like much but my pacman seems to like it. He ususally hides under his cave or buries in the substrate and rarely uses his water bowl. But that's probable cuz I like to keep the substrate moist.
I use a heat mat taped to the outside wall of the tank which get's up to about 80 deg. He often spends a lot of his time next to that.
I think you should def move over to the block substrate. The one I use is called Forest Bed.
As for lighting I found I've had more success by not using any lighting. What you have to remember is that these creatures like to hide away in dark places to feel secure, so I think if there is a really bright light shining on them this may not help them settle in, especially if your frog is a bit 'nervy' to start with. I'm not saying lights are wrong, as clearly people do use them with great success, I'm just trying to see it from the Pacman's perspective. I think as long as your Pacman's in a room where light gets in so he can determine that there is a change between night and day then he should be fine.
Also whilst yours is still small make sure you feed him a good vit. supplement to build up his resistance from the stress of being placed in a new home and to aid his growing. Make sure any water you use is dechlorinated and you should be fine.
Within a month mine doubled in size. I used to feed him every other day when he was small but now he's reached just over 3 inches he only needs feeding twice a week and he doesn't poop half as much now which is cool.
Good luck with your new one.

Just try again- What you're doing is fine= 75-80 degrees, FRESH HUMID enviroment/ H2O & , Hiding areas.