Prepping for future pacman!

[imyourscar]

Hi all! So happy I found this forum; I was having a lot of trouble finding information elsewhere. After reading a few different care sheets and going through the "Search" button, I still have a few questions:

1. Quarantine: having only kept a snake and a ton of geckos, how does one go about quarantining a pacman? Normally we put the geckos on paper towels to monitor for poop and normal activity, but the pacmans (pacmen?) can like burrowing, which would be a bit difficult in paper towel. Additionally, their poop is not nearly as small as gecko poop, so I suppose I wouldn't need to have such a high contrast background to see it. Are there any diseases I should try to observe while (s)he is settling in?
2. Water: I use distilled water for the geckos and snakes, but I read somewhere on here that distilled is not recommended. Would RO water work? We are on well water, so if RO water doesn't work, can someone recommend a water cleaner for the little guy?
3. Planted vivaria: (or something close to it) I saw a couple planted vivaria on here, but not as many as I thought I would see. Is there a general trend to just go simplistic with these guys? If I did want to go with a planted tank, are there any plants I should be concerned with? I was thinking fake croton (the thing people always think is croton, but not poisonous like real croton), pothos, snake plant, and moss (the fluffy green stuff). How would I go about heating this? I read that UTHs on the side walls aren't very effective in heating to 80 but I don't think I'd be worried about an overhead drying it out since it's planted. Normally I would go with a straight up "daylight" fluorescent, but is there a mild heat bulb good for plants?
4. Expos/breeders: Do any of you know of breeders showing up to Northern California expos this summer, or any breeders in N. California? Shipping is sort of out of the question because it gets so damn hot here >.<

Thanks!

[Sublime]

1. Your pacman(s) will be fine on paper towels without burrowing, but not advised for a permanent solution. Correct you do not need a high contrast background because their is two areas you look for and they will always poop in that area - either in the water dish, or where they have just moved from in the dirt. They don't sit in their own feces after they have gone, plus pacmans have abnormally large poop for their size so it shouldn't be hard spotting it at all in the dirt. A couple of symptoms of diseases you could look for is appearing weak or abnormally skinny, legs positioned that doesn't look normal, pale discoloration, and anything else (illness) should be able to be seen as not eating or lethargic.
2. Distilled water is ok, but has been known to extract essential minerals and/or vitamins that are beneficial in pacmans. Spring water or dechlorinated tap water is recommended.
3. Not sure, someone else can tell you.
4. A quick Google search "Frog expo in northern california" "Reptile expo in northern california" "Frog breeders in northern california", should do you well.

[imyourscar]

...
2. Distilled water is ok, but has been known to extract essential minerals and/or vitamins that are beneficial in pacmans. Spring water or dechlorinated tap water is recommended.
...
4. A quick Google search "Frog expo in northern california" "Reptile expo in northern california" "Frog breeders in northern california", should do you well.

Thanks, Mark! Do you have any recommendation for water dechlorinators? (Is there even chlorine in well water?) Any I promise you I am not a google noob; I was just having a bit of trouble finding pacmans specifically, though I did find a lot of dart and mantella people going to the expos in my area!

[Heatheranne]

2. There is generally not chlorine in well water unless you add it to your well tank. The best way to know what's in your water is to have it tested at your local water facility or treatment plant nearest your home. Take a sealed cup full there. I would be more concerned with bacteria count than chlorine actually. You can use the ph/water test strips in any aquarium section of a pet store or even Walmart. It's easy to do, just dip the test strip in the water and read the color guide on the bottle. Another easy option is to use spring water. You can mist with distilled water, but do not soak your frog in it / do not use in his water bowl. As Mark has written, it cause electrolyte dilution and can lead to deficiencies which can quickly make them I'll.

3. Pacman frogs are tough little stinkers . They will squoosh wimpy plants. Snake plants are great and can live right in the coco fiber substrate. Pothos grow easily too. Any amphibian/reptile safe plants that are sturdy and not sharp will work well. You can rinse all dirt and fertilizers off (a must) and put them back into small pots in the substrate if they are a gentler plant.

4. If you cannot find a good reptile show close to you there are some breeders here that have beautiful frogs and you can even choose which ones you want and there are a couple reputable online breeders as well, such as mikesphatphibs and joshsfrogs. Is there a certain type you're looking for?

[Sublime]

A good dechlorinator I use is Reptisafe. When you say well water, are you referring to tap water coming from the drains? If so, yes there is chlorine in the water.

Can't think of anything to be honest; I know in Southern California they have the NARBC and the other big reptile expo in the LA area where you would find some darts or mantellas.

When you say its too hot to ship where you live, here's an idea. Look at weekly forecasts and see if it will be cooling down, then you don't have to worry. Plus even if it was hot, reputable breeders always ship their animals with ice packs if its really hot.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[imyourscar]

2. There is generally not chlorine in well water unless you add it to your well tank. The best way to know what's in your water is to have it tested at your local water facility or treatment plant nearest your home. Take a sealed cup full there. I would be more concerned with bacteria count than chlorine actually. You can use the ph/water test strips in any aquarium section of a pet store or even Walmart. It's easy to do, just dip the test strip in the water and read the color guide on the bottle. Another easy option is to use spring water. You can mist with distilled water, but do not soak your frog in it / do not use in his water bowl. As Mark has written, it cause electrolyte dilution and can lead to deficiencies which can quickly make them I'll.

3. Pacman frogs are tough little stinkers . They will squoosh wimpy plants. Snake plants are great and can live right in the coco fiber substrate. Pothos grow easily too. Any amphibian/reptile safe plants that are sturdy and not sharp will work well. You can rinse all dirt and fertilizers off (a must) and put them back into small pots in the substrate if they are a gentler plant.

4. If you cannot find a good reptile show close to you there are some breeders here that have beautiful frogs and you can even choose which ones you want and there are a couple reputable online breeders as well, such as mikesphatphibs and joshsfrogs. Is there a certain type you're looking for?

Thanks, Heather! I think I'll opt for spring water for now, and then get the well water tested later on, and I really appreciate your tips with the plants! I'll probably end up going to the reptile expos (one in July and one at the end of September) and see if any pacman people show up there; if not, I should probably be able to get some shipped soon after from the online people you mentioned. Thank you again!

EDIT: Ooh, and I haven't picked what type yet! I was thinking since I don't want to get into breeding that a fantasy would be nice, otherwise maybe an ornate? If you have any input or pros/cons, I'd love to hear them

[imyourscar]

A good dechlorinator I use is Reptisafe.

Awesome, thanks

When you say well water, are you referring to tap water coming from the drains? If so, yes there is chlorine in the water.

No, I mean the water you get out in the boonies, not connected to water facilities that test and treat water

Can't think of anything to be honest; I know in Southern California they have the NARBC and the other big reptile expo in the LA area where you would find some darts or mantellas.

A bit of a miscommunication, sorry; I don't actually want darts or mantellas, it's just all I can find when I look up the people vending at my local expos

When you say its too hot to ship where you live, here's an idea. Look at weekly forecasts and see if it will be cooling down, then you don't have to worry. Plus even if it was hot, reputable breeders always ship their animals with ice packs if its really hot.

It's a possibility, but I am not sure I feel comfortable with taking my chances. I've already had iffy luck with SYR/Fedex shipments not making it on time and not being delivered where they said they'd be delivered >.< Where I'm currently living, it rarely dips below 90ºF in the summer and I'd hate to have a missing froggy package baking in the heat somewhere. I think I'll either have to try my luck at the expos or wait until it starts cooling down here and have one shipped them. Ugh, waiting . . .

Thank you so much for you help; I appreciate it!

[Sue H]

When you say "Quarantine", do you mean before you add a new frog to a tank with other frogs? Because that won't work with pac man frogs, they are hungry and grumpy and and need to live alone or someone ends up on the menu. If you mean just as a general health check then that's a good idea. You could also have the frog shipped to a fedex holding place near you so he won't bake in the heat. Good luck!

[imyourscar]

When you say "Quarantine", do you mean before you add a new frog to a tank with other frogs? Because that won't work with pac man frogs, they are hungry and grumpy and and need to live alone or someone ends up on the menu. If you mean just as a general health check then that's a good idea. You could also have the frog shipped to a fedex holding place near you so he won't bake in the heat. Good luck!

Just for general health reasons ^_^ And thanks for the shipping idea!

[GrifTheGreat]

Wecome to the forum! You are getting great advice from Mark and Heather.
1. Yes, paper towels are ok for quarantine. Because Pacs are kept solitary, quarantine periods are mostly to watch for Chytrid. Pacmans do become stressed easily and will often stop eating when they are stressed. Moving to a new enclosure is stressful for them, so you want to make it as smooth as possible. And yes, you Will know when they poop! :-)
2. I also use Reptisafe. It is a good and reliable product. If you do use well water, you should test it first. Water that may be perfectly safe for you to drink may not be healthy for a Pacman. They absorb whatever is in the water through their skin, so if there is anything harmful in the water it could cause the frog to Tox-out (which will lead to death). I have seen this situation before, where people assumed that well water was automatically safe and the Pacman died. Always err on the side of caution.
3. Because these frogs burrow, they will often uproot plants. Like Heather said, wimpy plants won't make it. Please remember that they are agressive eaters. They lunge at their food and will often get bits of substrate or plants in their mouth. You don't want them swallowing anything that will cause impaction (severe constipation). This is one reason to be very cautious about moss. Some people use sphagnum moss because it helps maintain humidity, but it frequently causes impaction. Live plants also require different lighting. Unless you are set on having a live vivarium, it might be easier to start out with fake plants. Coco fiber, a couple of fake plants for the frog to get shade and burrow under, and background covering three sides of the enclosure are all it takes for him/her to feel secure. Do you already have a tank or anything? It would be helpful to know the details of your setup. Yes, you should have a UTH. It should ALWAYS be placed on the side, never the bottom, because Pacs burrow and will burn themselves if it is on the bottom. The UTH should be placed above the substrate level at one end of the enclosure. The enclosure should have a temperature gradient: a warm, drier side (with the heat pad) and a cooler, wetter side (with the water dish). With regards to the lights, you should get a lamp with a dimmer switch either way. It will allow you to tweek the amount of light so you can get the temps just right. Fluker's makes a 5.5 dome lamp with a dimmer switch.

[GrifTheGreat]

[QUOTE=
EDIT: Ooh, and I haven't picked what type yet! I was thinking since I don't want to get into breeding that a fantasy would be nice, otherwise maybe an ornate? If you have any input or pros/cons, I'd love to hear them[/QUOTE]

Just a note: fantasy frogs are sometimes known to be pickier and not always as hardy as the ornates or cranwellis. That may not be the ideal choice for your first Pacman. I'm not saying you shouldn't get one, just be aware of that. :-) Good luck in your search!

[Heatheranne]

Haha! Unless you have fantasy's like mine who love to BITE! Anything and everything, including me, Lol!

Though as a general rule, it is true, they tend to be choosy eaters.

[Omega]

RO (even with DI) water is great. If you're worried about low mineral content add some calcium powder. I have a calcium/magnesium powder from the health food store I add to drinking water for myself and there is the calcium powder I dust crickets in for the frogs. I use the TDS meter that came with the RO filter to ensure the TDS isn't too high and stays relatively soft.