Anyone who owns a pet knows that you may need to leave it alone once in a while. Pacman frogs are no exception. If you have a Pacman frog as a pet, you must wonder if your amphibian can stay by itself. Read ahead and find out how long you can leave a Pacman frog alone.
You can leave a Pacman frog alone for about a week, but not more. Pacman frogs are mainly inactive and prefer to be left alone most of the time.
It is not enough to just leave your Pacman frog and travel. You must ensure you have put in place measures to keep it well-fed and safe for days you will be gone. A few pointers will assist you in leaving your Pacman frog alone but within safety limits.
How To Safely Leave Your Pacman Frog Alone
If you travel for a few days or weeks, you can leave your Pacman frog alone as long you leave it in good condition. Some conditions are suitable for your frog if you are away for a few days.
Housing The Frog
The first thing to ensure is that your frog’s living arrangement is clean and suitable. Most frogs, enormous frogs, are inactive, and there are high chances your Pacman frog will be asleep most of the time when you are away.
For this reason, you will need to set up your Pacman frog’s living quarter safe and conducive for sleeping. Get the right tank and size for your Pacman frog. Pacman’s are terrestrial frogs, and they will need a terrestrial tank of about 10 gallons each.
If you keep more than one frog, increase the size of the tank, for example, 30 gallons for three Pacman frogs. Your selected tank or terrarium will have vents at the bottom and a removable lid at the top to accommodate airflow.
Clean your frog’s tank to ensure no harmful particles are present. You may also choose to replace the substrate so that your frog stays in a new environment while you are away. Use loose soils or plantation soils that are best for frogs. If you choose to keep live plants instead of decorations, use a grow light within your tank.
Your Pacman frog may want to burrow, so ensure the substrate is 4 inches deep. You can cover the substrate with dry leaves that the frog can burrow under for extra warmth.
Surrounding Conditions
You have to ensure that the area surrounding your Pacman forth’s housing is warm and humid. Depending on the current weather in your area, temperatures might drop at nightfall. You can install a self-timing heater to accommodate heating the room. If the weather is cold all-round, you can keep the heater on at the lowest temperature to gradually keep the room warm without overheating it.
Pacman frogs need some humidity since they regulate their body temperatures according to surrounding environments. In that case, you will need to increase the moisture in your Pacman’s frog terrarium but ensure it does not get too wet, or it will risk making the substrate soggy.
The first step to humidifying the terrarium is to use a misting spray. If you will be away for a few days, spray the terrarium and close the lid. The water will turn to water and keep the tank humid. If you will be away for a long time, use a programmable mystifier that will mist the tank at given intervals until you return. This way, the terrarium will not dry out.
You can also get creative and add a waterfall feature to your terrarium. You can create your own or buy one. This waterfall adds water to the tank, and the circulating water also evaporates, increasing water vapor in the air and hence humidity.
Food And Water
One of the most critical factors that a frog owner may worry about is how the frog will remain fed while they are away. Feeding your frog depends on how long you will be away from it and how large the frog is.
Some frogs, especially the larger, mature frogs, can go without food for four weeks, while a juvenile frog can last up to 3 days. It is best, however, to ensure the frog has food. If you are away for a few days, you can feed large insects, and it will be okay for a few days.
However, if you plan on being away for longer intervals, you can leave a fly culture in your terrarium a week or so before you travel. The culture will yield a team of flies that your Pacman frog can snack on while you are away. Pacman frogs also eat worms and live insects. You can purchase them and leave them walking on the substrate and terrarium decorations for your Pacman frog’s convenience.
Your Pacman frog should also have access to fresh water at all times. First, the water will quench their thirst, and secondly, the frogs will need to soak their skin in water once in a while. Get a small to medium sturdy water bowl according to your frog’s size. The bowl must be sturdy; otherwise, your frog will knock it over, especially if the Pacman frog is large.
Check On Your Frog
If you live in a neighborhood with trusted neighbors, you can call on one to check up on your frog at least once a day to ensure that while you left it in good conditions, it is still safe inside the terrarium. The individual can check for signs of injury or sickness within your Pacman frog. If you do not have self-timed lighting, your frog’s sitter can switch on dimmed lights every night to ensure your frog is not in complete darkness, if you prefer it that way.
Going on vacation should not be a daunting experience for any frog keeper. If you keep your Pacman frog in good living conditions with enough food, the animal should be fine for the amount of time you are away. Consider having someone check up on it at least once every two days, though.