Pacman Frog won't snap at food

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arlo

arlo

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jan 16, 2006
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Rowland Heights
when i first got my frog it was about the size of a quarter and it would jump around and eat crickets sprinkled with calcium powder. i was keeping it in a 10 gallon tank, no heat source, the room is about 72 f. its now a pretty big boy http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v412/slimfadey/pets0007.jpg
i keep it in a rubbermaid now, same setup except the rubbermaid takes up less space in height. same substrate, same everything. but the way i feed it now is so un-natural. i have to push open his mouth and with tongs shove meal worms in it, and he'll grab onto em and swallow them down. he will not snap at food anymore. im thinking about getting a heat pad for it. is there any way i could get it back to the way it was as a baby? thanks
arlo
 
How often do you feed it?
It could be that since it's gotten older, it doesnt need to eat as much.
Maybe you can try starving it for a few days?
 
thanks for the response. i posted the same question on kingsnake.com and i the guy there told me to do the same thing. im gonna stop forcefeeding the poor thing and just starve for a couple days (placing nightcrawlers in front of his mouth instead of shoving them into it). i won't force it to eat untill it is clearly visible that it is wasting away. cross ur fingers and pray that it hasn't forgotton how to eat.
 
i doubt he's forgotten how to eat. I'd give him a rest, let him sit, they are ambush predators in nature and typically wait for food to walk past them then they spring. Also that might be a bit low for a temp, any way you could up to 78 of so with out sacrificing humidity?

They can litterally go for weeks with out food as long as they arent over heating and running at a high metabolism.

I kept mine in straight water in a coffee pot pitcher for a few weeks while i remade his tank and he ate everthing (just had to keep him immaculatly clean).

jason
 
even though he did well for a while, it might be a bit cool for him. and dont feed mealworms unless you remove the heads first or else they could chew up their insides. i know many will tell you thats an urban legend, but i have talked to many people who have had first-hand experience with the issue, at least one even being verified by a vet. so it is possible, and just because many will tell you "ive been feeding mealworns for years without any problems" doesnt make it safe.
 
i'd honestly be more worried about impaction from the chitin in the mealworms bodies than the heads, but yeah better to be safe than sorry. I didnt think about that one. I'd offer fast moving prey as well. something slow might not trigger a response. i still suspect its a bit too cool, might be tricking him into estivating.

jason
 
the first thing im going to offer it is a baby fuzzy, if my pacman frog can eat, the fuzzy is the probably the best tasting frog food out there. as for the heat increase im going to use a undertank heater. i think i mite get rid of the bed-a-beast substrate and use water instead. lately ive been having gnat infestations whenever i use the cocunut fiber substrate. gotta any pics of ur pacman and its enclosure jason :naughty:
 
http://allaboutfrogs.org/info/species/horned.html
ok so according to that website its ok to keep a pacman in clean water that covers about half its body. im going to do that and add a few river rocks in there for show. HOPEFULLY the undertank heater pad is enuff to heat the water up to about 78 degrees (i'll use a thermometer). anyone else have any ideas on how to heat such a small about of water?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v412/slimfadey/room0001.jpg
u can see how small of an enclosure im working with. its below the fish tank in that picture. i dont think a aquarium heater would work, anyone have any ideas?
 
i would use wet paper towels instead of just water, at least until he is really big and wont use the paper towels to burrow into. and an undertank heater can burn burrowing animals like a pacman so a low wattaged heat lamp would be more appropriate.
 
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