Reply To: My New Pacman frog

[Zoodulcis]

So glad he is eating something. Now he needs to poop.

An excellent question about eating regimen. In a way, I think you are zeroing in on the answer yourself. Humans in perfect health need access to food everyday. Sure, they can fast and not starve in a day or two, but over the course of a lifetime, especially in infancy and early youth, mammals need a sustained, reliable source of sustenance.

Not so with many reptiles and amphibians. A pacman frog is opportunistic, but does not actively roam about hunting. They pick a good spot and wait for prey items to wander by. That is why they will eat pretty much anything moving, in the wild. You never know when meals on wheels will pass your way again. It could be an hour after the first item that was unwisely refused (providing it wasn’t too big), or three days later. It is a truly random event, and their bodies have evolved to accommodate this. Hungry humans will go in search of food, daily, sometimes traveling many miles, just like dogs and cats. Ancient humans would go to the food, but pacman frogs wait for food to come to them.

You can see how there can be a bit of a disconnect between anxious new owners, and their patient, stealthy new pets. A deeper understanding of their wild behavior and biology may be helpful for you at this time, in addition to further input from pet owners.

For now, since he is new to his enclosure and just settling in and getting over relocation stress, if he will eat earthworms, then so be it, feed those for a couple of weeks. Every other day is not a hard and fast rule, but it is convenient for many pet owners, and easier to remember. Two days feeding in a row, and then one day of feeding skipped is also fine.

At some point he will need a more varied diet, one that has been gut loaded with all of the vitamins, minerals and D3 recommended for this species. But don’t sweat that for now. Now is the time for him to acclimate and feel at home. Then you can begin to alter variables in his habitat and diet.

I’m very glad he seems to be adjusting. Now your job is to make sure he pooped, but wait a day or two still. They often poop in their burrows and then go and dig another burrow. If there seems to be no sign of feces anywhere in a couple more days, you may need to gently remove him and search his enclosure thoroughly. If still nothing, let us know.

Keep us informed. Inquiring minds want to know!