Please help my Pacman

[TheDude]

Hi, I just puchased my first pacman frog a month and a half ago after wanting one for years. At first everything was great he was eating anything I threw in there (dusted crickets,mealworms, wax worms, night crawlers) and moved around about twice a day he was about the size of a quater he had gotten up to about 2 3/4 inches in about a month then he just stopped eating altogether. I then did some reserach and found he was at around 65-70 degrees so I got a temp gauge and a heat lamp with an amphibian bulb and now keep the tank around 80 in the day and 70 at night, humidity is 60-80 based on misting which is done about 4 times a day. I have had him at the higher temps for about a week now and still no progress and the frog is losing size. 2 days ago he took what I would say was a big poop for his size (bigger than a pinky) but still has not eaten since. The frog seems to be more active at night time I have noticed and dropped a pinky in there for him and some crickets so he could hunt at night but he just moves around the tank and in the morning I find him in whatever spot he is hiding for those few days. Sometimes he burrows but usually not and the crickets and pinky just walk all over him - literally. I have watched a cricket sit in front of him for a half hour and he still will not eat. I tried cleaning the Terarruim and changing it around a little to see if that stimulated him but it did not. I have noticed at times he looks waxy but he does seem alert however he has lost a lot of weight and I am concerned Petco maybe sold me a sick frog. The frog is now about 2 inches long and 1 3/4 wide. I have only used the coconut stuff as hs substrate and it is about 3-4 inches deep. I will attach a photo of him in his enviroment, any help would be great as I hope he does not die.

[Mentat]

Hi, I just puchased my first pacman frog a month and a half ago after wanting one for years. At first everything was great he was eating anything I threw in there (dusted crickets,mealworms, wax worms, night crawlers) and moved around about twice a day he was about the size of a quater he had gotten up to about 2 3/4 inches in about a month then he just stopped eating altogether. I then did some reserach and found he was at around 65-70 degrees so I got a temp gauge and a heat lamp with an amphibian bulb and now keep the tank around 80 in the day and 70 at night, humidity is 60-80 based on misting which is done about 4 times a day. I have had him at the higher temps for about a week now and still no progress and the frog is losing size. 2 days ago he took what I would say was a big poop for his size (bigger than a pinky) but still has not eaten since....

Hello and welcome to FF. Once a frog stops eating and defecating it's harder to get it back into healthy status; but will try to give you some ideas. First please read this: Pacman Horned Frogs Care. Second, please cover 3 sides of enclosure with background or any paper you like to reduce frog's stress levels. Third you must ensure the enclosure maintains the temperature and humidity range your frog requires. Maybe it's the light, but from the picture, that substrate looks dry to me. One trick to maintain humidity is to cover 1/2 of top venting with either saran wrap taped to edges or a custom cut piece of clear polycarbonate sheet. Also, do not leave crickets, mice, or any prey in cage overnight while frog is not eating in hopes that it will grab something. Last, would consider moving your frog to a hospital type set-up with just moist white paper towel on bottom (4-6 layers) and sides (1 layer) that you will change daily, water dish, and a hide-out.

If you have a local veterinary with frog or exotics experience that would be the way to go. If not; and without results from a fecal exam it becomes guesswork. Look at this list and try to answer all the questions for us to try and narrow down what's wrong: Trouble in Frog Enclosure. Need to know important details like if you are using de-chlorinated water for bath or not?

You did mention the frog was exposed to cool temperatures for around a month and that now is "losing size." Could there be possibility frog exhibited swelling caused by water edema (fluid retention starts as jelly like areas near hips)? It happens to Pacman's and some other tropical frogs when exposed to long term cool temperatures. The problem is a result of frog's kidney's and lymph hearts (a pump organ that moves lymph in frogs lymph circulatory system) damage. Correcting the conditions (warming up enclosure) will usually help; but the damage to a young frog internal organs is permanent and even when frogs recover from edema, they have much shortened life spans.

Hope your frog get's better and will wait for your answers to try and narrow down what could be wrong. Good luck !

[JeffreH]

Best of luck to you TheDude - I knew you'd get a faster response here ; )

Just to add - you can search for qualified reptile and amphibian (herp) vets in your area using the following website: Herp Vet Connection .

[TheDude]

Thanks guys.


The substrate is definatly wet. I will try to get the 3 sides of the tank covered as this makes sense he is in my bedroom and a lot goes on so I could see that being an issue.

"You did mention the frog was exposed to cool temperatures for around a month and that now is "losing size." Could there be possibility frog exhibited swelling caused by water edema (fluid retention starts as jelly like areas near hips)?"

Now that you mention this I think it to be very possible when he was fat at his hips it did seem to be jelliesh and somewhat yellowish/transparent I thought maybe I fed him to much and he was swelling out. Is that what it would have looked like?

I forgot to mention he nips at food like it is bothering him and sometimes he pushes it away or he back up a bit like he has no interest. I will stop leaving his food in the tank overnight as well. But I must admit the water edema is bothering me because my wife is a royal pain in the *** with keeping the window open at night because she gets hot when we sleep and I know the temps have gotten very cold possibly into the upper 50's. I no longer see any indicators of this but clearly remember the yellowish jelly lookat the rear edges of his belly.

[GrifTheGreat]

Thanks guys.


The substrate is definatly wet. I will try to get the 3 sides of the tank covered as this makes sense he is in my bedroom and a lot goes on so I could see that being an issue.

"You did mention the frog was exposed to cool temperatures for around a month and that now is "losing size." Could there be possibility frog exhibited swelling caused by water edema (fluid retention starts as jelly like areas near hips)?"

Now that you mention this I think it to be very possible when he was fat at his hips it did seem to be jelliesh and somewhat yellowish/transparent I thought maybe I fed him to much and he was swelling out. Is that what it would have looked like?

I forgot to mention he nips at food like it is bothering him and sometimes he pushes it away or he back up a bit like he has no interest. I will stop leaving his food in the tank overnight as well. But I must admit the water edema is bothering me because my wife is a royal pain in the *** with keeping the window open at night because she gets hot when we sleep and I know the temps have gotten very cold possibly into the upper 50's. I no longer see any indicators of this but clearly remember the yellowish jelly lookat the rear edges of his belly.

Your frog must be kept away from drafts of any kind especially cold air coming in a window and AC vents. Raise the night time temp to 78°F. Keep him at 80° during the day. If you need to move the frog's tank to a room where there aren't any open windows then do so. Cold temps will stress the frog and it will become ill.

If you're having trouble with crickets then try Night Crawlers. Just cut off an appropriate sized piece from the worm starting at the tail. Set the chunk of worm infront of the frog about 1" away and leave it be. Come back after a couple minutes and see if the worm chunk is gone. You can also try Waxworms.

Edema can also be caused by over dusting their food with Calcium.

[Mentat]

...Now that you mention this I think it to be very possible when he was fat at his hips it did seem to be jelliesh and somewhat yellowish/transparent I thought maybe I fed him to much and he was swelling out. Is that what it would have looked like?... But I must admit the water edema is bothering me because my wife is a royal pain in the *** with keeping the window open at night because she gets hot when we sleep and I know the temps have gotten very cold possibly into the upper 50's. I no longer see any indicators of this but clearly remember the yellowish jelly lookat the rear edges of his belly.

Yep, edema looks just like that! Upper 50's F is way too cold for these frogs. Agree with Colleen/Jerrod to move enclosure away from draft and out of the cold room into a warmer house area.

[TheDude]

FFFFFFF mother FER - I knew she did it


this pacman frog conditons now are as if he stayed at the trump plaza but I know it is to late he is not improving and it has been a week I think maybe I will bring him back to petco were he may recieve help and try with a new frog under these newer conditions I can not afford a vet bill right now they rape you because they know they have you by the nuts 3k+ on my dog.


I am going to move him to the hallway, I have tried nightcrawlers cut and in whole he wont touch them so far. I will raise his night temps even though he seems more active then. I doubt it was over dusting he ate those crickets hours after they were in the cage couldnt see much of anything on them.

I hope he comes around I really like having him


new conditions
His temp stays 75-85
humidity 70-80+
same terraruim

I hope this is not the dudes last post