New to pacmans. Could use some guidance

[Dwl022285]

Looking into getting a pacman for my twenty gallon long. I don't have much experience with frogs. I did have a couple green tree frogs about 10-12 years ago. My main question is about lighting /heating. There are allot of varying opinions on the subject. Is a heat mat on the side of the tank or wrapped around a corner of the tank ok as a lone source of heart? Some say it is as they do not require any specific lighting and the heat put off from the lighting can dry them out. I'd like to gather your guys and gals experiences and preferences so I can make the best decision for myself. If it helps, I live in eastern Pennsylvania and in my house the temps range from 66 in winter to 74 in summer... Thanks in advance for your help!

[cjbage]

here is a good care sheet for you to start with Frog Forum - Pacman and Horned Frogs - Ceratophrys - Care and Breeding
And also a dusting/feeding schedule: http://www.frogforum.net/food-feeder...schedules.html

I don't personally use a heat mat but a Ceramic Heat Emitter on a clamp lamp w/dimmer switch ( maybe a bit overkill but it works ) on a Zoo med hygrotherm controller which also helps to control my humidity issues, found out the incandescent bulbs do dry out the tank pretty fast so no longer use those. these guys aren't lizards so Uvb lighting to my knowledge isn't necessary, I use an LED light system for daylight and it has blue moonlight feature for night when it is feeding time for my guy, BUT normal room lighting/ambient light is good too. The daytime temps for this guy is about 82-85° and at night about 5° less, humidity between 70-80% is good.

Also just letting you know if you get a baby pac ( less then 3" SVL ) that tank is gonna be way too big, they feel secure in a smaller container, something closer to about the size of a medium critter keeper, with plain eco earth substrate that has been moistened with dechlorinated tap water so it clumps but doesn't drip, a water dish with dechlorinated tap water, shallow so they can sit in it but only have the water up to their chin no higher or they could drown, and a silk plant, doesn't need a bunch of decoration really. Place that inside of your larger tank, cover 3 out of the 4 sides and regulate the temp/humidity in the larger tank. Once they get larger then they can be put into the larger tank, be warned these guys really don't move much so will probably not utilize the whole tank, again pretty much same set up, plain eco earth dampened, treated water bowl, silk plants etc.

I am sure if I missed anything a bunch of others will fill in any blanks and answer the questions as well, I am a newbie frog keeper so this is what I use and have found to be most effective, these guys like it simple.

[Dwl022285]

Thank you so much for the great reply! So I should stay away from the heat mat and go with a ceramic heat bulb with a thermostat... That's not a problem. How do you regulate the night time temp drop-off?

[Mentat]

Hello and welcome to FF! Most full grown Pacman's will do fine in a 10G tank. Maybe a female Ornate or Aurita will require a 15G tank, but that's about it. Your 20L would be a nice home for couple toads, Tomato Frogs, or similar.

Going back to Pacmans, as previously mentioned, a baby will be fine in a smaller enclosure. I use ExoTerra's Medium Breeding Boxes inside a 10G. You can cover the whole 10G top screen in aluminum foil; then lay light dome on top in the intended position and trace outline with a sharpie. Finally use scissors to cut along line; but make the hole 1/2 in. larger. That will help keep heat and humidity in. A 60W Ceramic Heat Emitter should do; but you can go larger if dome has a dimmer like the Fluker units. Heat pads are very inefficient when used on the side as required with frogs; so if going that way, get the largest you can apply.

Do get a combo digital gauge; even if using a Hygrotherm or other controller. Need 82F and 70-80% humidity for a baby (can go to 84F for adult). Night drop can be adjusted in Hygrotherm or manually with dimmer if no Hygrotherm is used. You only need a few degrees drop (78-79F is fine).

Use treated tap (Seachem Prime) for all water needs to include mixing the shredded coco substrate. Can mist with distilled water; but avoid spraying frog.

Best food are not dyed Night Crawlers (from Walmart or local bait shop). Can cut those to mouth size for babies from pointy end. Couple in. frogs can handle pieces same as body length and 3 in. frogs can handle whole worms. Crickets should be sized same as distance between frog's eyes and gut loaded with carrots, lettuce, and crushed oats/cherios. Good luck !

[cjbage]

Thank you so much for the great reply! So I should stay away from the heat mat and go with a ceramic heat bulb with a thermostat... That's not a problem. How do you regulate the night time temp drop-off?

The nice thing about having a Zoo Med Hygrotherm controller is that you can set it up to control for daytime AND nighttime temperature and hook up a fogger unit ( either one you buy or one you jerry rigged.. there are a few posts on here about how to go about making a better humidifying unit for about the same cost ) and it pretty much handles it for you, you just need to check it with a digital therm & hygro to make sure the temps are correct. They are a bit on the expensive side but well worth it. The heat emitters work wonderful and last for much longer on average then a regular heating bulb so that helps as well.

And yeah if I had a spare 20gL I would be bugging the heck out of the Dart Frog people on info about a pair of terrestrial frogs for that one lol.

Oh and do what Mentat/ Carlos recommends you can't go wrong with following their advice

[Dwl022285]

OK so my twenty gallon is Def too big according to you guys. Maybe even too big for a full grown pacman. I have a twenty laying around but if I have to I will buy a ten gallon. I kind of had my mind at on a pacman...And I think they are fairly easy to care for compared to other options. If and when I do at this up I think I will definitely have to get the hygrotherm controller. That sounds like it makes life allot easier. If given the choice of getting a baby or a grown (maybe 4 inches) pacman what would you guys choose? Is there any benefit to either one for a beginner such as myself? Thanks for all the help guys, I really do appreciate it.

[cjbage]

not sure about the difference between the two other then feeding habits and how the person that had the older frog handled the feeding / care of it.

I have read a lot of posts on here about ones getting a slightly older frog from places and they were not fed properly, i.e only given mice when those are just for treats once a month or so for a larger frog. or not given the vits/CA w/d3 for healthy bone growth etc. I only have a baby that I got from a local pet store, the people there weren't taking all that great care with it, had it in a small container in the corner of a water dragon cage, dumped in a couple of crickets, sprayed the tank n that was pretty much it.

He/she only weighed 9g when I brought it home, now it's eating somewhere between 9-12 crickets per night, unless I feed it the PacMan food from Samurai Japan Reptiles.. he not only grabs that food off the tongs but tries to eat the tongs right along with it. but I dust using the feeding/dusting schedule I posted earlier, trying to get it more nutritious foods such as earthworms to be accepted so I can cut down on how often I feed crickets. offering a variety of foods is good no matter if it's a baby or an adult as long as the feeding size guidelines that Carlos posted are followed.

I am sure others on here can come up with more as I only have the one atm, and it will be a while before I can get another froggie.

[LJ]

I'm also new to Pacman Frogs. The best money I've spent was on a hygrotherm controller and the repti-fogger. It just makes life simple and humidity seems important for this frogs feeding habits from what I've read.

I've had mine for about 2 weeks and I can already see it getting bigger. I say go for a small one since from what I've been reading, they can grow quick.

[Dwl022285]

So if I get a ten gallon, put a baby pacman inside a critter keeper in the center of that ten gallon. Do I put the substrate in the ten gallon as well as the critter keeper to help maintain the humidity? Or do you keep the ten gallon bare and just fit out the critter keeper?

[LJ]

I would put the substrate in both to help humidity. More importantly, to allow him the opportunity to burrow.

Everything I've read indicates its important for them to have that available to them.

Add a shallow water dish for the little fella too. Not too deep. I read just below chin height.

If humidity becomes an issue cover the lid with aluminum foil. I think that was already mentioned.

Good luck !!

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[Dwl022285]

Thanks. I probably didn't word my question right. I know they frog needs to be able to burrow and needs substrate at all times. My question was meant to be, while in the critter keeper do you still put the substrate in the big tank as well? Even though the frog won't be using it since he will be in the critter keeper till it grows? Also would a glass canopy work if I keep a couple inches open for the tank to breathe? Would that keep enough humidity in and allow enough heat in from a ceramic heat bulb?

[LJ]

Oh sorry about that. I would personally. I find that the substrate is great for maintaining humidity.

I'm sorry for making assumptions, but I'm on my phone. I think you mentioned getting the reptifogger and hygrotherm controller. If that's the case you're doing everything 100% correctly as the experts on here have recommended.

So yeah I would put it inside and out and use that glass lid with some venting.

I have a glass cutter near my home and I'm having a lid made for my frog that will allow the reptifogger tube, vents, light holes.



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[LJ]

On second thought get a 2nd opinion on the glass lid. I'm not sure what effect they could have on ceramic heat emitters. I'm not sure if the heat would weaken the glass or not.

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[Dwl022285]

Thanks. Yeah I was wondering how the glass would work with the ceramic heat over it. I didn't know if the glass would block too much hear from getting into the tank or what. Do you have experience with the repti fogger? I have seen on a couple different places some bad reviews saying it doesn't last very long...

[cjbage]

Thanks. Yeah I was wondering how the glass would work with the ceramic heat over it. I didn't know if the glass would block too much hear from getting into the tank or what. Do you have experience with the repti fogger? I have seen on a couple different places some bad reviews saying it doesn't last very long...

I can give you my experience with a Repti-fogger.. broke after 5 min of use. Called the Zoo Med rep and they told me it was unusual to have one broken right out of the box but she did say that the one piece that actually creates the fog.. wish I could remember exactly what it was named, breaks.. a lot on them. My advice is to do a search on the forum for the diy humidifier modifications and go from there. I made one using a Vicks cool mist ultrasonic I got from Walmart, a tub stopper, and a food/liquid safe vinyl hose from home depot, cost me maybe $45 dollars total, and it holds over a gallon of distilled water so I add to it very rarely.

I use plexi-glass on my top, I have bad humidity issues here and couldn't keep the humidity up above 30%. Many people use glass but I am usually very clumsy and knew sooner or later I would drop it ( which I have already dropped the plexi at least 3x so far ). So spent $3 on the plexiglass it has been doing pretty well, just have to keep it an inch or so from the heat emitter. The humidity now is good with the jerry-rigged humidifier & plexiglass combo.

[LJ]

I love my repti fogger so far. I've only had it two weeks though. Time will tell..

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