My Pacman Frog isn't eating anymore.

[MeTree]

Hey guys.

My Pacman stopped eating crickets afew days ago. He has gotten really skiddish, and he pannics when he sees me. I move him into a cricket feeding bin, and he just stares at the wall, or he tries to escape. He has faded in color abit. I am really worried about him.

Here are afew things that I think might be why he is acting this way:

• Moved from regular tank to feeding tank almost daily
• I keep picking him up, and sometimes I fail to wear gloves
• I showed him an Earthworm and he freaked out and hasn't shown interest in food since
• I took out his fake plant
• I tried to feed him guppies in very shallow water
• I switched his diet from adult crickets to small crickets
• Pacman Frog ate a small mouthful of cocofiber about a week ago

I feel terrible looking at this list. I feel like a bad frog keeper. I need to stop picking him up with my bare hands. I am going to move him to a 10 gallon tank, hopefully tomorrow.

Is it safe for me to feed my Pacman Frog in his tank? Is it unlikely that he will become impacted? I usually watch him closely when I feed him on substrate. I really don't want to stress him out anymore.

I really don't want to lose my Pacman Frog!

If you think you know what might be causing his recient loss of appetite and color, please help! I am worried sick about my Pacman Frog!

[MeTree]

Ok guys. If there is anything I know for sure about my Pacman Frog (other than that it is a boy), it is that it LOVES mealworms and waxworms. Loves with all his little heart. I wish I could feed them as a staple, but that wouldn't be good for my Pacman Frog's health.

I assume since we are talking about 2 different worms, with 2 different problems (fatty and hard exo-skeleton), they have different times I can feed them (or can't feed them in this case). I think it is pretty much Ok for me to feed 2 Mealworms a week. I have NO CLUE how often I am supposed to feed my Pacman Frog Waxworms. My Pacman Frog doesn't eat pinkies yet (although he just got 2" so I will probably get him one next time I go to Petsmart!), so if that has an impact on how many waxies it eats...

Right now, it is deathly afraid of Earthworms, even the "baby" Earthworms. I know earthworms are good for a staple, but he just will not eat them.

Suggestions?

[berksmike]

I wouldnt worry as these frogs can go long periods without eating. Make sure your temperstures are ok etc. Is he pooping ok? Could just be hes a bit full and needs to get a "load" off lol Its inevitable that he may swallow small amounts of substrate - often when mine lunge they actually make a good job of scraping any substrate off prey and their tongue. Is there any reason you are moving him to and from into a feeding tank? I know that some people do this - I personally dont as I would have thought the constant movement would just stress the frog out.
With regard the waxworms I would only use these as a treat or to fatten him up if hes skinny - nutritionally they are not great and the frogs can get a taste for them resulting in them turning their nose up at other food! Try soldier fly larvae (calciworms/phoenix worms)if you can get them as they have a much better calcium content

[MeTree]

Thank you for your reply!

I had been moving him to a feeding tank, but now that he is 2", I am beginning to think that that is unnecessary. I want to keep him in his brand new 10 gallon tank. He seems to enjoy the numerous caves in there. He is exploring it because it is alot bigger than his old 7qt. he was in this morning.

Do you know where I can find the "Pheonix worms"? I have heard of them before. If I was to order them off the internet, shipping would cost a fortune. Are these found in pet store chains like Petsmart or Petco?

He seems to have calmed down abit since I moved him to his 10g tank. He likes his new cave under "grapevine driftwood" (which isn't really driftwood). I have a hygrometer and thermometer in there, and I am waiting for the heater to get here today or tomorrow. I need to get some pictures. I thought that my Pacman would look smaller in a bigger tank, but just the opposite! He looks unquestionably 2" in there. A big, growing Pacman Frog indeed.

[berksmike]

well thats good to hear. Ive found these frogs will eat only if they are hungry (which is generally most of the time!) but if they have had a really big feed they can go quite a while without eating. Is worth keeping an eye on his bowel movements just to make sure he is passing ok. Plus remember at this stage their growth rate can be astounding so keep up your calcium/vitamin dusting as well.
He'll soon be growing nicely!
I cant comment on US phoenix worm suppliers but found these:
http://www.phoenixworm.com/servlet/StoreFront

Obviously I havent ordered from this supplier as I'm in the UK but sure anyone who has can give you feedback.

[artes]

I feed mine in his 10 gallon - I always have. Whenever he gets dirt in his mouth, he scrapes it out with his feet. Mostly though, he just holds his mouth open and waits for the crickets to hop in (sad how well that works). As long as your hands are clean (without soap residue), picking him up with your bare hands isn't THAT big of a deal. I wash them thoroughly with natural glycerin soap (no residue). My Toadstool eats a staple of crickets that are dusted (I alternate calcium and multi-vitamin), and has shown no interest in other food at all. It is possible he has trouble seeing the smaller crickets you're feeding him - maybe go back up to bigger ones.

[MeTree]

Thanks for your replies! It is good hearing stories about Pacman Frogs being picky (as odd as that sounds). I hope it is just that.

Thanks for the link to the site, berksmike! I actually went to Josh's Frogs, and it appears he sells the exact, same type of "genuine" phoenix worms! Check out this page! I don't know how the shipping compares. Shipping for bugs can cost alot, but I guess it can be worth it for stuff like this. Maybe I just ought to buy tons of bugs at once and make the shipping worth the cost.

I am glad to hear so many Pacman Frogs do well eating in a 10 gallon aquarium long-term. I don't think mine has gotten into the habit of wiping off his tong, but hopefully that will develope as time goes on.

I can't wait for my order to come in from Josh's Frogs today. He has been so friendly throughout the entire process. I am getting some padded feeding tongs, some ReptoMin for Frogs (that is for my ADF), and a 4W heat pad for my little Pacman Frog. It think I need to switch my decor around in my 10 gallon tank, because I think I put the water on the (soon to be) dryer-heated side, and the water is supposed to go on the cool-wet side, right? Oh, this is exciting!!

Thanks for helping berksmike and artes! It means alot!

[berksmike]

What temp is his tank running at? If hes a little on the cool side it could reduce his appetite too

[artes]

If you put the water on the heat side (in a heat safe container!) it'll help keep the humidity up, but your water will evaporate a bit quicker. Since I wanted the humidity, I put mine on the heat side, but I have those clay balls, and dirt, between it and the bowl. I also put some polished stones in the bottom of the container. I'm using a food grade microwaveable glass bowl for his pond. He seems to like it, and the rocks make it easier for him to hop out.

Hopefully your friend perks up soon! If you get really worried (and brave) you can slap a SMALL amount of baby food (chicken or turkey) on his lips. He'll lick it off, and it'll give him some protein. I do that to my gecko occasionally when he's in an eating slum, and it seems to help perk up his appetite. It pisses him off though, and he doesn't have teeth, so... decide how much you like your fingers first.

[malepyxiefrog]

It might be because in your feeding video you accidentally put calcium on him. Hope this helps

[MeTree]

Thanks for all the posts everyone!

The temp is running at 80 right now. It usually runs 80-85, but sometimes it used to get up to 90 back when I had that plastic lid in his 7qt. I doubt it will get that high with the screen lid that I have on the 10 gallon encloser. I am aware that Pacman Frogs are instictively hesitant to eat when it is colder, due to the fact that they are coldblooded and need heat to properly diegest their food, but I was thinking as long as it was above 79 it would be fine?

Does anyone know if those "reptile rocks" are microwave safe? That is what I have for my Pacman Frog right now. It is right up against where I am going to put the heater, but that is only because I didn't think about it when I placed it there. If that will not work, I will go ahead and move the water dish to the cool side.

I can put the heater in now because my josh's frogs order arrived on schedule and in great condition! They packaged the equipment well, and I will most likely be ordering from them in the pretty near future. THANK YOU JOSH'S FROGS!!

I may try the baby food thing if my Pacman Frog is still hesitant to eat. Is there anything I need to look for that might harm my Pacman Frog in baby food? My Pacman Frog has bitten me before LOL. Actually, if you look at that vid, you can see when my Pacman Frog is in the big, 1.5g container with the red (but it looks pink) light, you can see my Pacman Frog bite me, and you can hear me whisper,"Ouch!"

Good observation malepyxiefrog. I hadn't connected that to his suspicious behavior lately. I sort of doubt it was that, because I cleaned all that stuff off and gave him a good bath (and got the cutest picture of him). That was afew weeks ago, I think.

Something to thinnk about, my tongs and my heater is here for my Pacman Frog. The tongs are impressively long with padded ends. I can use those to feed worms (earthworms I mean, my Pacman Frog would ponce on a mealworm or waxworm if I fed him LOL), crickets, pinkies for the future, and maybe even some baby food.

[artes]

I have no idea if they are. I imagine it would be fine over the heater, since its actually made for reptiles, they had to assume someone would put it near a heat source.

I accidentally cover my frogs in calcium all the time. -_- They just sit there and wait for me to wash it off now, lol.

As for the baby food, I get ... I think its Earthland's Best Organic chicken and rice. The only stuff in there is chicken, squash, and rice. Granted, squash and rice isn't in his natural diet, but I can't imagine either of them would hurt his digestion, especially in the small amount he would be eating.

[berksmike]

Do be careful with any sort of internal heating - they are pretty inactive so could be prone to burning.
Have seen horrific pictures of tree frogs burned from basking too near heat lamps in vivs

[MeTree]

I'll look for the baby food next time I am at the store. LOL, sounds pretty healthy to me.

I am not using any kind of heat rock, or basking lamp. I am using a stick-on-the-side UTH that I got from josh's frogs. There isn't any risk in that, is there?

[MeTree]

I am going to order Phoenix worms from Josh's Frogs. You can actually order them with priority shipping and it only cost about $7.63 for shipping! They can ship as dry goods with anything else you order (assuming you order strictly dry goods)! I am so happy I am not going to have to pay $$$$ just for shipping 1 item! I can pay $ and get lots of items!

I ♥ Josh's Frogs!!