When someone decides to own a pet, it’s size plays a big role in their decision. Some people like larger pets while some prefer the opposite. For animals such as Pacman frogs, which have to be kept in an enclosure, size plays an even greater part in determining whether they are suited for being kept as pets.
So knowing How big does a Pacman frog get would surely give you better insight.
As a newbie Pacman frog-enthusiast, it’s fascinating to find out how big can they get. While frogs grow differently, their sizes are generally quite similar.
In the enclosure, a male Pacman frog grows up to 4’’ in size while a female Pacman frog can become 8’’ in body size. The female frog is always bigger than the male frog in the Pacman species. Multiple factors also trigger the growth of your lovely frog.
Here you will see not only the details of how big these creatures get but also the factors that increase the growth.
How big does a Pacman frog get?
It is important for pet owners to know the maximum size of their pacman frogs if they are housed in a tank or enclosure. A lot of things depend on the size of the tank, including its diet, as well as the size of the tank.
The moment you receive the baby Pacman in your home, their size would be only the ¼ size of their adult size. It will take a bit of time to get settled into the new terrarium & the environment. After they get adapted and comfortable with the tank, you will notice the fast growth of your dear frog.
Adult male Pacman frogs and female frogs are of different sizes:
Male Pacman Frog Size
In their adulthood, a male Pacman frog’s size would be within 2.5’’-4’’. And this can vary from one Pacman sub-species to another one.
Female Pacman Frog Size
Compared to the male Pacman frog, the females are always bigger. And, you will notice in all the subspecies of Pacman frog. These pretty ladies can reach up to 4’’-7’’ in size.
Read More: Do Pacman Frogs Shed?
Variety of Pacman Frog Size
There are many different species of Pacman Frog. And, you will find them in different sizes & weights. They have so many morphs and each are of different sizes.
This table down here will show you the most available pacman frogs in the US:
| Species of Pacman Frog | Adult Pacman Weight | Adult Pacman Size |
| Pacific Horned Frog | Approx. 6 ounce | 1.9- 2.5’’ |
| Caatinga Horned Frog | Approx. 1.1 pound | 4’’ maximum |
| Venezuelan Horned Frog | Approx. 6 ounce | 3’’ maximum |
| Surinam Horned Frog | More than 1 pound | 8’’ maximum |
| Argentine Horned Frog | More than 1 pound | 4.5’’-6.5’’ |
| Cranwell Horned Frog | Approx 1.1 pound | 3.1’’-5.1’’ |
| Brazilian Horned Frog | More than 1 pound | 5’’ maximum |
Factors that impact the size of the Pacman frog
As long as it’s about the growth of a living animal, there has to be some sort of factors that can accelerate or stop the growth. The South American Horned Frog is no exception in this case.
It’s crucial to know the details of factors so that the growth is not hampered and compromised. Let’s explore them below…
1. Genetics
Like any other organism in the universe, genetics play a big role in determining how big a frog will grow. The genes a frog gets from its parents will determine its size. This is another factor that humans can’t control.
When a frog grows up, it will also become big and strong if both of its parents are large and strong. In the reverse scenario, the situation is very different. If a Pacman frog is bred from a couple of frogs that are smaller in stature, the frog itself will never grow to the full maximum length.
2. Diet
The growth of a Pacman frog, or any animal for that matter, largely depends on its feeding habits and the food it’s eating. The better they eat, the bigger and stronger they get.
Feeding Pacman frogs is an especially tricky job. Because not only are these frogs on the larger side when pet frogs are concerned, but they also have a big appetite.
With increasing size, hunger levels increase as well. But owners often can’t gauge that. This causes underfeeding issues. So a lot of the times, they are left hungry and unhappy.
Moreover, these frogs hunt down other small Pacman as well, due to their insatiable hunger. That’s why you shouldn’t house them with other frogs.
As an owner, you have to feed your Pacman frog the best foods that are full of vitamins and minerals to ensure their growth. Also, you have to refrain from feeding them foods that are harmful to them, containing chemicals, unnatural hormones, and excessive amounts of fats.
In terms of staple food, cricket is the best choice for feeding the baby Pacman and adult Pacman. The size of the frog is a big indication of how much cricket they want to eat. A full grown size large Pacman can eat a whole cricket smoothly.
Moreover, they will also love the mealworms, dubia roaches, and cockroaches as their staple food. Check out best food for pacman frogs here, if you don’t know what is good for them.
If you are thinking about how much meal these frogs want per day then again it’s about the size. A healthy adult Pacman eats a lot at a single meal. If your Pacman frog has a size less than 3’’ then provide them 3-4 crickets daily.
A full-grown adult or sub-adult Pacman frog requires a good meal 3-4 times per week. Make sure to properly dust the cricket with vitamins and calcium supplements. If this meal continues, your Pacman will become very big soon.
For proper growth, monthly/weekly treats for your Pacman frog will play a huge impact on their growth.
3. Temperature
Unfortunately, it’s common among frog owners to forget the importance of appropriate temperature for the best growth of Pacman. It’s impossible to have optimum growth without the optimum temperature.
When the Pacman frog spends a long time under the wrong or inappropriate temperature, its body function will slow down. As a result, they can easily fall into a hibernation mood, known as estivation.
During estivation, Pacman won’t eat anything as they will go hide under the substrate. Eventually, the frog will not have any growth for that particular time.
However, the moment they will get the right temperature and humidity which is 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit and 70-80%, they will come out of hibernation.
So, maintaining the perfect temperature leads to a bigger growth of the Pacman growth.
4. Breeding method
Your Pacman frog can become very big in their adult period if its breeding method was flawless. But that’s tough due to the different complications and risks in the breeding process.
Apart from being difficult, the procedure of breeding Pacman frogs is very susceptible to failure. So you have to be extra careful when breeding these animals, as the slightest of mistakes can cause the frogs to die.
Also, when the eggs are hatched, you have to take proper care of the tadpoles to ensure that they reach adulthood without dying.
If any single mistake happens during the breeding process, the tadpoles won’t be able to have the best growth. Tadpole management requires lots of effort and time too.
During this process, if they get enough nutrients and proper care, you can expect a perfect physiological development of your Pacman. And finally a bulky fat big Pacman in their adult life.
5. Stress
Stress is not visible so it’s a bit hard to track it. It can badly impact hormonal function and also neurological function. Both of these can affect the loss of appetite which will lead to problems in digestion and metabolism. When metabolism is affected, the growth limits, and there might be weight loss too.
To reduce the stress, you have to ensure a proper climate inside the frog’s tank. Some owners lack knowledge so they try to handle it with their hands often. It’s an extremely stressful experience for your Pacman frog. Due to their sensitive skin, they don’t feel good at all and can even bite you.
Read More: Would it be wise to hold a pacman frog?
If you keep them with other frogs, they will also feel stressed. These carnivores amphibians are solitary by nature. The presence of another frog will ruin their mood and their stress level will be high.
If you as the owner provide a stress-free environment then wait for the big size of your Pacman frog. It will become big & round in no time.
6. Tank conditions
The conditions inside a Pacman frog tank play a huge part in their growth. These frogs come from wet and humid weather. So, you must maintain the proper humidity inside the tank.
Not only humidity, but temperature also has a hand in the growth of a Pacman frog. You must maintain optimum temperatures inside the tank at all times. If the temperature goes below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, Pacman frogs will go to hibernation. When they are in hibernation, the frogs stop eating, and as a result of which, they stop growing as well.
This is especially harmful to the growth of the baby and juvenile frogs. If they enter hibernation before reaching adulthood, their growth stops. If the babies don’t grow properly, they won’t reach maximum length as adults because of not having enough nutrition.
Another aspect of the tank conditions that is regularly overlooked is the comfort level of the frogs. When the Pacman frogs are stressed out, they stop eating. As a result, their growth stops. Also, being stressed brings about a lot of diseases, which also are a big obstacle in the way of the frogs reaching maximum size.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Pacman frog is the largest?
Among the 8 species of South American Horned Frog, the Surinam Horned Frog is the largest. This aggressive frog can grow up to 8’’ which is pretty massive.
How fast does a Pacman frog grow?
In terms of growth, these mighty eaters can grow quite faster compared to other frogs. With good take care, ample amount of feeding, and a comfortable environment, they can easily reach their full size in just a bit more than 1 year.
If you skip the heavy monthly or weekly treat for your Pacman frog then it can 2–3 years to become full-grown size.
What are the main factors that hamper the growth of the Pacman frog?
There are mainly 5 different factors that heavily hamper the growth of the Pacman frog. These are temperature, humidity, diet & supplement, breeding method, genetics, and stress.
Does more feeding lead to faster growth of the Pacman frog?
Yes, if you feed a small portion of extra food to your Pacman frog then it will grow a bit faster compared to other Pacman frogs. However, over-feeding can kill your pet so don’t do that. Overfeeding means adding too much supplement which can create an imbalance in health and form disease.
Final words
By nature, the Pacman frog is supposed to get bigger with time. As an exotic pet owner, if you can ensure the factors are not limiting the growth then your frog will become as big as you’ve hoped.
Hopefully, the short & quick article provided you with a satisfying answer to your inquiries about how big a Pacman frog can grow.
