Description:

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Ceratophrys - Commonly known as the Ornate Horned Frog, South American Horned Frog, or Pacman Frog is an easily kept and commonly seen frog in the pet trade.

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These frogs take their common name from the obvious trait of their oversized mouths and relatively small bodies - resembling the iconic video game character for which they're affectionately named.

 

They come in a variety of shapes and colors, some being less common to find with the pet trade, but generally all exhibit the same characteristics and behaviors.

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Size:

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The full grown size of a Pacman Frog varies greatly, depending on factors such as diet, feeding regularity and the sex of the Frog (Females typically reaching a much larger size). Their typical adult size ranges from 4-7 inches in length, with the occasional report of abnormalities exceeding this size.

 

It's important to note that because these frogs generally lack the instinct to turn down a meal, they are prone to overfeeding. A very large Pacman Frog that has been power fed may be sought after as a pet, but typically this type of diet will lead to health problems, and in turn a significantly lessened life span.

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Temperament: 

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Generally, frogs should not be handled unless absolutely necessary. They absorb water directly through their skin in order to stay hydrated, and can unintentionally draw in contaminants that might be present on the bare skin of a would be handler. Beyond that, they're simply not an animal that benefits in anyway from this type of contact or interaction. Ultimately, It only serves to cause them undue stress.

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Pacman Frogs are known for their voracious appetites, and their indiscriminate attitude towards eating anything that crosses their path (including other Pacman frogs - so never house them communally). Despite their typically inactive nature, they will not hesitate to attack and latch onto - with lightning speed - a finger that crosses their path. Pacman frogs do have teeth, and a bite from a large full grown specimen can inflict a wound substantial enough to draw blood. If handling or coaxing them into a particular direction is necessary, it is best to nudge or pick them up from behind, or in a way that will avoid putting your hand directly in front of their mouths.

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These frogs will attack and consume prey much larger than expected to be possible (occasionally choking to death while attempting to do so!). They are opportunistic eaters, who prefer to remaining in one place, conserving energy. As such they will spend most of their time burrowed under wet substrate with only their eyes protruding above the surface - waiting patiently to pounce on anything that comes within range of their powerful jaws.

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Care:

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 Pacman Frogs have relatively simple needs, and are considered easy to care for, but they do need daily attention to maintain their correct environmental conditions. Not monitoring their enclosure to keep these parameters met means gambling with their lives, and will always at the very least lead to a shortened lifespan. A temperature of 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit within their enclosure is optimal. Allowing this to drop slightly in the evenings and overnight is acceptable, but should not be allowed decrease lower than 70 degrees Fahrenheit. 

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In order to provide heat for your Pacman Frog, my recommendation is to steer away from overhead lighting, which can flood an entire area, not allowing for a heat gradient,  and quickly dehydrating your frog. Instead use a heating pad with a decent amount of power, and ideally stick this to the side of your tank - not the bottom. Because of the fact that these frogs like to burrow deep into substrate, they may settle into a spot at the bottom of the tank that brings them into direct contact with a misplaced heating element, leading to burns or death.

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Moisture and humidity are necessary conditions that must be monitored when dealing with Pacman Frogs. On a daily basis I typically add just enough treated water into their substrate to make it damp, but not soaked. You need to find a place in between overly dry and soaked, because sitting in stagnant water for a prolonged period of time is also hazardous to the health of these animals. Water used for frogs must ALWAYS be treated to remove chlorine and other chemicals found in tap water. Water conditioners are commonly found in just about any pet store.

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Pacman Frogs do well when kept in a tank as small as 10 gallons. A larger terrarium can be utilized, but these frogs do remain stationary for long periods of time, and once they have found a spot they like, they tend to stay there, making large amounts of space redundant.

 

Coco fiber is a great simple substrate to use as it holds moisture well and will help maintain a high humidity level within your frogs enclosure. You'll want to add as much as is needed for a depth that your frog can almost completely bury itself within. This is important for allowing them to feel a sense of security. Anything you can do to alleviate stress on any animal is going to ensure their long term health. 

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There are reports that using moss within a Pacman Frog tank can lead to impaction and death if accidently ingested but I personally can not speak to their inability to pass this. I have always chosen to just err on the side of caution and omit it from my setup, as it is really not a necessity anyways.

 

Decorations are a personal choice when setting up their tank, but they don't tend to benefit from them or use them in any way. A soaking dish is a good choice, but if you're keeping your substrate adequately saturated, in my experience, they will rarely make use of it. Please note that these frogs are also not known for their swimming ability, and pool of water provided should be just deep enough for them to sit in but not submerge themselves completely.

 

This is my personal recommend setup, as these frogs are not well suited to a planted or bioactive vivarium. Their need to dig, and the amount of mess they produce means that a monthly cleaning and changing of substrate within their terrarium is going to be essential to their well-being no matter how elaborate  or simplistic you choose to make their home.

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With my Pacman Frogs, I will occasionally force them to relocate to a new spot within their tank, by gently nudging them to a new location, and then agitating their substrate with my hands. I do this because these frogs do produce a lot of waste, and will remain dormant in a spot even after they have soiled it. This waste can then be reabsorb through their skin, leading to sickness. This method can extend the life of your substrate slightly, but regular spot and deep cleaning is still absolutely essential for Pacman Frogs.

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As a staple diet, most Pacman Frogs are fed calcium and vitamin D dusted crickets. However, they will easily take just about any type of feeder insect that is offered to them and can benefit from a varied diet. I offer these frogs around 5 crickets every few days, and will remove any that have not been eaten within the course of a few hours. 

 

Pacman Frogs can even be fed the occasional, appropriately sized mouse or feeder lizard (Ideally pre-killed to avoid injury to your Pacman Frog). Just be sure to feed items other than insects sparsely, as these are not prey items these animals would commonly ingest within their natural environment, and in the long term, overfeeding with these can lead to a variety of health problems. The general consensus amongst hobbyists is that mice should not be utilized more than every few weeks to a month.  

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Lifespan:

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When provided with proper care captive Pacman Frogs have a general lifespan of 7-15 years. This is of course dependent on them being fed a proper diet and meeting their specific heat and hydration needs as previously outlined. These, as with other frogs are fragile animals, and although considered relatively easy to keep, they can easily fall victim to sickness if they're neglected.

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