Welcome to the Lighting section of the PacMan Frog Care Sheet. In this section we will discuss the importance of good PacMan frog lighting, and how to supply it with a PacMan frog terrarium. We will also go over the bulbs and fixtures needed to ample lighting. Continue reading to find out more on PacMan frog lighting.
In the Care Sheet introduction, we mentioned PacMan frogs originate from the jungle areas of South America. PacMan frogs are terrestrial amphibians, which means they primarily stay on land. PacMan frogs spend most of their life burrowed into the leaf litter on the jungle floor. Therefore, they rarely ever receive direct sunlight.
This means PacMan frogs do not require high levels of UV radiation, but providing some lighting is recommended. Good lighting helps to prevent Metabolic Bone Disease, and gives the terrarium a naturalistic appearance. If you intend to use live plants within the terrarium, proper lighting is a must for good plant growth.
Let’s go over some of the lighting options available for PacMan frog terrariums.
PacMan Frog Lighting
Although PacMan frogs do not require UV radiation it is still a good idea to use a low output UV bulb. This will help to prevent possible Metabolic Bone Disease, and provides a naturalistic appearance for the terrarium. Let’s go over the items needed to provide that perfect lighting system.
Bulbs
The Exo Terra Natural Light Compact Fluorescent bulb (Amazon.com) is an excellent choice of bulb to use for PacMan frog lighting. The bulb produces a broad lighting spectrum that provides beneficial UVA radiation. The Natural Light bulb supplies an excellent range of light for reptile and human vision. A well landscaped terrarium will have an awesome appearance when using this bulb.
The bulb does produce some heat. The heat produced may be enough to heat the terrarium depending on its size. The 13-watt version of this bulb is plenty for a 10-gallon aquarium, 20-gallon long aquarium (Amazon.com), or a 18″x18″x18″ terrarium (Amazon.com). More than one bulb may be necessary for larger terrariums.
A household compact fluorescent or LED bulb can be used for PacMan frog lighting as well. A 40-watt LED bulb (Amazon.com) would work well, but make sure it is a Natural Daylight color temperature. A LED plant light (Amazon.com) may be needed to supplement the lighting for plants that require full light.
An Exo Terra Night-Glo bulb (Amazon.com) may be used for supplementing nighttime temperatures and viewing the nocturnal activities of the PacMan frog. This is a small bulb which casts a dark blue/purplish glow in the terrarium at night. The bulb is great for adding a bit of nighttime heat. It gives the terrarium a cool look and does not disrupt the frog.
Fixtures
Once you select the bulbs that best fit your needs, use a lighting fixture to house them. There are many options for fixtures to choose from depending on the style of bulb.
There are two popular options for housing LED and compact fluorescent bulbs. A dome dual lamp fixture sits above the terrarium and directs light and heat downward into the terrarium. A hood-style fixture which sits on top of the terrarium and houses the bulbs horizontally.
Either housing option is an excellent choice and depends on your preference. A good choice for a dome dual lamp fixture is the Zoo Med Mini Deep Dome Combo (Amazon.com). It houses two bulbs and is perfect for PacMan frogs. A lamp stand (Amazon.com) is recommended so the lights are not directly on the screen top.
Another option is the Exo Terra Compact Fixture (Amazon.com). It is a hood-style fixture which houses bulbs horizontally, and can house either two or three bulbs depending on the model. This fixture mates perfectly with the Exo Terra brand terrariums.
Light Cycles
Now you have the needed lighting bulbs and a quality fixture to house them. Next, you will need to establish the correct light cycles.
Light cycles are the periods of daylight and periods of nighttime during a day. It is very important to establish consistent light cycles for the PacMan frog. The ideal light cycles are 12 hours of daylight with 12 hours of darkness. This 12 hours on, 12 hours off light cycle best resembles the PacMan frog’s natural environment.
Imagine going through your day never knowing when the sun will rise, nor what time it will set. It would be very frustrating and difficult to set a routine. It is the same for PacMan frogs. Maintaining consistent light cycles helps get you and your PacMan frog into a routine. An inconsistent light cycle can affect the PacMan frog’s appetite, immune system, and overall well-being.
Digital Timers
The best method of establishing light cycles is by placing your lighting system on a digital timer. A correctly programmed timer takes all the guess work out of when to cut daytime lights on, and when to cut nighttime lights off (and vice versa). The lighting system is completely hassle-free using a programmable timer. The timer will maintain the light cycles when you are away from home, or busy tending other parts of life. A good digital timer is a must for any PacMan frog parent.
The Zilla Digital Power Center (Amazon.com) is an excellent option for taking the worry out of your lighting system.
Recommended Lighting Items
Hopefully, you have a better understanding of what’s needed for PacMan frog lighting. Next, let’s go over the heating requirements for a PacMan frog!