Last update: 2/20/2026

Pac-Man Frogs are fun and colorful amphibians named for their similarity to the classic arcade character in both appearance and eating habit. With big mouths, bigger appetites, and surprisingly easy care needs, Pac-Man Frogs make great first frogs for new keepers. They don’t need much space or fancy equipment to keep healthy and happy, so their setups can be quite affordable. This blog will show you how to get started keeping your very own “mouth with legs.”

What is a Pac-Man Frog?

Pac-Man Frog is the common name of a group of horned frogs in the Ceratophrys genus, native to South America. The most commonly kept species include:

• Ceratophrys cranwelli (Cranwell’s Horned Frog)
• Ceratophrys ornata (Ornate Horned Frog)
• Ceratophrys cornuta (Amazonian Horned Frog)

Pac-Man Frogs are ambush predators who like to post up and let their food find them. When prey crawls by they pounce like sprung traps, catching it with super-sticky tongues and scooping it into their big mouths on the double. They’re opportunistic feeders who will readily eat just about anything that fits in their mouths, making for some very fun feeding sessions. Be sure to use tongs!

Pac-Man Frogs don’t move much or often, preferring instead to dig down and wait, so they don’t need much space to be content. They also don’t care as much as some other frogs about ambient humidity, so long as their substrate is adequately hydrated. The key to keeping a Pac-Man Frog happy and healthy is to provide it with plenty of moist, diggable substrate and a varied diet of nutritious live and prepared foods.

Setting up your first Pac-Man Frog enclosure

Although a fully-grown Pac-Man Frog can measure five inches or more from snout to tail, most of the captive-bred variety will be sold much younger and smaller. At Josh’s Frogs, we offer ours for sale once they’re about as big as a silver dollar. At this size, their space needs are quite modest. A basic setup for a young Pac-Man Frog is simple and inexpensive. Here’s a shopping list with all the supplies you’ll need:

• Tank—A clear plastic container is affordable, easy to clean, and offers good visibility for the pet inside. There are many suitable options, from critter keepers designed for small animals to plastic shoe boxes and storage totes. 5 gallons of space is sufficient for a single juvenile. Choose a container with a sturdy lid to prevent escape, enough depth for 2 to 3 inches of substrate, and enough ventilation to provide airflow without drying out too fast.
• Substrate—A good substrate will be loose enough for digging and hold moisture well enough to keep the frog hydrated. We recommend Josh's Frogs PAC-MAN BioBedding Bioactive Substrate. Even if you aren’t going bioactive, this substrate is your best option because we formulated it specifically for use with Pac-Man Frogs, and if you decide to go bioactive later it will be that much easier. Another good substrate option is Josh’s Frogs Coco Cradle.
• Water dish—Pac-Man Frogs should have access to fresh water at all times. Choose a dish or bowl that’s easy to clean, heavy enough not to tip over when your frog clambers in, and deep enough to let it soak without drowning. We offer a variety of great options in our Food & Water Dishes category. 
• Dechlorinator—Like most amphibians Pac-Man Frogs have highly permeable skin, which makes them very sensitive to the chlorine found in most municipal tap water. Keep your frog safe by dechlorinating all tap water destined for its enclosure. The easiest way to do this is with Josh's Frogs Dechlorinator Tap Water Conditioner. You can also buy spring water or, if you're feeling fancy, invest in a reverse osmosis (RO) filtration system.
• Humidity and Temperature Gauges—In our experience, the most common issues faced by new frog parents stem from basic temperature and humidity issues. Amphibians are especially sensitive to these factors. Sudden changes and prolonged imbalances can be fatal, and they’re easy to miss if you aren’t paying attention. We recommend keeping an eye on them with a good combination gauge.

Want to skip the shopping trip? We offer a Juvenile Pac-Man Frog Complete Habitat Kit with all of these essentials included.

No matter what substrate or bedding you choose, it’s very important for your frog’s health to keep it properly hydrated—damp, but not soaking wet. To find that sweet spot, mix in some water and then squeeze a handful of substrate. If it crumbles through your fingers, it’s too dry. Add more water and repeat. If it drips, it’s too wet. Drain some water or let it dry out, then repeat. If it sticks together in the shape of your hand without much dripping, it’s just right. Always use dechlorinated water to hydrate your substrate.

Crumb the Samurai Pac-Man Frog having a soak in its water bowl. Photo by customer Erin L.

Feeding your Pac-Man Frog

This is the fun part! These frogs are champion eaters with mouths to match their appetites. Once yours has settled into its new home (which might take a few days), it should be ready for a meal. Pac-Man Frogs thrive on diets featuring a variety of live feeders offered two to three times per week. Banded crickets, dubia roaches, and earthworms are all great staple foods. Fattier options like waxworms and butterworms are great occasional treats. Stick to feeders that fit in the space between your frog’s eyes, and dust them with a quality vitamin and mineral supplement for optimal nutrition. There are also shelf-stable dry foods such as preserved insects and Zoo Med Pacman Frog Food that can be offered either in addition or as an alternative to live feeders.

For the safety of both keeper and pet, we strongly recommend feeding your Pac-Man Frog with tongs. Hand feeding is dangerous for several reasons. As sedentary ambush predators, these frogs tend to strike first and ask questions later, if at all. Their bite is surprisingly strong, their strike can be startling, and they have super sticky tongues that can easily adhere to your finger. If you flinch, as most do, you risk hoisting the entire frog—tongue and all!

Maintaining your Pac-Man Frog's enclosure

Keeping your Pac-Man Frog comfortable is easy! The basic regimen involves maintaining a healthy temperature and humidity level, keeping the water dish clean, and spot-cleaning the substrate as needed. Here’s a simple daily checklist:

☐ Check temperature (72–78°F is ideal)

☐ Check humidity (60–70% is ideal)

☐ Remove any poop

☐ Mist & rehydrate substrate if dry (dechlorinated water)

☐ Clean & refill water bowl (dechlorinated water)

Once you’ve mastered the basics of care and maintenance, take your Pac-Man Frog to the next level by going bioactive! Austin shows you how in this YouTube video.

Conclusion

Now you know just how easy it is to keep your very own pet Pac-Man Frog! These colorful critters are a hoot for new and experienced hobbyists alike, but their simple care needs and fun feeding behaviors make for a great introduction to the wonderful world of amphibian keeping. So what are you waiting for? Shop all our Pac-Man Frogs and find the perfect one for you on our Pac-Man Frogs page.