How long can a baby Pacman Frog go without eating?

[HeatherK]

Hello, it's me again! I'm a new frog owner. I got my baby Pacman at an expo about 6 days ago. When I first brought him home, for the first 4 nights, he ate like a champ. I bought some nightcrawlers, which I then cut into about 4-5 smaller pieces (because they were HUGE) & he'd always eat 2 or 3 good size pieces. I fed those to him with tongs & he didn't seem to mind it. However, as of yesterday night & now tonight, he won't eat them for me... I've tried for half an hour each time, but he just turns away from me like he's not interested. He seems like he's okay. He comes out this time every night, stays until morning, & burrows back down until it's nighttime again & up he goes.

I would like to mention that, as of right now, I do put him in a separate container for feeding, just because I'm terrified of him getting impacted. Could that be stressing him out a bit, or do you think I should switch up his food to something other than nightcrawlers?

I could 100% be overreacting, but I am just terrified that the little guy is starving & I can't stand that thought. Is it normal for him to be going two nights in a row without eating as a baby? What's the normal wait until you should force feed a baby?

Sorry for the load of questions! If you can answer any, it is highly appreciated. My frog & I appreciate your time.

[Bynny Ribbit]

How is he doing right now? Did he start eating for you again yet?

The fact he ate for you the first day after coming home with you is actually very good! It's pretty common for them to refuse food due to stress when changing environments. A few nights isn't too much to worry about. Have you seen a poop from him yet? With how much he's eating, there should be something.

[HeatherK]

Sorry for the delayed update! He is actually eating just fine! He'll only eat a few chunks of earthworm every 1-2 days, but I got in touch with the breeders & they said they fed their babies every other day, so it is normal.

I have not found poop, but a few days ago I did see a large bump on his left side, & it was gone the next day, so I hope that means we're in the clear & just lost in the substrate. Lol!

[hisk]

Tbh I keep young babies on foam so that I can keep better track of their bowel movements. Though honestly once you get an idea of how they look when they're full of poop it's not that hard to tell just by looking.

[KattChaos]

As babies they should only eat every 3 or 4 days. Feeding them every night can kill them.

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[Bynny Ribbit]

As babies they should only eat every 3 or 4 days. Feeding them every night can kill them.

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I'm sorry, but that seems to be very inaccurate information. I have two books about horned frogs that state they should be fed daily or every other day as froglets (which one book considered to be up to 2 inches from vent to snout). This makes sense because this is when they are growing rapidly and need nutrition.

[KattChaos]

I've heard feed them ever 3 or 4 days from multiple breeders of Pacman frogs. Books aren't always the most accurate.

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[DanDrobates]

I agree with bynny on this one. Feeding froglets appropriately sized prey daily is fine. You’re not going to kill them with daily feedings. Power feeding adults however can cause a host of health problems and shorten lifespan. This has been widely reported and documented. Froglets though, need nutrition to develop. Feeding every 3 or 4 days is fine but so is daily. They are not going to eat themselves to death.

Wild froglets are produced during the rainy season because that’s the time when resources are most abundant. Given the species typically large clutch sizes and natural pressures, it’s in a froglet’s best interest to feed as often as possible and reach juvenile stage. Once the froglet stage is passed a stricter schedule is justified.

Also, as far as breeders go, there are only a few farms in the US that supply the majority of cb ceratophrys froglets to distributers for resale. So odds are at expos you’re dealing with a dealer and not a breeder. That individual may have a vast or limited knowledge which is then passed onto buyers. Ultimately, when creating a feeding regiment, a scientific understanding of the species natural history and referencing proven sources is preferable to vague hearsay and blanket statements.