Pacman frog

About Pacman Frogs

Area of origin: South America
Adult size: 11.5 - 16.5cm
Captive lifespan: Up to 10 years

Housing, heating & lighting

Enclosure

Pacman frogs are round bodied, fairly inactive, little creatures. Sometimes they can be a little bit clumsy too as they don’t walk so much as jump around (picture your very typical cartoon frog and then slow it down). While this may lead you down the route of thinking they can thrive in a very small space, they do still need an enclosure with at least a 30x45cm footprint. These little guys like to burrow down into their substrate and will appreciate being able to make new holes every 3-4 days.
For Namco, I’ve opted for a 45x45x45cm cube. His enclosure has been through many iterations, decor-wise, but what remains is a deep, natural substrate layer with a good mix of moss running through it, natural plants to help maintain the humidity in his enclosure, and provide some light cover, a shallow but wide water bowl for him to sit in and drink from and plenty of space for him to burrow.
Substrate should be kept damp but not soaking wet. You shouldn’t be able to squeeze moisture out of it easily. We look to maintain humidity around the 60-80% mark. Any dips below that can lead to poor health.

Heating

Pacman frogs have a fairly small gradient requirement, so it’s really easy to get them set up well. During the day, they need temperatures of 23°C to 27°C, this can be easily achieved with most overhead heat sources but it’s important to consider which will dry out the enclosure less. I’ve opted for a Deep Heat Projector for Namco as it achieves the temperatures he needs without drastically impacting his humidity levels. Overnight the temperature can be reduced to 18°C to 21°C. So you’ll see that, unless you live in a country that’s warm year round, Pacman frogs do require access to a heat source 24/7.

Lighting

This is where we tend to see the most disagreement when it comes to Pacman frog care. While Pacman frogs can survive without a UVB light, you open yourself up to having to manage their care differently to help them thrive. This involves very careful vitamin D3 supplement dosing to make sure they’re able to metabolise calcium properly to help avoid bone issues. The introduction of a UVB light reduces the need for such precise supplementation as it’s far more natural way to uptake vitamin D. I provide a 6% UVB for Namco (along with cover options to protect his eyes), and he’s thrived under this type of lighting for many years now. If you choose not to offer UV, you must still offer a day/night light cycle.

Feeding & handling

Feeding

Pacman frogs will eat literally anything you put in front of them… but that doesn’t mean they should. These frogs are opportunistic feeders, burrowing down into the substrate until just the tops of their eyes are showing. They’ll then lunge up at any food that passes, no matter the size. These frogs have an incredible bite force and are pretty fearless, so keep your fingers well clear when it comes to feeding time.
We feed Namco a variety of insects and the very occasional frozen-thawed pinky or fuzzy mouse (we’re talking maybe 3-4 times a year), always supplemented with a good quality calcium powder and multivitamin.
We tend to tong feed Namco if he’s having worms for dinner as it’s easy for them to burrow away into the substrate and not be seen again.

Handling

Pacman frogs may tolerate handling if they’re used to it, but there’s really no need to pick them up often. They don’t benefit from being held, in terms of enrichment or exercise, and a fall could seriously injure them. I tend to handle Namco when I need to move him, rather than for enjoyment. It’s best to pick up the frog gently, from behind, and lightly grasp their body below their front arms. Any time you’re handling an amphibian, it’s important to wear powderless gloves, their skin is so delicate and will easily absorb toxins and chemicals from your hands.