Pacman frogs come from the humid jungles of South America. They thrive in high humidity. Therefore, keeping these amphibians as pets means you maintain the right humidity levels to ensure the comfort and well-being of your Pacman frog.
Maintaining a humid terrarium for your Pacman frog is essential to keep their skin moist, assist with respiratory, and help ensure adequate hydration.
You need to achieve humidity levels of between 50% and 80% to ensure the happiness and well-being of your amphibian pet.
Effective Monitoring Humidity Levels
It’s essential that you accurately and regularly monitor the humidity levels in your Pacman enclosure to ensure that your frog is comfortable and happy.
Analog hygrometers are difficult to read and can be inaccurate. That’s why you want to consider a digital hygrometer, such as the Exo Terra Digital Hygrometer.
This hygrometer is effective in accurately measuring air humidity with single button operation, remote sensor, and minimum and maximum memory.
Another great product to consider to accurately monitor humidity levels is the Govee Thermometer Hygrometer.
It can measure temperature and humidity with a simple smartphone app using blue tooth, with real-time alerts, easy to use LCD display and high accuracy. The device offers up to 260ft remote range, making it easy for you to monitor humidity levels in real-time with ease.
Ways to Increase Humidity Levels
Substrate
It’s essential to use a substrate which is moisture absorbent, helping to boost humidity levels.
Coconut fiber is an excellent choice, such as the Zoo Med Eco Earth Substrate. This substrate can be used effectively for damp tropical terrariums, helping to break down odor and waste.
The Eco Earth from Zoo Med is made using loose coconut fibers, which can be kept damp to help boost humidity levels.
You can dampen the substrate as needed to help you maintain the high humidity levels required by Pacman frogs. The coconut fiber can help to create a good thick layer for your burrowing frog.
This coconut fiber needs to be replaced every month.
In addition to coconut fiber, you may want to add moss to make the terrarium feel as natural as possible for your frog. Of course, moss is excellent for boosting humidity levels.
The Zoo Med Frog Moss offers eighty cubic-inches of moss. This is a living moss that offers a natural finish to your terrarium while increasing humidity levels for your Pacman frog.
A great benefit is that this moss can be washed and reused several times before being replaced. It is 100% natural and can be used on top of your substrate to boost humidity and for decorative purposes.
Related –Best substrate for Pacman frogs.
Terrarium
Your terrarium choice plays a vital role in humidity management. Glass tanks are the preferred choice, which can help to keep high humidity levels to ensure the comfort of your frog.
Related – Choosing the right tank is essential for a Pacman frog. It depends on the age and gender of your Pacman frog. Learn the best terrarium for Pacman frog here.
Cover the Screen Top
The majority of reptile terrariums come with a screen top. The screen top is to boost ventilation, which is essential for your pet to breathe.
At the same time, the screen top can be responsible for losing humidity. Using kitchen foil, you can cover a quarter to half of the screen top to help improve the humidity inside the terrarium.
If you don’t like the look of the foil, you can cover the top of the enclosure with Plexiglas, which is lightweight. It can help to improve humidity and can be removed easily for cleaning and maintenance.
Large Water Bowl
The more moisture you add to your terrarium, combined with the right heat can boost humidity levels.
A large water bowl is a great way to give your humidity levels a bit of a boost. Your Pacman frog will enjoy sitting in their water bowl, so a large shallow bowl is ideal to ensure your humidity levels are maintained with confidence and ease.
Frequent Missing
You can use a misting bottle and gently mist the inside of the terrarium now and then. A simple misting, not a soaking, can help give humidity levels a little boost.
Most Pacman frog owners will find themselves misting to help their frogs feel comfortable and happy.
Alternatively, you can consider an automatic misting system, such as the Exo Terra Monsoon Solo.
The Monsoon Solo is a programmable misting unit which offers flexible spray nozzles which enables you to point It in the direction you need. It is very easy to connect and install. Sitting outside the terrarium, you set your optimal humidity settings, setting your misting at programmed intervals.
This is ideal for going away for the weekend or when you are at work all day. The Monsoon Solo offers a 0.4-gallon container. Frequent misting helps with breeding, shedding, and more.
Related – Read our Exo Terra Monsoon solo review.
Add Live Plants
Live plants are an excellent addition to your Pacman frog terrarium to help increase humidity levels.
There are numerous plants which can be planted directly into the substrate that is safe for your amphibian pet. Some safe plants are aloe, ficus, dracaena, pothos, and more.
You can find a list of safe plants for Pacman frogs here.
Humid Hide
Due to your Pacman frog spending the majority of its time buried in the substrate, you can add a half-log hideout, which can act as a humid hide.
A humid hide offers additional humidity and comfort for your amphibian pet. It can be placed directly on the substrate and are natural products.
How to Decrease Humidity Levels
While it’s essential you have a good understanding on how to improve humidity levels, you will also want to know what you can do to reduce humidity. You don’t want your humidity levels to exceed 80%.
The first thing you can try is to remove the water dish. Removing the large dish and replacing it with a smaller dish can help you reduce humidity levels.
Another idea is to remove the Plexiglas or foil you have placed over the screen top to boost ventilation and reduce humidity.
If you have chosen to cover half the top with foil, consider only covering a quarter of the top or no covering at all to increase ventilation throughout the enclosure and thereby lowering your humidity levels.
In addition to this, you can also consider changing your substrate. If you are using Eco Earth and moss, you can choose to add your eco earth with less moisture to help reduce the humidity levels.
Ensure you monitor your humidity levels regularly to ensure that you can take the relevant steps needed when your Pacman frog tank humidity levels get too high.
Tips for Mold Prevention
Unfortunately, when it comes to a humid enclosure, you are guaranteed to get mold. Mold is not dangerous to your plants or frogs. However, you don’t want to leave it growing and ruining the design and look of your natural habitat.
Change Substrate Regularly
One of the most common ways to prevent mold in your terrarium is to replace your substrate on a regular basis.
Coconut fiber is usually suitable for up to six months. However, if you notice mold growing on the fiber, it’s worthwhile replacing it completely to eliminate the mold growth.
Improve Ventilation
In order to boost your humidity levels in your Pacman frog enclosure, you cover part of your screen top to reduce ventilation within the terrarium.
When you want to reduce humidity levels, you do the opposite and increase ventilation to help lower humidity effectively. The same applies to mold, when you notice mold forming, you can increase ventilation to slow and stop mold growth.
Add Springtails
Springtails are tiny creatures that don’t have wings and they live in damp outdoor areas. You often find them in swarms. They live in decaying straw, wet soil, and rotting leaves where they feed on mold and fungi.
These little creatures are ideal tank caretakers, eating away on the mold while helping to break down uneaten food and more.