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Thread: Tank setup questions???

  1. #1
    Gene
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    Default Tank setup questions???

    I'm a new pacman frog owner, I got him about 3 weeks ago. For the first couple weeks, I kept him in the small kritter keeper tank which obviously wasn't ideal but he seemed ok as he was eating regularly and shedded too. This past week, I bought a zilla tropical starter kit. I bought a couple other things too including a cricket keeper, water dish, etc. Here's my tank setup: 10gal with screen top and dome light with day blue light. Bedding consists of a tank liner with repti bark on top and moss on top of that. There's also a heat mat under one side of the tank. I was having a hard time maintaining a good temp, it was hovering around room temp but I've now covered the screen top with foil and that's solved that problem. However, I still can't maintain the humidity. I thoroughly spray the whole tank several times per day and it will go up to about 70% for a while but then it hovers around 50% even if I turn the light off.
    My first issue is the humidity problem. Can anyone provide me with some tips to maintain a proper humidity.
    My second issue is the fact that I think he's gone into estivation. Since I put him in the new tank about 4 days ago, he's stayed burrowed in the same spot and hasn't eaten anything or gone in the water. I don't know what's caused this as the temp never dropped very low and I'm wondering how long he's going to stay like this.

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  3. #2
    100+ Post Member DVirginiana's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    Hi,
    The main issue with that setup is the substrate. Pacman frogs like to burrow, so a coco-fiber substrate is necessary for them to be comfortable. Also, reptile bark and moss are bad ideas as these frogs will often eat pieces of them along with their food, which can cause impaction. The coco-fiber substrate is also good for this as it won't cause impaction if it is ingested.
    That might also help out your humidity issues; a moist substrate like that holds in the humidity and will keep your frog more moist than something like reptile bark. It's what I use and mine stays fine with several daily mistings from a squirt bottle.

    Also, he probably isn't estivating that quickly; You'd notice a difference in appearance (do a google image search for it). He's probably just stressed from the move to another enclosure

  4. #3
    Gene
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    Thanks, I'll try changing the substrate. I actually just tried to feed him again. I placed him in the small tank with a couple crickets that walked right past his face and he just wouldn't eat. It's been almost a week and I'm getting a little concerned because he's not eating anything. And I know he's a pacman and isn't going to do much but to burrow and basically not move for 5 days seems bizarre.

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    100+ Post Member DVirginiana's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    How old is it? It's not uncommon for younger ones to go 1-2 weeks without eating if they've just been moved, and I've heard of adults going for months. As long as he's not losing weight I wouldn't worry about that too much.
    Good luck getting your frog settled in and eating again

  6. #5
    Gene
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    He's pretty young, I can't remember exactly how old he is but he's definitely young. He looks a little less plump than he did last week but not necessarily unhealthy. Is there anything I can do to make him more comfortable or should I just leave him be and wait?

  7. #6
    100+ Post Member DVirginiana's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    Mainly just leaving them be and letting them relax. Also, I have to gently nudge mine out of his burrow and mist him to wake him up before he'll start hunting, and I've noticed they are more likely to eat when you first turn their heat lamp on in the morning or late in the afternoon.
    If you really get worried though or he starts to lose a lot of weight, you can try putting him in a clean tupperware container with really shallow water not up to his nostrils and leaving a light on him to keep him warm. Leave him in it for about half an hour. Usually this will make them use the bathroom (sometimes if they haven't used the bathroom in awhile it will cause them not to eat).

  8. #7
    frogmike
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    First you will need to dump out the bark, throw away the light, and get rid of the wire top. Then you will need to buy a glass top, coconut substrate, and maybe a tall fake plant. The substrate should stay fairly wet like a chocolate cake, but not sloppy wet. Keep the water dish on the cold side of the tank, unless you want to refill it every 20 minutes. keep spraying your frog lightly a few times a day. With the glass top, you will not have any problems with keeping the humidity up, in fact there will be condensation on the glass all the time. This will also solve 2 other problems; light and temp. You will be able to keep the temp/humidity under control by making a small space in the top by sliding the glass back a little. Too hot, slide it back to make the space bigger and smaller for warmer. Sense the glass is totally transparent, the light in the room will be enough light if kept on for 12hrs per day. I really hate heat lights because they dry out and kill frogs easily, make it difficult to maintain the correct temp, and cause their eye sight to fail over very little time. I guarantee that his appetite will return if you take my advice. Make sure he gets his calcium sense he is a growing frog.

  9. #8
    Malachi
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    I use a light on some of my pac tanks, especially since i have plants growing in those tanks ( plants help with the humidity and shade) , the wattage i use isn't to high so it is not so drying.

    I have a screen top on the tanks with the lights BUT i have over half the top covered with plastic wrap using double-sided tap and a plexi top on a couple with heat cords.

    I have in the past also made my own tanks out of clear rubber made bins and the humidity is really easy in those but they do not look so nice. ( you cut out some of the top and glue screen on)

    The bark needs to be changed most of all it is not a good substrate at all.

    With a light you will want plants to help with humidity and shade. You may want to stick with a non-light heating system like heating pads, cords or heat tape.

    Also I am assuming your frog is a cranwelli ? Mine did not adjust well to tank changes until he was an adult. My ornates on the other hand didnt care where they were, as long as there was food they ate.

  10. #9
    frogmike
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    And if you run out of mice, you can just use a jet puff mellow instead! they're the same thing . Don't wory, plastic wrap and shoe box is what i kept all my frogs in for an hour, till they died! be sure to use a hair dryer to keep them warm. please don't do any of that which i just said. i'm just tired of seeing crappy setups on youtube and reading about them here.

  11. #10
    100+ Post Member DVirginiana's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    I use a wire top and a heat light as well. Those things in and of themselves aren't going to kill your frog, but you do have to monitor their heat and humidity more closely than if you had a glass top and heat pad/tape setup.

  12. #11
    Malachi
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    Quote Originally Posted by frogmike View Post
    And if you run out of mice, you can just use a jet puff mellow instead! they're the same thing . Don't wory, plastic wrap and shoe box is what i kept all my frogs in for an hour, till they died! be sure to use a hair dryer to keep them warm. please don't do any of that which i just said. i'm just tired of seeing crappy setups on youtube and reading about them here.
    This seems like a troll post to anyone who doesn't use your set up, or should it be taken differently?

  13. #12
    Gene
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    Quote Originally Posted by frogmike View Post
    And if you run out of mice, you can just use a jet puff mellow instead! they're the same thing . Don't wory, plastic wrap and shoe box is what i kept all my frogs in for an hour, till they died! be sure to use a hair dryer to keep them warm. please don't do any of that which i just said. i'm just tired of seeing crappy setups on youtube and reading about them here.
    Very useless post.

  14. #13
    Gene
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    Thanks for the input everyone. Just to clear things up, I do have small heat pad under the tank as well as the 40watt bulb. The temp has been fine, it's hovering around 81 degrees. The humidity isn't perfect but it's not too dry in there. I'll probably look into getting some live plants to help with that. I'm still having a problem with him not eating though. I know you're not supposed to leave crickets in there but there were a few in there that I don't see anymore. They may very well be hiding under the thick moss but I'm not sure; I guess it's possible he ate them. He doesn't seem to have lost weight even though it's been over a week since he last ate. I tried putting a couple more crickets in there and even when they walked right by his face he had no interest in them. I'm growing concerned with his lack of appetite.

  15. #14

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    For pacmans exo terras forest moss is ok for them ?

  16. #15
    100+ Post Member DVirginiana's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    It's generally a bad idea to leave crickets in there, but if you have a picky eater, it doesn't hurt to leave one and let them wait until they feel safe and undisturbed to eat. The problem with crickets is that they will start biting your frog if left in there long enough, but if you only put one in at a time, it doesn't really pose a threat to your frog and you can monitor how much he's eating.

  17. #16
    Gene
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    How long can he go without eating? Like I said, he may have eaten the crickets but I haven't seen him eat them and I'm not going to simply assume he did. I figured that after long enough, he would eat, as pretty much any animal does when they get hungry enough but maybe I'm wrong lol.

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    100+ Post Member Bruce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    mine took a while to start eating, mine seems to have a better response with tongs or poking the prey closer to his mouth (not to when it touches though). If you want you can try that out

  19. #18
    100+ Post Member DVirginiana's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    Sorry, mine eats large-sized crickets, so there's nowhere for them to hide and no guesswork. They can go weeks without eating though, so you should only start to really worry if you notice him losing weight.

  20. #19
    Gene
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    Ok thanks. It's been a couple weeks since he ate but I don't think he's lost weight. I'm just hoping he'll get an appetite soon.

  21. #20
    Gene
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    Default Re: Tank setup questions???

    Here's a pic of my pacman Chunk. I know there are different types of pacman frogs and I'm wondering which kind he(or she) is. His colors are actually quite a bit brighter than this pic shows.

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