Fun Pacman Frog Facts For Kids

You must have heard about horned buffalo, blackbuck, goat, sheep, antelope, or rhinoceros. But have you ever heard of a horned frog? Hard to believe, but it is true. We shall throw some light on this one-of-a-kind frog species in our content here.

The Pacman frog gets its common name from the arcade character Pacman because of its wide mouth and its ability to eat anything that comes in front of it. This frog is also known as the South American horned frog, as most of them are located in South America. One peculiar feature of this frog is the presence of horns above the eyes, which are not reals horns made of bones, but these are flaps of skin that stick out over the eyes. They spend most of their time burying themselves in the mud or the leaves on the forest floor and waiting for their prey. They eat a lot and are also known to be cannibalistic, and can eat their own kind.

If you feel our Pacman frog content is interesting, please also check our other amazing articles on the poison frog and the bullfrog.

What type of animal is a Pacman frog?

Pacman belongs to the frog species, and its genus is Ceratophrys. There are different types of Pacman frogs like apricot Pacman frog, purple Pacman frog, strawberry Pacman frog, translucent Pacman frog, albino Pacman frog, and more. These are categorized and named as per their skin color and patterns.

What class of animal does a Pacman frog belong to?

Pacman frogs are Amphibians which means they can live both on land as well as in water. It uses its lungs or skin to breathe when on land, and when in water, it uses gills. Its slimy skin and webbed feet allow it to live comfortably in both land and water habitats.

How many Pacman frogs are there in the world?

The exact number of Pacman frogs worldwide is not known. But many believe that their population is decreasing due to various environmental factors, such as climate change and deforestation.

Where does a Pacman frog live?

Pacman frogs live in the dense tropical rainforests, swamplands, and grasslands of Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Colombia, and Venezuela.

What is a Pacman frog's habitat?

The Pacman frogs prefer to live in damp and wet forest floors covered with leaves and other debris. Apart from the rainforests and swamplands of South America, the Pacman frog's habitat also includes places like ponds and freshwater marshes.

Who do Pacman frogs live with?

Pacman frogs are solitary creatures, which means they live on their own. They are such voracious eaters that they will eat any living thing that can fit in its mouth. It can kill and eat its own kind, and hence it marks its territories and lives alone.

How long does a Pacman frog live?

The average Pacman frog's lifespan is about five to eight years when in the wild. But its lifespan can go up to 15 years when they are bred in captivity and with proper care and diet.

How do they reproduce?

Unlike most frog species, the Pacman frog will fertilize its eggs inside the female and reproduce sexually. Once mating is done, the female searches for a suitable moist place to lay its 1500 to 2000 eggs. These eggs hatch in two weeks and tiny tadpoles emerge. These amphibians are highly carnivorous and prey on each other if they get a chance. They grow to become adult frogs and soon reach their sexual maturity in about 24 months.

What is their conservation status?

The Pacman frog has been listed as of Least Concern for now. According to a study carried out by the Herpetological Conservation and Biology Journal, which tracked the Pacman frog population between 2008 to 2017, the researchers found out that the population is decreasing at a steady rate. It is believed to be moving towards the Near Threatened category, and if not taken care of, it can soon become an endangered species.

What do Pacman frogs look like?

The Pacman frog's body is round and squat. They have jaws that are as wide as their heads. They have short legs, because of which they are not good at jumping. They have peculiar patterns on their skin, which come in shades of green, brown, yellow, and red. Another unique feature is the skin extensions over their eyes that look like horns. Males are usually more colorful than females, but the females are bigger than the males. This frog's teeth allow it to hold its predator in position and swallow it whole. They have long, sticky tongues and are nocturnal.

How cute are they?

The Pacman frogs are not cute and cuddly types. But many people prefer to keep them as pets because of the bright Pacman frog colors and skin patterns. These Pacman frogs are easy to maintain and make excellent pets for those who like exotic pet varieties.

How do they communicate?

The Pacman frogs communicate by croaking, grunting, chirping, and sometimes by screaming. The croaking starts after six months of their birth. The male frogs croak for reasons like the abundance of food, mating season, response to any noise, to startle the attackers, or when feeding. The female Pacman frogs are quiet when compared to the males. The male Pacman frogs scream, chirp, or croak to get their partner's attention during the mating season.

How big is a Pacman frog?

The male Pacman horned frogs are about 4 inches in length, whereas the females are about 7 inches in length. The female Pacman frogs are double the size of a common frog.

How fast can a Pacman frog swim?

The Pacman horned frog is a very poor swimmer. They spend time lying around in the damp, swampy mud and leaf litter waiting for their prey.

How much does a Pacman frog weigh?

Adult Pacman horned frogs can weigh around one pound, but sometimes they can reach only half a pound in weight. Females weigh more than males as they are larger.

What are their male and female names of the species?

The male and female species do not have any specific names. They are known as male Pacman frogs and female Pacman frogs. Some popular male names for pet Pacman frogs are Billy, Bob, Bumble, Burt, Buster, Dart, Diego, Homer, Jojo, and Caesar. Some famous female names for Pacman frog pets are Honey, Holly, Dixie, Belle, April, Dot, Xena, and Tickles.

What would you call a baby Pacman frog?

The baby of the Pacman frog is known as a tadpole. This Pacman frog tadpole is highly carnivorous and cannibalistic. These tadpoles grow very fast, and in just a few weeks, they become tiny froglets. These froglets eat gluttonously, and their diet includes various insects, fish, worms, etc. This frog reaches full-grown Pacman frog size in one year or three to four years, depending on its diet.

What do they eat?

The Pacman frog is a voracious eater, and the Pacman frog diet or the Pacman frog food or prey includes insects like crickets, roaches, small reptiles, tadpoles, mice, worms, fish, and anything else that it can feed on. Sometimes they feed on prey that is its own size or kind, due to which they even suffocate. They are nocturnal - they are active at night, and they use their long sticky tongue to catch insects like crickets and roaches. The Pacman frog teeth and jaws are powerful, and it kills and swallows its prey with the help of these teeth and jaws.

Are they poisonous?

The Pacman frogs are the only type of frogs with Maxillary teeth and Vomerine teeth. Their teeth help keep their prey in position and help them swallow it. Pacman frogs are known to bite when they feel threatened or when they are hungry. Its bite is not poisonous, but it can cause discomfort and it is capable of drawing blood.

Would they make a good pet?

Pacman frogs make excellent pets, especially for those who love exotic animals. The Argentine Horned Pacman Frog species is the best choice, especially for novice owners. It lives well in captivity and settles well in its tank/enclosure. It is easy to maintain, and a good gut-loaded feed that is readily available in any pet store would be an ideal diet for its growth and survival. You can get these pets from expos or Pacman frog breeding centers. The common Pacman frog price ranges between $15 to $30. In contrast, some rare species like Teal, Pastel, or Albino can cost between $40 to $80.

Did you know...

Pacman frogs can hibernate without eating throughout the winter to escape the harsh winter weather. They come out of hibernation in warmer springtime when in the wild. They can go without eating or hibernate for up to one month in captivity. Tadpoles below one month should never be allowed to hibernate when in captivity as they may starve to death. When in captivity, the best way to bring out the Pacman frog from hibernation is by increasing the temperature and humidity levels in their terrarium.

Do you want to pet a Pacman frog? Here are few things you need to know before you bring this South American horned frog home. For ideal frog care, make sure the tank you use to house it has enough live plants, leaf litter, and the surface or the material covering the tank's floor is moist but not too wet. Coconut fiber is soft and retains moisture and hence makes an excellent substrate. The humidity levels should be between 70 and 80%, and the temperature of the tank should be 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The Pacman frog's diet should include crickets, earthworms, roaches, etc. Growing frogs need to be fed every day while an adult Pac man frog can be fed every other day. It tends to bite sometimes, so it is better to feed it with tongs. It is important to keep a bowl of water in your enclosure for the Horned frog to drink as well as to splash a little bit without actually drowning.

It is not advisable to touch this horned frog (Pac man) for two reasons. First, they tend to bite and even draw blood with their bite. Secondly, their skin is susceptible and absorbs toxins very easily. Any perfume or lotion on your hands can cause irritation or severe damage to their skin. Always wash your hands before touching the frog, which is vital for frog care.

The Pacman frogs are active at night and prefer to sleep with their eyes open during the day, like most frogs. But during hibernation, they close their eyelids to preserve the moisture in them.

How does a Pacman frog adapt to its habitat?

The Pacman frog's colors and patterns help it to camouflage with the leaf debris on the forest floor, which in turn helps it to hide from its prey as well as its predator. Its slimy skin protects it from decaying or getting infections even if the environment is overly wet. When the environment is dry, cold or it loses its food source, then the adult Pacman frog covers itself in a resilient hard outer skin layer or cacoon-like structure. The frog remains completely still and slows down its metabolism, and this is known as Pacman frog hibernation. Under favorable circumstances, it sheds its outer hard, resilient layer and carries on with the feeding and breeding process.

Can you house Pacman frogs with other animals?

Pacman frogs should never be housed with other animals. They have an insatiable appetite, and they almost eat anything they can fit in their mouth. They are known to be cannibalistic by nature. They eat their own smaller siblings, smaller tadpoles, its eggs and are capable of preying on Pacman frogs their own size. If anybody wants to breed them or keep them as a pet, then it is best to keep them separately for their own safety as well as the safety of other smaller animals.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other amphibians including the African clawed frog and the Surinam toad.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one of our Pacman frog coloring pages.