Introduction to Pacman Frogs

If you have contemplated keeping a Pacman frog as a pet but were deterred by what seemed to be a confusion animal to keep alive and above that, happy and healthy, this care guide is for you. 

Named after the iconic video game character, this frog lives up to the name given that it's mouth is as wide as it's whole body. There is very little that this animal will not consider eating if it crossed it's path.

There are multiple species of Pacman and this care guide will translate to all three species we have available in SA. The Cranwell's horned frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli), the Pacific horned frog (Ceratophrys stolzmanni) and the less common Suriname horned frog (Ceratophrys cornuta) which is best known for having the most prominent "horns" out of this species group. 

There are many eye catching and very striking morphs of the Pacman, most belonging to Ceratophrys cranwelli, with no shortage of options to new and existing amphibian keepers. 

These are fairly easy amphibians to keep and are considered a good entry level frog for new keepers, given that you have done the research and know the specifics for this animal's care.

Natural Biology

Though these three species come from different areas and ecosystems, their captive care remains similar. C. cranwelli is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and some parts of Brazil. C. stolzmanni is found in Northwestern Peru and western Ecuador, and C. cornuta is found across much of the Amazon and a few other areas. 

While these frogs are from different areas, they are all subject to the same behaviour. These animals are ambush hunters, where they will burrow into the loose substrate and hide among leaves waiting for their next meal to blindly pass by before being swept up by a sticky tongue and swallowed whole. Part of their natural diet even includes other frogs, and that of the same species. Otherwise, they will eat insects and smaller mammals when the opportunity arises. 

They burrow underground not only to surprise and ambush prey, but for another very important reason. They very much rely on the humidity from the slightly deeper layers of soil to stay alive. All these species will encounter wet and dry seasons. Before the dry season these animals will stop eating completely as they enter an estivation state, where their metabolic activity drastically lowers. Then they will bury themselves in the damp soil and rely on the water stored in their lymphatic sacs to keep them alive. These sacs are what makes them appear so "plump", not fat as most people might think when they see their feeding tendencies. 

The switch from dry to wet season is what triggers breeding activity. With increased over all humidity and stimulating rainfall they will breed in shallow pools of water. They are not the best swimmers and will likely not venture into deep water. 

Females grow larger than males and can grow to about 12-15cm, maybe slightly larger. 

Enclosure Setup 

The most important part of the enclosure is your substrate. The substrate should be deep enough to allow the frog to burrow and naturally find optimal humidity levels within the depth. The substrate should be kept damp, but not soaking wet. A good measure for this is simply squeezing your substrate, if it clumps and drips a little water then it is fine. If it does not hold shape or clump, it likely needs more water. The dampness in the substrate is far more important than the ambient humidity levels, since these frogs absorb moisture through their skin. Though, both substrate and ambient humidity does impact one another directly. Some leaf litter can be scattered across the floor of your setup got natural aesthetic and additional security for the frog. Substrates that contain chunks may be higher risk for impaction, and this risk is especially higher in juveniles. 

We house our juveniles in amphibian specific tubs, with shallow water as a base and a little ledge for them to climb out when they want. They do not submerge at all in the water. This is simply to avoid them swallowing too much substrate while eating.

A shallow water bowl must be provided, but as mentioned these are not exactly the best swimming frogs. Make sure it is easy to get out of, and that its mouth can reach the surface when standing on its back legs. Water must be dechlorinated. 

An adult should be housed in a fairly sized terrarium, with big floor space. It does not need to be very high as they will not utilize the height at all. I would recommend at least 45x30cm of floor space for an adult. 

Temperature and Humidity 

Provide a temperature gradient for the frog to choose where it is most comfortable. Simply provide heat on one side of the cage and let the other side be cooler. We need to keep in mind that the natural behaviour for these frogs would be to burrow down to escape heat, similar to some Tarantulas and Scorpions, so I suggest providing heat from either the side or the top and not in form of a heating pad below the cage. A heat pad stuck to the back or side or a low wattage Ceramic heat emitter would work well, just be observant of changes in humidity if using an emitter, as these tend to dry the air and substrate quicker than heating pads. 

They are comfortable at temperatures between 26-28 degrees Celsius. Depending on the size of the enclosure, the larger cage you have the more of a gradient you could introduce to allow the frog to thermoregulate as it feels necessary. 

As discussed, humidity is very important and the ambient humidity as well as substrate humidity should be closely and regularly observed. They should be misted frequently but frequency depends on your individual setup. 

They should strictly be housed separately since they have such strong feeding reactions, and even if the frogs are of similar size, it would not be difficult for one to remove another's leg in an attempt to eat it.

Feeding 

Pacman's are ferocious feeders and will mostly try to swallow anything that crosses their path while they wait in ambush. Gut loaded insects are great and we recommend feeding a variety of prey items for optimal nutritional intake. We feed mainly Turkistan roaches as a base diet, and add crickets, mealworms, earthworms and more interchangeably. They can also eat pinkie mice but this should be reserved as a treat only as they are extremely fatty. 

When it comes to supplements there is a bit if division between keepers. Some will add calcium to meals every few feedings while other keepers do not use it at all and simply rely on gut loading insects to provide calcium. This comes down to keeper preference and the diet you intend to supply. 

Pacman frogs are very receptive to touch around their mouths and will often snap easily at food touching them. This is particularly useful for pickier feeders and so on as a slight tease feeding often yields great results. Feeding them this way can also avoid unnecessary intake of substrate. 

 Handling 

Pacman's are not fond of handling and doing so unnecessarily can stress them out. They can be quite defensive and will puff up their bodies to appear bigger, and release excess air to produce a squeak or even screaming sound in adults. They may also bite when they feel threatened. It is best to avoid handling when not necessary.

When picking them up, always use powder free nitrile gloves. Their skin is very sensitive and can get irritated by the salts and oils produced on human skin. When they are small it is easy to cover them with your hands to avoid them falling. In bigger frogs, gently take them from the back and you can slightly restrain the back legs to avoid them kicking, jumping or falling when transferring from their cage to a holding container for cleaning. 

They are not social animals and prefer to be left alone. They are better as display animals.

Common mistakes 

A very common mistake includes letting the substrate go too dry, which then triggers a natural response to stop eating in preparation for estivation during the dry season. 

Excessive handling is another common reason that these frogs will stop eating due to stress and fail to thrive with the keeper. 

They are fairly tolerant of cool temperatures, but when kept too cold they will also stop eating. 

Another very common mistake is neglected enclosure hygiene. Since the environment is permanently damp it will need to be cleaned very often to avoid bacteria build up etc. Please make sure adequate ventilation is supplied to avoid stagnant air and humidity. 

Unsuitable water is a big one, water must be dechlorinated and an amphibian friendly water treatment can be used to ensure safe water with proper mineral levels. We use a common bottled mineral water for our juveniles and they thrive.

Conclusion

If kept right these frogs are straightforward and a good entry into the world of keeping amphibians. They are definitely not as confusing as many would think, and once you know the specifics for them to thrive it is easy to raise a Pacman. They can live for 10-15 years with good care and sometimes even longer, so if you care for them well you are in for a decently lengthy commitment. 

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you require any additional guidance before choosing the right Pacman for you.