# Frogs & Toads > Pacman Frogs >  Pacman frog keeps turning on back

## itspatti65

Lately my pacman frog keeps flipping himself onto his back.  Should I keep turning him back over?  I have even found him in his water bowl flipped over. I am afraid he will drown!  Please help if you know why he is doing this.   Thank you!

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## Colleen/Jerrod

> Lately my pacman frog keeps flipping himself onto his back.  Should I keep turning him back over?  I have even found him in his water bowl flipped over. I am afraid he will drown!  Please help if you know why he is doing this.   Thank you!


Yes keep flipping him back over. This is a sign of severe stress. post photos of your frogs setup and of your frog so that we can figure out what may be causing your frog to be so stressed. I want you to read the sticky at the top if this section of Palma Frog threads called "Trouble in the Enclosure" read it and answer all questions.

keep us posted.

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## IvoryReptiles

Please read the care sheet here and make sure you are using de-chlorinated water ONLY in it's enclosure. Do NOT use distilled water! The flipping is either from stress or toxing out. Please listen to any advice Grif gives you, it is accurate & priceless!!

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GrifTheGreat

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## itspatti65

20 gallon aquarium???
There is a small gecko in the cage with him. 
Not sure of humidity, temp is 70ish
Use regAttachment 30189ular tap water for misting and soaking
There is a half circle cave thing open both ends wood
There is a branch type thing (real wood) gecko hangs out on that
Crickets is all he is fed
calcium dust on crickets
there is a black light/night light in there and a regular bulb for day/warmth
There is a under tank warmer and the light for warmth
I am pretty sure he ate a few days ago
No poop lately
14.   A pic would be helpful including frog and enclosure (any including cell phone pic is fine)
Not sure of his age, I did get him from a pet store about 6 months ago, he was fine up till about a week ago
frog is rarely handled
kept in bedroom, low traffic area
change water daily, clean entire cage about once every 45 days

_by Lynn(Flybyferns) and GrifTheGreat._

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## Heather

You need to get accurate temperature readings and humidity. You need thermometer and hygrometer gauges inside the tank at about an inch or so above the substrate level (down where they live). This is very important. They need to live within the proper temperature readings and humidity levels or they will become stressed, stop eating, sick, or worse. Take the under tank heater off the bottom of the tank.  They love to burrow and have been know to burrow down and accidently burn themselves. Be super careful when removing it because if any of the heat coils break from inside, it becomes a fire risk and you willl have to discard it. An under tank heater can, however, be used on the side of his tank.  You should have a warm side to the tank and a cooler side for the water bowl. This allows them to regulate their own temps a bit by moving to the side they choose.  You absolutely must dechlorinate all water used for him, including misting water, water bowl, and the water used to moisten substrate.  Take the gecko out.  They should each be in their own homes.  The gecko will stress the frog and could eventually become a nice meal to him.  The gecko can also scratch the frog.  They have different body fluids that can make each other sick. It's not good for either of them to be housed together.  P.S. Your geckos water should be given dechlorinated too.  Go to the pacman/ceratophrys care sheet on the very front page of the forum here.  Please come back with any further questions so we may help you.  Good luck!

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GrifTheGreat

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## Colleen/Jerrod

I second everything Heatheranne just stated above. I can not stress enough how important it is to research before you get a pet. Especially frogs.

Read this it will help you and provide much needed info.
Frog Forum - Pacman and Horned Frogs - Ceratophrys - Care and Breeding

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## itspatti65

Thank you both for the advice, will make changes and keep you posted!  Is bottled water dechlorinated?  Were you able to see the picture I attached to other thread?

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## Kitten

I noticed no one else addressed this, but what type of gecko is being housed with him? For safety's sake I would remove it, whatever it is. And I could not see the picture you attached to your last thread...

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## itspatti65

This is my frog and the enclosure.

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## ramp

Gecko must move, does not belong in an aquarium, not enough air circulation.
Please follow advise given above.

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## itspatti65

FYI Gecko is out of frogs house and into his own!  Thanks for advice.

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## Heather

Great! 

I'd take out the moss to avoid him eating it while catching his food. It can cause impaction. Cover the back and two sides of his tank with something dark or a 'background'. It will help him feel secure. Get the temp up around 80 degrees F and the humidity up to 75-80%. you may have to cover at least half to 2/3rds of the screened top with Saran wrap or have a piece of plastic or glass cut (edges smoothed) to cover 2/3rds top. It will help to keep the humidity in. The bark cave is perfect to help him hide. 

I do not think bottled water is dechlorinated unless it is spring water. The easiest thing to do is buy dechlorinating drops in the fish section of a pet store. Even Walmart carries it. I use Stress Coat, but there are plenty to choose from. The bottle tells you how many drops to use. I use and empty gallon water jug to mix up a batch I can use for a couple days for filling up my frogs' water bowl and for misting. It makes chores faster and easier. 

Is he flipping over today?

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## itspatti65

Thanks for the info.  He hasn't flipped over today, he went into his bark cave last night and hasn't come out.  I think he probably feels more secure in there at this point.

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## Heather

Well, that's a good start.

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## MikeIsGreen

I woke up this morning and my pacman "lil bruiser" was on his back, so I flipped him back over. I was extremely worried of course so I got on here and learned it was from stress. I accidentally used tap water forgetting to use the drops. I had just listed the tank before I realized and quickly added drops, waited 15 min and misted more. Would this short misting with tap water a couple days ago cause this? I'm really worried about him so and info would be appreciated. The temp and humidity is good but humidity was at 50 before I used my sprayer.

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## DVirginiana

> I woke up this morning and my pacman "lil bruiser" was on his back, so I flipped him back over. I was extremely worried of course so I got on here and learned it was from stress. I accidentally used tap water forgetting to use the drops. I had just listed the tank before I realized and quickly added drops, waited 15 min and misted more. Would this short misting with tap water a couple days ago cause this? I'm really worried about him so and info would be appreciated. The temp and humidity is good but humidity was at 50 before I used my sprayer.


No, that shouldn't cause him to flip.  However, if you will answer the questions from the Trouble in the Enclosure sticky as well as start your own thread, more people will see this.  Tagging it onto the end of this old thread is kind of confusing.

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## MikeIsGreen

I don't know how to access the "sticky" to answer the questions.

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## Frogger00

Here, I copied them down for you:

1----what 'kind' of frog is it ( what species)
2----please include a photo of the frog 
3----Please include a photo of the frog's current enclosure
4----size of enclosure ( W" x D" x H" )
5----# on inhabitants - ( if there is another frog --- is there a size difference ? )
6----has or was the frog kept with a different species or with any other tank mate 
7----is there a new tank mate----was the new tank mate quarantined 
8----what is the typical humidity level
9----what temperature is maintained
10---what is, specifically, being used to maintain the temperature of the enclosure
11---describe the enclosure lighting ( very specifically)
12---describe enclosure maintenance ( water changes, cleaning etc)
13---what kind of water is used
-----for misting
-----for the frog's soaking dish
-----is de-chlorinator used / what brand
14---material(s) used for substrate - be very specific 
15---enclosure set up:
-----if recent - describe how the enclosure was cleaned
-----plants( live or artificial) if artificial plants are used are they plastic or fabric
-----describe wood, bark , and background materials
16---when is the last time the frog ate
17---have you found poop lately
18---how often is the frog fed
19---what size feeder is given
20---what other feeders are used as treats
21---what is the frog's main food source
22---do feeders roam free in the enclosure or is the frog bowl fed
23---vitamins - what brand and how often
24---calcium - what brand and how often 
25---was the frog without calcium for any period of time
26---approximate age of the frog
27---how long have you owned the frog
28---who cared for the frog before you
29---is the frog wild caught or captive bred
30---how often the frog is handled -- are gloves used ( what kind of gloves) 
31---is the enclosure kept in a high or low traffic area
30---has or was the frog properly quarantined (yes or no)
-----for how long
32---has the frog been treated with any medication:
-----for what
-----name of medication
-----for how long
-----what dose 
-----was medication prescribed by a herp vet




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