I'm new and having issues!

[vivalabam]

Hey everyone, I've been keeping pacmans for a few months now. The issue I'm having is with the first one I ever got, I have 5 in total.

She is an albino, I got her on the 1st of July, my problem is she hasn't grown since! She is tiny, only about an inch and a half across. When I got her she was an inch, this doesn't seem the right amount of growth, considering all my others have doubled in size since I got them.

She does eat, but quite rarely, she isn't overly skinny, although she has been at some points. She does eat crickets occasionly, loves wax worms but I stopped feeding her these as I didn't think they were very good for a staple diet. I've tried meal worms and not had much from her, I've also tried locusts and got no reaction, also earth worms with no luck.

The humidity is ok, I don't measure it, but the same as my others. The substrate isn't soaking, but not dry, just a nice level of damp, I've also tried to go both ways, keeping it dryer and damper, doesn't seem to change her eating. When I first got her temps were around the 80s (high and low) and she didn't want to eat much, now they seem to be high 70s at one end, and low 80s around the heat mat (winter, doesn't seem to get much hotter). She gets fresh water every other day (if she ever goes in it it's changes as soon as she moved out).

She does pee and poop, not very often though, I've not seen her poop recently, she always used to go in her water bowl and do it.

Recently she has been completely burying herself in the substrate then randomly jumping out. Although she does also settle and is like a normal frog, apart from the fact she just doesn't grow! Anyone have any ideas?

Here's some pictures:

[GrifTheGreat]

You need a hygrometer to measure humidity. They need 65 to 80%. Do you use de-chlorinated water? Do you dust the crickets with calcium dust with D3 and a multivitamine? Temps need to be 80 to 85 during the day and 75 to 78 at night. Do you use lights to help heat the tank?

[vivalabam]

You need a hygrometer to measure humidity. They need 65 to 80%. Do you use de-chlorinated water? Do you dust the crickets with calcium dust with D3 and a multivitamine? Temps need to be 80 to 85 during the day and 75 to 78 at night. Do you use lights to help heat the tank?

I'd say it is deffinity around the right humidity, I'm willing to bet my life on it! I do. I do. I'm trying, but the heat mats just don't seem to get that high which is irritating. She is in the middle of 2 heat mats which are hooked up to thermostats, she only used to be on 1, so it has been hotter, the 2 on either side are eating like there's no tomorrow. I don't, they won't fit on my shelf!

[LizardMama]

Could the two Heat Mats be making the frog too hot and not want to eat? Pacman Frogs need to have it at the mid 80's, if it gets above 84/86 they go off of their food.

[Sublime]

Prior to buying that frog, if he or she wasn't fed very often and improper husbandry - It will stop them from growing to their potential caused my malnutrition, known as stunted growth. All frogs grow at different rates so you can't really compare one to another. One could surpass another one in a couple of months so it's all just a waiting game.

Calcium deficiency can cause them to appear weak from early stages of MBD. Lack of calcium and vitamin d3 to metabolize will result in that... Supplementing with calcium w/ d3 is a must and a multivitamin once a week. Try to get him or her on a healthier diet - the earthworms you can try rubbing up against her mouth with reptile forceps (tongs) and see if he or she takes it from there. Stay away from feeding her mealworms or waxworms for awhile; good that you realized to stop feeding him or her waxworms though.

If you need a few different brands of supplements and vitamins to buy. Let us know.

[vivalabam]

Could the two Heat Mats be making the frog too hot and not want to eat? Pacman Frogs need to have it at the mid 80's, if it gets above 84/86 they go off of their food.

I measure the temperature in her tank, it doesn't ever go above 80. I've upped the thermostats on both sides to 85, so I'll see if making it hotter helps. It's gone over 80 at the moment, I'll monitor it for a little bit longer, I may turn Princes (huuuuge frog, tries to eat everything, mainly me) and leave King(other little frog I did have issues with, found out it was too humid, bad choice of enclosure, changed it and now he is fine, eats like a trooper). Otherwise, like you say, she may end up getting too hot.

Prior to buying that frog, if he or she wasn't fed very often and improper husbandry - It will stop them from growing to their potential caused my malnutrition, known as stunted growth. All frogs grow at different rates so you can't really compare one to another. One could surpass another one in a couple of months so it's all just a waiting game.

Calcium deficiency can cause them to appear weak from early stages of MBD. Lack of calcium and vitamin d3 to metabolize will result in that... Supplementing with calcium w/ d3 is a must and a multivitamin once a week. Try to get him or her on a healthier diet - the earthworms you can try rubbing up against her mouth with reptile forceps (tongs) and see if he or she takes it from there. Stay away from feeding her mealworms or waxworms for awhile; good that you realized to stop feeding him or her waxworms though.

If you need a few different brands of supplements and vitamins to buy. Let us know.

Ah really, interesting stuff. I did wonder about the care before hand, they did have her in bits of moss and very dry, on wood chips, wasn't a very good set up. I went and checked on her every day and it seemed like they didn't feed her much. I'm not sure what her care was like before I got her, probably should have asked, but I mainly wanted to get her out of the unpleasant set up, plus I didn't know at the time it could affect her growth... Something for me to think of in future!

So would dusting her food a bit more help? I normally do a dust of calcium one day, D3 the next and then multivitamin, not always in that order. The earth worms I tried were really tiny, I have located some bigger ones, giant lob worm, are they ok to use?

I use reptivite D3, exo terra multi vitamins and nutrobal calcium.

[Sublime]

Dusting calcium w/ d3 every other feeding is fine combined with a multivitamin once a week. I've never come across a lobster worm, they should be fine. If you are looking for a more commonly available large earthworm; I suggest night crawlers (European, African, Canadian).

Well Reptivite D3 already has everything your pacman would need. Don't use another multivitamin on top of that (i.e. exo terra multivitamin). The nutrobal calcium I've never heard of that brand, did you pick that up at a market or shop that sold supplements and vitamins?

Dust with Reptivite D3 once a week; on a couple of night crawlers or all of the crickets you are feeding (Shake and bake method). Or if you go out again to pick up a different brand you would like I suggest: Repashy, Rep-Cal, and Flukers.

[vivalabam]

Dusting calcium w/ d3 every other feeding is fine combined with a multivitamin once a week. I've never come across a lobster worm, they should be fine. If you are looking for a more commonly available large earthworm; I suggest night crawlers (European, African, Canadian).

Well Reptivite D3 already has everything your pacman would need. Don't use another multivitamin on top of that (i.e. exo terra multivitamin). The nutrobal calcium I've never heard of that brand, did you pick that up at a market or shop that sold supplements and vitamins?

Dust with Reptivite D3 once a week; on a couple of night crawlers or all of the crickets you are feeding (Shake and bake method). Or if you go out again to pick up a different brand you would like I suggest: Repashy, Rep-Cal, and Flukers.

Ah right, I've googled the night crawler and I think that must be a US thing, all I found was sites from the US. I've not really seem earth worms for sale, only really small ones and the lob worms. I think fishing tackle shops sell worms, although I'm not too sure where they would get them from, any idea if they could be harmful?

I can't remember where I got the calcuim, was a while ago, a pet shop I think. I got it for millipedes at the time!

[Sublime]

The worms at fish & tackle shops you need to be careful about. One thing to look for when buying these worms is making sure they don't have any additives - injected or soaked in (Scents, dyes, flavorings, nitrogen). I get mine in a tub that just says "Bait Connection 25 count large night crawlers" in the sporting goods section of Walmart. They're sold for people who use them as catfish bait.

[vivalabam]

Ah right, I may try my fishing tackle shop, he is generally quite good for giving fresh bait, normally maggots are covered in colours, but he only sells white ones, so I'll ask about the worms he uses!

The other worms I found are actually on a reptile food web site, so I'm guessing they will be fresher and not full of stuff?

Could I also try feeding them pinkie mice? I've never fed a mouse before as it really creeps me out, but I'm willing to try anything at this point!

[Sublime]

The worms coming from a reptile food website is fine. Pinkie mice can be fed sparingly once every couple of months. He or she is pretty small to start eating mice; I would hold off mice until you get him feeding on healthier diets. Fishing and tackle shops are a lot cheaper though than earthworms being sold as reptile or amphibian food on sites or at a shop. Just have to be more precautionary with the guy that is selling them at a fishing shop. Let me know how it goes.

If he or she was in an emergency situation where he or she hadn't eaten in weeks, then I would force feed a pinkie mouse.

[IvoryReptiles]

If you have to force feed the frog, a pinkie is NOT the food item to use. Mammalian proteins are difficult for them to digest at best, so a starving frog won't handle it well.
Please don't feed mealworms or superworms tot he frog. The carapace is too hard and non-digestible & could cause impactions in a healthy frog, much less a sickly one.
I didn't notice an answer to the question about the water. Please use de-chlorinated water for misting & soaking.
You could add a drop of liquid calcium to the soaking bowl once a week to allow the frog to absorb it instead of dusting (we do this with some of ours because they are picky and refuse dusted food items).
Remember also that over use of the supplements is just as bad as not enough. We usually use a powder that has everything in it or mix the calcium & vitamins together and then dust.
The larger earthworms should be fine, but cut it into appropriate sized chunks for the frog.

Good Luck!

[Sublime]

@Ivory Yeah, but wouldn't you agree that if a frog has had excessive weight loss and needs a large whole meal to get them back up and strong again - a mouse would be appropriate. Plus, pinkies also don't have fur or developed a backbone so you're only worrying about the mammalian proteins and fat tissue that they're made up of. Excessive over feeding is one thing, but a frog that hasn't had food for awhile can eat it.

[GrifTheGreat]

Also these frogs are nacturnal. You do feed them at night right? I agree with Jessica about the pinky. When Grif was starving I didn't force feed pinkies until after a month of force feeding. Use easy to digest food items like soft bodied crickets/red wigglers/and chunks of night crawler. You don't want to constipate him/her if he/she is weak. Go buy some Flukers Repta-Aid. Its a emergency food supplement for malnurished and dehydrated reptiles and amphibians. Its very good to have on hand just incase. Also it comes with a seringe that makes it easy to get the mixture in the frogs mouth. You can use it while you force feed the other food items I mentioned. Don't force feed unless you absolutely have to.

[pac]

im having that same problem to but i think mine is just boated but it really hasnt grew much the temps are in the 75 to 80 but he pooped today and striked at a crix today i think i got mine around the same time

[BG]

Ivory my frog was on his death bed. What got him back on his feet was fuzzy injected with liquid calcium,and vitamin. I hat to put it between his teeth. it took him a half an hour to swallow it, thats how weak he was, I was so embarrassed to take pics of him cause he was disgusting skinny. He is living proof.

@Ivory Yeah, but wouldn't you agree that if a frog has had excessive weight loss and needs a large whole meal to get them back up and strong again - a mouse would be appropriate. Plus, pinkies also don't have fur or developed a backbone so you're only worrying about the mammalian proteins and fat tissue that they're made up of. Excessive over feeding is one thing, but a frog that hasn't had food for awhile can eat it.

[Sublime]

Ivory my frog was on his death bed. What got him back on his feet was fuzzy injected with liquid calcium,and vitamin. I hat to put it between his teeth. it took him a half an hour to swallow it, thats how weak he was, I was so embarrassed to take pics of him cause he was disgusting skinny. He is living proof.

Well were all glad he pulled through and your efforts to get him back up and healthy. That's a great testimonial of your first hand experience and backs up my statement.

[BG]

He was so weak that if i took him to the vet .Who knows if the meds could of killed him. We dont have good vets around here who specializes in amphibians. It would of been tricky. I had no stool sample causes he hasn't pooped for a long time. He was deteriorating faster then anything. Just fading away and thats what they do.

Well were all glad he pulled through and your efforts to get him back up and healthy. That's a great testimonial of your first hand experience and backs up my statement.

[Sublime]

Man I would be so nervous and stressed out if I were in that situation. Did you stay calm or were you kind of stressing out?

[vivalabam]

The worms coming from a reptile food website is fine. Pinkie mice can be fed sparingly once every couple of months. He or she is pretty small to start eating mice; I would hold off mice until you get him feeding on healthier diets. Fishing and tackle shops are a lot cheaper though than earthworms being sold as reptile or amphibian food on sites or at a shop. Just have to be more precautionary with the guy that is selling them at a fishing shop. Let me know how it goes.

If he or she was in an emergency situation where he or she hadn't eaten in weeks, then I would force feed a pinkie mouse.

Right ok, that's good then, I'm not keen on the idea of feeding mice. None of mine have ever been fed on mice, it's just different inverts! I'll order some of the huge worms today then, try and get her feeding on those, I hope they wiggle!

If you have to force feed the frog, a pinkie is NOT the food item to use. Mammalian proteins are difficult for them to digest at best, so a starving frog won't handle it well.
Please don't feed mealworms or superworms tot he frog. The carapace is too hard and non-digestible & could cause impactions in a healthy frog, much less a sickly one.
I didn't notice an answer to the question about the water. Please use de-chlorinated water for misting & soaking.
You could add a drop of liquid calcium to the soaking bowl once a week to allow the frog to absorb it instead of dusting (we do this with some of ours because they are picky and refuse dusted food items).
Remember also that over use of the supplements is just as bad as not enough. We usually use a powder that has everything in it or mix the calcium & vitamins together and then dust.
The larger earthworms should be fine, but cut it into appropriate sized chunks for the frog.

Good Luck!

I don't think it has got to the force feeding stage, I mean she is eating, around 1-2 crickets a night. Then some days she won't touch food, then she will be back to eating. It's not a massive amount, but it's better than when she didn't eat for about 3 weeks, then I got her on wax worms, then she started eating no problem, then I stopped, now she is eating the odd cricket. The main problem is she isn't growing. :P

She hasn't ever had a meal worm, she wasn't interested.

I do use de-chlorinated water, always have.

She hasn't gone in her water bowl for a very long time, weird as she always used to, I may change it back to the old one, same kind of depth, but this one is a little smaller and less weird shaped.

Ah ok will do thanks!

Also these frogs are nacturnal. You do feed them at night right? I agree with Jessica about the pinky. When Grif was starving I didn't force feed pinkies until after a month of force feeding. Use easy to digest food items like soft bodied crickets/red wigglers/and chunks of night crawler. You don't want to constipate him/her if he/she is weak. Go buy some Flukers Repta-Aid. Its a emergency food supplement for malnurished and dehydrated reptiles and amphibians. Its very good to have on hand just incase. Also it comes with a seringe that makes it easy to get the mixture in the frogs mouth. You can use it while you force feed the other food items I mentioned. Don't force feed unless you absolutely have to.

I do indeed. I don't plan on force feeding, the idea is just horrible to me.

im having that same problem to but i think mine is just boated but it really hasnt grew much the temps are in the 75 to 80 but he pooped today and striked at a crix today i think i got mine around the same time

Yeah mine hasn't pooped in a long time, not sure if that has anything to do with it. Although she is still eating so maybe not, I put a light on her the other day to find a cricket hanging from her mouth, so very cute!