Pac Man Frog
(Ceratophrys ornata)

Pac man frogs come from the tropical rainforests of South America. Male pac man frogs grow to about seven inches in length while females are larger at nine inches long. Pac man frogs are large, fat frogs that often seem to be designed to be eating machines. Pac man frogs are often very colorful, with green bodies with dark red to black markings along their back, female pac man frogs are slightly larger than males. Pac man frogs are usually round in shape, with a mouth larger than the body. This gives the pac man frogs their name since they resemble Pac Man characters. This is one of the few frogs that do have teeth.

Difficulty

NOVICE: Pac man frogs are easy to care for, but care needs to be taken at feeding time so your fingers are not mistaken for food.

Requirements

An enclosure, such as:

• Glass or acrylic aquarium (10 gallons or more, depending on the number of pac man frogs kept) with a secure lid

Substrate, such as:

• Potting soil
• Indoor/Outdoor Carpeting
• Paper Towels

A heating element, such as:

• Under the tank heater

Enclosure

Pac man frogs do well in a 10 gallon aquarium with a tight fitting lid. Pac man frogs must have a shallow bowl of water where they will spend most of their time. It's important to have enough loose material in the enclosure to simulate the loose leaves in the forest for hiding spots. Pac man frogs prefer higher humidity, so daily misting is required.

Substrate

Pac man frogs can be kept on potting soil, peat moss or a few sheets of damp paper towels on the bottom of the aquarium. Indoor/Outdoor carpeting can also be used as an effective substrate for your pac man frog. Be sure to have at least two identical pieces so that you can simply place the clean piece of carpeting in the enclosure while you rinse and disenfect the soiled piece. You can then allow the newly cleaned piece of carpeting to dry for the next days use. It is important to completely rinse the carpet after cleaning it to be sure there is no residual chemicals remaining on the carpet that could irritate your pac man frog. Adding sphagnum moss, live plants, or artificial plants to provide hiding places for your pac man frog. Avoid using small bark and gravel as a substrate due to danger of accidental ingestion which can lead to health problems for the Pac man frog.

Heating and Light

Pac man frogs should have daytime temperatures of 72°F to 82°F. Nightime temperatures should be 65°F to 70°F. A spotlight with an appropriate wattage incandescnet bulb or ceramic emitter can be used to provide heat. Pac man frogs are nocturnal and do not require bulbs to provide UVA or UVB, however if live plants are used a plant grow bulb should be used to keep the plants healthy. An under tank heater can be used to increase the ambient temperature of the enclosure. Many hobbyists will install thermometers or thermostats in the enclsosure to be able to accurately maintain these temperatures.

Diet

Pac man frogs are carnivorous and will try to eat anything smaller than their mouth. Crickets, fish and mice can all be offered. Juvenile pac man frogs should be fed every two to three days while adults should be fed once a week and then every 10 to 14 days, as it grows older. Prey items should be no larger than half the size of the pac man frog. Use a vitamin and calcium supplement once weekly with juvenile frogs and every three to four weeks with adults.

Crickets can be put in the aquarium and fish may be placed in the water dish or you can use small tongs or tweezers to hold the prey items in front of the frog. To avoid accidental bites, always use tongs when feeding your pac man frog.