Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've been researching again Pac Man frogs because I think they're adorable and I've been wanting to get one for a long time. When I went into the pet store to get crickets today I fell head over heals in love with the one they just got in so I thought I'd decide once and for all if a Pac Man was for me.

I already have a number of reptiles and I'm comfortable with all the nasty feeding habits but there are a couple of things that I've been seeing a lot of conflicting information about.

1. UVB lighting - required or harmful? one site i read that it can actually dry out the frog's skin causing health problems. another site said that it was absolutely essential to have UVB light or else the frog wouldn't break down calcium suppliments and would get bone developement problems as it grew.

2. Bedding/Subtrait - I've read the other threads on the board about subtrait about wet paper towels and or bed-o-beast but I was wondering if anyone had ever actually had a pac man get an impaction from using bark? why is everyone sooooo opposed to bark anyway? the local pet store keeps all the pac man's in bark and recommends it. I trust these guys as long time breeders and successful keepers of pretty much ever type of pet around but I've learned it's best to get a lot of information from a lot of sources so voice your bedding concerns and recommendations.

3. Tank Size - I know what "works" and what's "ideal" are often two different things. Once again conflicting information tells me that a full grown pacman will be fine in a 10 gallon. Other sources say a 20 long is the only way to keep your pacman happy. So how big should the tank be? What sized pac man for what sized tank? Are smaller tanks better for smaller pac man frogs? Will they be intimidated by too much space or are the wide open marshes of a giant their own personal utopia?

I think that's all please go crazy with your replies...there's no such thing as too much information

UVB is not essential since even if they are active during the day, they are at the bottom of the forest burrowed in and waiting for food to come by, not out basking in the sun. i wouldnt use bark. i think it would be too rough on their skin and wouldnt provide much moisture for them. i only use wet paper towels or just water. if i were to use a commercial substrate i would use bed-a-beast. although i havent found bed-a-beast to hold moisture as well as wet paper towels, so that is one reason why i wouldnt use it. i had my big 6" ornate in a large reptile ranch and she would just sit in in the corner not use effectively all of the tank. i like the plastic critter keepers because they are easier to clean than heavier and more fragile glass tanks, and they do need frequent cleanings. if you want to use glass thats fine, i find it easier to go with the platic ones. a ten gallon is fine since even in larger tanks i have found them to just use a small area, but if you have a bigger tank and want to fill it with a pacman and not something else they wont mind. this is just how i have had the best success and the safest and healthiest enclosures for my pacmans over the years, although im sure others will have the opposite opinions.

Horned frogs need to have a source of vitamin D3 in the diet or the frog will develop a calcium deficiency issue (aka "MBD" but "MBD" is several different diseases that present the same symptoms). This can be supplied either via UVB lighting (but not all UV or full spectrum lights produce UVB) or dietarily with a good supplement. If you are using a complete supplement then the supplement should have a ratio of vitamin A to D3 to E of 10 to 1 to 0.1, and a ratio of calcium to phosphorus that is close to 1.5 to 1 (see http://www.tracyhicks.com/FFAQ.htm and scroll down the left menu to the MBD link).

I personally have kept horned frogs on a lot of different substrates but probably prefer to use fine milled cypress mulch (a 3 cubic foot bag is usually about 3 bags for $10.00) which can be purchased from some of the bigger nurseries or big box hardware stores. (It is hard to find this time of year as the mulching season is over). I spot clean the frogs every couple of days and change the mulch every three or four weeks.

Ed

Ornate's are low maintenance frogs that are inexpensive to keep. I keep my ornate (who is probably about 4 or 5 inches) in a 10 gallon tank because he hardly ever moves. I use wet sphagnum moss on 3/4 of the tank and gravel on the other 1/4. On the gravel side i have a small water bowl where he occasionally sits. On the sphagnum side i laid down a plastic plant purchase from the dollar store as a hide which he burrows under all the time. When a tiny baby i started feeding him crickets and wax worms. Now I still feed some insects for variety but i mostly feed him frozen thawed fuzzy mice or small hoppers. I don't use UVB light for him but have not found that to be a problem because he has grown so much without problems and still seems to be active. When i had uvb he was buried most of the time it was on anyway so i really don't find it makes a difference. Good luck with your pacman frog. They aren't too exciting but they are definitely one of my favorites.