Pacman Frog

Overview

The Pacman frog gets its nickname from an old video game character because it is almost all mouth, round and wide with a huge grin. It comes from the warm, damp forests and grasslands of South America, near the Amazon region. This is a land frog, not a swimmer. It spends most of its life sitting still, half buried in soft, moist ground, waiting for a meal to come to it.

Because it barely moves, the Pacman frog is a hands-off pet best enjoyed by watching. It is not a fish and does not belong in a water tank. Instead it needs a land terrarium with deep, damp bedding it can dig into. It is also a greedy eater with a big appetite, so it must live alone. It would try to eat any tankmate small enough to fit in its very large mouth.

What it is and where it comes from

The Pacman frog is a chunky, round land frog from the warm and humid parts of South America, including areas near the Amazon. In the wild it half buries itself in leaves and soft soil with just its eyes and mouth showing, then waits for prey to walk past. It is an amphibian with special needs, not a community fish, and it is happiest living on its own in a proper land setup.

Tank and water needs

A single Pacman frog needs a land terrarium with deep, soft bedding, such as damp coconut fibre, that it can burrow into. Keep the tank warm, around 75 to 82F (24 to 28C), and humid, so the frog stays moist. It cannot swim well, so any water should be a shallow dish it can climb out of easily, never a deep pool. The bedding must be kept clean and lightly damp, and the tank needs a secure lid.

Diet and feeding

The Pacman frog is a carnivore and a classic sit-and-wait ambush hunter. It stays perfectly still until food comes close, then lunges with a wide open mouth to grab it. It eats insects like crickets and worms, and larger frogs may take bigger prey now and then. Because it will grab almost anything that moves, feeding is done with care, and it should never share a tank with animals it could swallow. Feed young frogs often and adults less, and never let it eat prey that is too big.

Behaviour and handling

This frog is famous for doing almost nothing. It sits, waits, and eats. Because of that, it is a great pet for someone who likes to watch rather than play. Its skin is soft and takes in water and chemicals easily, so it should rarely be handled, and only with clean, wet hands when truly needed. It has a surprisingly strong bite for its size, another good reason to look but not touch.

The burrowing ambush

In the wild and in its tank, the Pacman frog digs down into soft ground until only its eyes and mouth peek out. This hides it from both the animals it hunts and the animals that might hunt it. When a tasty bug wanders by, the frog explodes out of its hiding spot in a flash. This buried ambush style is what makes the Pacman frog such an unusual and interesting pet.

Fun facts

• The Pacman frog is named after a video game character because it is round and almost all mouth.
• It is a land frog and cannot swim well, so it needs deep bedding, not deep water.
• It is a sit-and-wait ambush hunter that buries itself and waits for food.
• It has a big appetite and must live alone, since it will eat smaller tankmates.
• It can live 6 to 10 years and is a hands-off pet best enjoyed by watching.

Frequently asked questions