Male Pacman Noise Concerns

[ReptileAddiction]

So I am extremely interested in getting a pacman. I have done my research and I know what I am doing I think. I do have one question/concern. If I end up with a male what is the noise like? Is it loud? Does it do it all the time? Is there a way to stop it? Will I hear it in the rest of my house? I have tried to find what I am looking for but to no avail. Last time I was at a reptile show (where I will buy this pacman) there was one fairly young male pacman that would not stop croaking. It is one of the largest shows in the U.S. and you could hear that one frog across the entire show and it was very loud. I definitely could not have that. I plan on buying a small juvenile pacman so is that to early to tell the sex? The croaking one at the last show was a size I would be happy with. If they are large enough to sex do the breeders generally have it marked on the deli cups? If I asked them the sex would they be able to tell me? As you can see I am new to the frog world though I have kept a myriad of other reptiles. Thanks!

Sam

[DVirginiana]

You can't tell the sex before they are generally old enough to start calling. The only way to be guaranteed to get a female is to buy an adult. One way to tell for sure one is a male (other than calling) is that males will have nuptial pads on their front legs. Mine is a female, so I don't really know how often they call.

[GrifTheGreat]

That particular male was in breeding mode if he was calling that loud consecutively. When not wanting to breed they may produce territorial calls, which start soft and then gradually get louder, but peak at a certain level and the frog will stop. The frog may also call in response to your voice once it gets used to you. Honestly its not that bad. I have 21 Frogs with 20 of them being Pacman Frogs. My oldest male calls all the time and it is actually soothing to me. I love to hear them vocalize. Once you get used to the sound you will sleep right through it.

Now as for getting a male or female well you will be playing a game of chance. It is best to buy one as a quarter to half dollar sized baby and raise it up to adulthood. This way the frog becomes accustomed to you and your husbandry rather than buying an adult that has been raised by someone else. Males begin to get Nuptial Pads at 2.5" to 3" when the male begins to become sexually mature. He will begin to call at this time as well. Nuptial Pads are dark mole like spots that appear of the side of the male frog's thumbs. Females lack these and are for the most part quiet, but there are females that vocalize just not loudly like males. Both sexes have various sounds they produce, but only males produce the mating call. These frogs like most species have Sexual Dimorphism which means the female is larger than the male. Males will top out at 3" to 4" SVL(Snout to Vent Length) depending on species and females will top out at 4.5" to 6" SVL(Snout to Vent Length) depending on species.

Most of the time you will end up with a female, but like I said its a game of chance.

Good luck.

[mchell43]

I too had the very same concerns, I got mine as a young one and hoped it would be female. I was wrong but its not bad at all. Had him over 6 months now and he doesnt call much at all. He started when he was 3 inch in width and often at first. But I would be in next room and thought it was birds at first, it sounds real nice. My OH hears him early in the morning sometimes but it dont wake us. I was put off by watching you tube ones, being wrongly tormented . Mine is very chilled and has no signs of aggression, I can pick him up and move soil around right in front of his face, he is fine, kinda sweet. I reckon as long as you never stress or bother them much at first, they are fine with you.

[ReptileAddiction]

Thank you guys for your help! I think I will just end up getting a small one because it doesn't seem like it will be to bad. I do have one more question though. Do they croak at night? Thanks.

[mchell43]

they can call at night but its only the mating call. Mine does it in bursts of 3 then thats it , as long as you dont plan on having him in your bedroom you prob wont hear. They dont do it that often . The one you heard at show could of been stressed ,as them places can be noisey and he prob sensed all the lady frogs abaout LOL

[ReptileAddiction]

I do plan on having the frog in my room as I do not have another place for it. Does it croak at night all year long or is it only during mating season? When is mating season and how long does it last? Are there mating calls loud?

[Lija]

yes all year long and more when it is raining, etc outside. honestly it never bothered me at all, they are all in a basement, but i do hear my nasutas croaking even from the outside the house, lol pacman is not that bad in comparison lol they don't call that often too.

[Truffs1178]

Mine barely ever croaks but when he does you can hardly hear it. Mine does it during day and at night but its not very loud and probably won't wake you up.

[ReptileAddiction]

Thank you! I do not think it will be a problem. I do live in Southern California where it hardly ever rains so that should help.

[mchell43]

It will be fine , if you get a baby it may end up being female , if not it realy is not much that they do it . Go for it but post pics !