Another new owner with question

[ChrissyBee]

Hello all,

I've just gotten a new pacman frog (about 5 days ago) and so far so good! As soon as I put him in his tank he sat in the waterdish and had a big poop...has to be a good sign right? Since then he's been tucked in next to a plant, eating very well (a couple of crickets a day). I do have a couple of questions for those of you with more experience.

The first is about baths. I see that some of you do those to help your frogs 'go.' Have you found that this is absolutely necessary? I was thinking that maybe when I clean the tank (I'm thinking once a week would be good for that?) I could put him in a bit of lukewarm water then just to be safe. He is eating crickets for now. I tried him with small nightcrawlers and he has zero interest. I dangled them from tongs and then today, even let one crawl right over him! He puffed up a little and actually pushed it away. I'd like to get him eating them eventually but it seems that crickets are the staple for now.

My other question is about temperature. My 'pet room' (aka office) is nice and warm now being the height of summer, but it does get cool in winter. I have a heat pad on the side of the tank now and a regular light bulb over the top. I was thinking that when it gets cooler I will replace that bulb with a heat lamp. Would this be a good way to go? The tank temperature is currently hovering around 25 C, probably a degree or two less at night.

Here's a photo (sorry about all the reflection in the glass) of my set up right now. My frog (Alphie) had just been added and was sitting out front, he's in a corner well concealed now.

[maxQ]

Hello Chrissy, Welcome to The FF. Great looking guy you have there and yes...Pooping is good ! I cant answer the rest of your concerns but we have so many great folks here that will help you in no time im sure.

[danfrog]

K. If he is pooping regularly in his dish no need to soak him. Also you only need to clean his tank once a month to every three weeks. Keep working on the nightcralwers. They are the best staple food. I use a mix of worms crickets and dubias, bust mostly worms. You need to calcium dust twice a week and vitamin dust once a week with at least a day in between. Make sure that all water you use is dechlorinated, if not you will kill your frog. The tank might be too big for the little guy and might stress him out. If he stops eating all of a sudden that might be why. What wattage light bulb are you using make sure nothing over 50 watts should be used. I'm not going to do the Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion but day time temps should be 82-84 degrees and night time temps should be 77-78 degrees. They do need a day and night cycle. I use day and night bulbs with no uvb/uva both are 40 watts. Also remove that moss ASAP. It will cause impaction and will hurt the frog. Also the live plants probably won't make it when the frog is full grown frog produce a lot more waste than the plants can break down. These types of frogs like it simple. Eco earth, water dish, and a couple small hiding areas (plants or what not)

[danfrog]

Oh and make sure you cover three sides of the tank. Keep around 80 percent humidity. You need an electronic thermometer/hydrometer with a probe put about two inches above the substrate in the middle of the tank to monitor temps and humidity. Make sure you are feeding the little guy daily.

[ChrissyBee]

Wow thanks for the quick responses! I do have a hydrometer/thermometer. The humidity has been good, I mist once a day and it's holding steady around 75-80%. I gathered as much about the moss and that has already been removed

As for the light, right now it's a very low wattage but the temperatures aren't high enough (only around 74 F now) so I guess adding the heat lamp is the way to go. I have a 15W UVA light now on hand (I also keep hermit crabs that need much the same temp/humidity) - will that be a good choice or should I get something with no UVA? The light is on a timer so he does have a day/night cycle, no nighttime light right now though.

The live plants are in small glass containers tucked into the corners with riverrock and water, just covered by a little substrate. If they don't make it that's fine, but for now they're doing well

I hadn't considered the issue of the tank being too large - had assumed he'd just be happy and grow into this one. I'll keep a close eye, for now his stress levels seem low. The tank, as you can see, has a lot of cover so hopefully he feels secure.

On and when you say cover three sides, I'm assuming for the frog's sake? (lower stress). I do have a cover on the tank btw, that wasn't on when I shot the photo. Currently there's plastic wrap over about half of the space and then a mesh cover over that.

[danfrog]

Kk I can't really see the river rick but any small rocks have a chance to cause impaction. I would just go out and get a red incandescent bulb. I use a day bulb on a timer, a red incandescent bulb attached to a hygrotherm, and a heat pad. These guys do not need uvb. I would double check the substrate for small pieces of moss. That stuff is really nasty for these guys. Other than that everything is good to go. Welcome to the frog forums!

[danfrog]

Yes three covered sides will help make the frog feel more secure.

[ChrissyBee]

The river rocks are quite large (almost as big as the frog) so no worries there

Just dug out my light and it's a daylamp, not UVA or UVB so that should be good. I'm going to put that in now and see how much it changes the temperature.

So you keep the red incandescent on at night as well for temp regulation?

Sorry about all the questions but the biggest challenge for me is temperature (it has been with my crabs for sure). In the winter I wrap 3 sides of the tank with towels for insulation, I suspect I may do the same this year with the frog. So any tips I can get on keeping things warm and regulated are appreciated.

[danfrog]

This is what I use. http://www.frogforum.net/pacman-frog...-new-home.html

[COOCOpUcHoo]

To get your frog to eat night crawlers. Gently run a piece on his lips with tongs. He will eventually take it

[ChrissyBee]

Thanks. I tried this but probably didn't have enough patience. I did see his mouth starting to open a little once or twice...but my arm was getting so tired that I gave up, LOL.

I took your advice danfrog and made some changes to my set up today, here's the final result

[COOCOpUcHoo]

Thanks. I tried this but probably didn't have enough patience. I did see his mouth starting to open a little once or twice...but my arm was getting so tired that I gave up, LOL.

I took your advice danfrog and made some changes to my set up today, here's the final result

When he opens his mouth, place the worm there.

[ChrissyBee]

I just tried a worm again. It was all over his mouth and if anything, he just seemed annoyed. No sign whatsoever of wanting to eat it. Yet a cricket walked by a couple of minutes later and he gobbled it up. I'll keep trying but he seems to really just be annoyed by the worms at this stage.

[GRABibus]

I'll keep trying but he seems to really just be annoyed by the worms at this stage.

Yep maybe. They have their own preferences and those preferences can change in time.

[danfrog]

Just remember that your current enclosure might be too big for the little guy. (If he stops eating) and keep working at the worms, they are awesome for frogs.

[ChrissyBee]

For sure. For now his appetite is quite good. He's sticking to one corner of the tank that is near the heat pad and sort of walled off by the log, so I'm hoping he feels secure in there and does fine. If not I have a smaller tank I can transfer him to, I'm keeping a close eye.

[COOCOpUcHoo]

If yo have some card board or something you can just put it straight in the middle so he doesn't see the rest of the tank.

[ChrissyBee]

If yo have some card board or something you can just put it straight in the middle so he doesn't see the rest of the tank.

Is it really that stressful for them to be in a larger tank? Especially one with heavy foliage like mine? He really does seem ok to me. Tucked in next to the log, very close to the water dish. But like I said, I will keep an eye for sure to make sure he is eating well and not stressing.

[danfrog]

If he is eating good no worries. Just giving you a heads up on it.

[Lija]

good job guys for covering qs.

a few notes though
- do you have a lid? i don't see one
- the water dish is too big, it can't easily get in and put and water levels are too high for a baby, just get some clay dish for plant pots for walmart ( 0.7-1$) for now they're perfect size, get one that is slightly bigger then your frog and upgrade as it grows.
- moss!!!!! please please take it out while it is not too late. it posses a very high impaction risk if ingested ( with food or while shedding), i don't think you want to deal with it.
- if you have a smaller tank- you better transfer him there for now and cover 3 sides of it, with babies you never know, one day they eat the other not and you're in trouble.
- if you are able to get hydrotherm- that would be the best investment ( check ebay, price for the thing in stores in Canada are outrageous) with it you will never need to worry about temps or humidity if you get a fogger.