For pet owners, a pet is just not a replaceable creature, they become a part of the family once you bring them home. They’re like your babies. And so, when that pet starts to die, it feels like a part of you is dying too. Out of the hundreds of lives that we can choose as pets- frogs have a very small lifespan.
I’ve experienced the pain of losing a pet and I know it’s one of the worst feelings in the world. This is why it’s important you prepare yourself for it. But how would you know when exactly your Pacman frog gonna die?
There are a number of signs that can be seen, including low appetite, inability to hunt, runny stool, abnormal growth on legs, and so forth. Some other symptoms of a dying Pacman frog are the formation of dry skin cocoons and films over their eyes, abnormal hopping, etc.
To identify whether your Pacman frog is dying or not, read on to learn more about the symptoms of Pacman frog illness.
You should know about the lifespan of your pacman frog as well. Will help to get prepared better.
Signs that indicate a Pacman frog is near its death
If you have a pet, the last thing you want is for it to die of unnatural causes. When they die like that, this is hurt the most. However, how can you tell whether your frog is in trouble? Check out these indicators…
1. Not eating properly
Pacman frogs are extremely voracious eaters. They will eat anything that comes within their striking range and fits in their huge mouths. So, it’s a telltale sign of sickness when a Pacman frog loses its appetite.
Reasons :
- Not proper UVA or UVB lighting prevents vitamin D3 from being produced. Vitamin D3 makes sure the frog has strong bones and proper digestion.
- Increases stress levels for newly captured frogs. If the tank is not fully functional and up to the comfort level of the frog, it can stress the animal out.
2. Abnormal stool
Another major sign that your Pacman frog is in discomfort is when its stool is not quite right. Sometimes a dying frog has runny stool. That means either the diet is not quite right or the frog has been infected with internal parasites. Taking the stool sample to a vet is the best possible way of determining what’s wrong with it.
Another way stool can indicate that the frog is unwell is if the excretion is discolored. In this case, also, take the stool sample to a veterinarian to determine the cause.
Reasons:
- When the diet of the Pacman frog is not right, their stool becomes runny.
- Some internal parasites often cause problems for the frogs. When that happens, the stool also becomes runny.
- If the frog has issues regarding digesting food, its stool will become discolored. This will also happen when the diet has something wrong with it.
3. Inability to catch prey properly
The Pacman frogs don’t eat food that is not alive. So, the ability to latch onto their prey plays a big part in their well-being. When a frog can’t latch onto its prey properly, it will starve not being able to eat. That’s when you will know that something is wrong with your Pacman frog.
Reasons:
- When the jaw of a Pacman frog droops, it makes it unable to catch prey. This happens if the frog is suffering from Metabolic Bone Disease. Due to this disease, the frog’s bone becomes weak and brittle. As a result, they can’t exert enough force through their jaws to catch prey.
4. Formation of dry cocoons on their skin
Sometimes you can see some dry cocoons forming on the skin of your Pacman frogs. These are warning signs that indicate the illness of your frog. These cocoons are formed by the frog to conserve moisture and keep their skin moist. Adequate humidity has to be ensured in the tank when this happens alongside providing fresh water.
Reasons:
- The main reason dry skin cocoons form is when the air inside the tank is too dry. This causes the moisture from the frog’s skin to dry off quickly, leaving it in a dehydrated state. Also, if the water inside the tank isn’t fresh, it can cause the formation of skin cocoons.
5. Formation of film over the frog’s eyes
Another serious warning sign regarding the Pacman frog’s health is the formation of a film over its eyes. This film is opaque. Sometimes both eyes can be covered with it. A vet has to be consulted as soon as the films are noticed.
Reasons:
- The first reason these films can form over a Pacman frog’s eyes is the low humidity in the tank. If the water condition isn’t too great, it can also create these films.
- Another reason for film formation is the high percentage of lipids in the frog’s diet. These films are akin to cataracts, which form on the eyes of humans. If the diet of the frog contains too much fat, it causes these films to cover their eyes.
6. Unnatural growth on limbs
Sometimes you can notice abscesses forming on the legs of your Pacman frog. Usually, these abscesses are not a cause of major concern, but keep an eye out if these cause wounds. In that case, the antiseptic ointment has to be applied as soon as possible, otherwise, the area will become infected. The hind legs suffer the most from these abscesses.
Reason:
- Since Pacman frogs are not very active, they tend to sit in one place for a long time. As a result, these abscesses form. Other reasons include hardened substrates, unclean water, and unhealthy conditions in the tank.
7. Unnatural Jumping
While it’s like frogs to hop and jump around, not every hop or jump is natural. Sometimes the jumps of the frog are erratic and have no rhythm to them. Also, the frog will repeatedly stretch its back legs. Cleaning the substrates regularly and changing the water can get rid of this.
Reason:
- The reason a Pacman frog jumps about erratically and stretched its back legs is due to the toxic out syndrome. Since the frogs absorb moisture through their skin, when the substrate they burrow in or the water is too toxic, they absorb these toxins as well. As a result, their whole body gets poisoned and they die shortly.
8. Being Overweight
Pacman frogs losing appetite is a sign of a dying animal, as is gaining too much weight. This is a little difficult to spot because Pacman frogs are usually chubby. That’s why regular weight checks and blood tests have to be conducted on the frogs. If the frog is obese or has too much fatty content in its blood, its diet has to be checked and insects that have a high percentage of fats, such as wax worms, have to be eliminated from the diet.
Reasons:
- The reason a Pacman frog gets fat is similar to humans: eating too much fat. As Pacman frogs eat anything they can get their mouths around, sometimes they eat insects or worms that are too fatty. Another source of fat is mice or vertebrates.
9. Being Impacted
Being impacted means not excreting at all or having hard lumps in the abdomen. When a frog hasn’t excreted in a long time or is found to have hard lumps in its abdomen, it’s a worrying sign about its health. This is one of the deadliest causes of a Pacman frog’s death.
Reason:
- When the digestive system of a Pacman frog is blocked, it becomes impacted. It loses its appetite as a result and this result in the lack of stool and hard lumps. If the frog swallows something that it can not digest, that’s when impaction happens.
10. The belly and the hind legs’ bottom part become red
The Pacman Frog’s belly and hind legs are not red. So when you see that your Pacman Frog has a red belly or its hind legs have red patches at the bottom, it’s not a good sign. Unless treated as soon as possible, it will lead to their death. Feeding the frogs antibiotics prescribed by a veterinarian is the best way to treat this.
Reason:
- The redness of the stomach and hind legs of a Pacman frog is caused by unhealthy living conditions. If the substrates are too soiled and become contaminated, this causes bacteria to grow inside the tank. These bacteria attack the frog’s liver and cause it to have red belly and back legs.
How to make sure your Pacman frog lives long?
Now you know what causes your Pacman frogs to die. So you need to take some steps to make sure your dear pet lives a long and healthy life. These are the steps you can take to ensure a long life for your Pacman frog:
- Changing the water regularly. If you can change it daily, it is a big plus.
- Make sure that water has no ammonia and nitrite.
- Always keep the substrate clean and fresh.
- Providing the correct diet. The insects or other animals must not be bigger than the frog itself. Also, avoid feeding them animals that have too much fat.
- Since the Pacman Frogs come from humid areas, keeping the tank humid is a must. Also, the temperature of the tank should be moderately high.
- Ensure the food has adequate vitamins and minerals.
- Provide UVA or UVB lighting in the tank so that the frogs can produce vitamin D3. It will also help them to absorb calcium.
Final words
Knowing whether your Pacman frog is dying or not can do you and your pet a lot of favor. The last thing anyone wants is to lose their loved frog because they ignored warning signs. So, keep a close eye on your frog and take the necessary steps if you feel like things aren’t quite right.
