Intro, a couple of questions, and many thanks!

[tschoppm]

Hi everyone. I am new to frogforum- I was so happy to find you guys! I got my first pacman back in March. Things were going pretty smoothly until I decided to upgrade him to a larger tank, and then he stopped eating shortly after. I have read the many discussions and advice given, and I think I have his tank and everything just right- I have everything set the way you guys have recommended. He’s back in the smaller tank (5.5 gal- he is still small) and I just did set up the timer for the lighting to get him on a day & night schedule. I anticipate I will have to wait for him to get adjusted. Thanks to you guys, I am not so super stressed any more about the situation. He hasn’t eaten for a while, but I feel like he will once he gets happy & comfy.
Basically, I have 2 questions: If he is burrowed under the substrate does that mean I should not bother him at all? Is it safe to assume that he will be out when he wants to eat? I have made him mad enough with my badgering! I am trying to give him a break until he is ready…
And the other thing is, he hasn’t eaten for like 3 weeks. I believe for most of this time he went into the deep sleep like hibernation that I have read about here. I think I had the temps messed up when I put him in the big tank. But he came out of it, and now I think he is just ill..about being moved AGAIN and what not. He still looks plenty fat to me. I will attach a picture. I’m just wondering, b/c I haven’t seen any comments about how long, etc…and since I really don’t know what I’m doing!
BTW, his name is Meatloaf (like the singer). This is my first post, but I have used tons of advice from you guys already! I really appreciate it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[GrifTheGreat]

Welcome to Frog Forum

He is stressed. You should unburry his head so he can see and offer food. Break the hind legs off the crickets so they're easier to catch. Also try pieces of night crawlers.

Answer these questions for me http://www.frogforum.net/pacman-frog...enclosure.html

[GeorgiaBulls]

Welcome to the board, great looking frogger!
Follow Grifs advice, he'll steer u in the right direction.

[tschoppm]

1. I moved him back to his 5.5 gallon (he was in 20 gal)
2. just 1 pacman
3. 80%
4. 75-78 day, a little cooler at night. I did have it warmer in there, that's when he started staying buried all the time.
5. shallow soaking dish- he has never gotten in it, and I mist 2x daily
6. coco fiber substrate ~2 inches
7. 1 fake plant, 1 terra cotta flower pot on the side for a cave- they were new8. before he stopped eating: crickets, mealworms, waxworms. when he would get mad at the tongs...I would have to give him waxworms b/c everything else gets away if I'm not holding
9. calcium dusting about 1x week
10. 50 watt incandes -I turn it on ~6 am off ~4-5pm
11. the light keeps it warm, and that room stays warm
12. the last time he ate was a few weeks ago ( like 3 weeks approx)
13. no poop found recently
14. A pic would be helpful including frog and enclosure (see pics form initial post)
15. he was a baby in march when I got him, about the size of a quarter
16. I got him in March
17. wild caught or captive bred-- I assume captive bred.
18. Frog food- not that diverse, but I read that crickets & earthworms should be the staples, so I have some I am offering to him. I will lay off the wax worms. if I can get him to eat again!
19. I only handle him when he has to moves, to clean cage or to move him
20. no traffic. he has his own room. it's nice and dark, his tank light is the only thing.
21. I use distilled water and change it every few days (he never uses the soaking dish). I was cleaning every 3-4 weeks b/c he was in a huge tank, but now smaller, so i will do changes more frequently.

A few days ago, I gave him warm soak w/ a drop of honey. I don't normally do this, but I trying anything I have seen mentioned here. He hated it, I think. I have been offering foods to him, but he is not impressed. However, he hasn't
actually turned his back on the food offerings the past couple of times, which is an improvement.

He has always been kindof slow. He would always sit kindof oblivious for about 5-10 minutes, and then you could see him perk up when he finally
noticed it was there. Then, he would stare at it for abt 2 minutes and then snatch it up. is that normal?

The problem started at first when he would just turn away from the food and bury himself- every time. I tried crickets, worms etc. he didnt want anything. My guess was he didn't like the temp. It was staying at like 80 and not getting cooler at night.
he seem slightly less grumpy now, but still won't eat.

I appreciate your help!!!

[GrifTheGreat]

Distilled water cannot be used for soaking or expanding the substrate. It doesn't contain any minerals or salts that they need for proper hydration on bodily functions. It will literally steal these salts and minerals from your frog. You can only use distilled water for foggers and misting that's it. Don't spray the frog directly.

Buy some UNFLAVORED PEDIALYTE and prepare a bath with tap water that you treat with a de-chlorinating agent like Zoo Med Repti-Safe. Prepare the bath at a 10 to 1 ratio. So for every 10 ounces of water add 1 ounce of Unflavored Pedialyte. The water should be Luke warm and no deeper than the depth that I suggested for the honey bath. You can also use all natural Spring Water instead of treated tap water, but it must be real spring water.

Also you are trying to wake him way too soon. They are nocturnal and so only are active at night. You should change his day/night cycle to 7:00 am. to 7:00 pm or 8:00 am to 8:00pm. They must have a 12 hour day/night cycle and it must be established during actual day/night times or it can cause stress.

You will need to change his water to spring water or treated tap water and swap out his substrate for new substrate expanded or moistened with either spring water or treated tap water. If you do not he may slowly waste away and die.

keep me posted on how he reacts to the bath.

Also his temps are too low. He must have 80° to 82° During the day and it needs to hover around 78° at night.

[tschoppm]

Thank you! I am going shopping now for some unflavored Pedialyte and spring water. We are on a well with water I do not trust. I will keep you posted. Thanks again.

[tschoppm]

Just an update. He had a second soaking tonight, he tolerated it OK. Still backing away from the food. I will keep soaking and trying!! thank you so much for letting me know about the water and all the advice.

Oh yes, and are the red heat lights OK for night? thanks again