Can Pacman Frogs Eat Hornworms? Truth Revealed

Round and big-mouthed Pacman frogs are a popular pet species. If you are a parent to one of these frogs, you might wonder what to feed them. Can Pacman frogs eat hornworms? 

Hornworms are the caterpillar stage of adult moths known as sphinx or hawk moths. At this stage, hornworms are great feeder insects. 

They are rich in nutrients and are good for frogs. Pacman or horned frogs can feed on hornworms several times a week and get essential proteins, minerals, and water content from them.

Do Frogs Eat Worms? 

A Pacman frog’s diet includes a wide range of foods, such as rats, lizards, small insects, etc. But when you keep them as pets, worms are some of the best foods you can feed them. 

Horned frogs enjoy eating different types of worms like wax worms, hornworms, red wigglers, and more. Worms are nutritious food items for Pacman frogs. They are packed with proteins, vitamins, and minerals and can supplement their diet quite well. 

Pacman frogs also find it easy to eat worms. The reason is that most worms have soft bodies, are squishy, and don’t have bones like vertebrates. Since there are no bones, your Pacman frog will be able to eat worms easily without choking. 

However, be careful not to feed too many worms to a Pacman frog. It can lead to an excess of certain nutrients which can cause gut problems.  

Do They Eat Hornworms? 

Hornworms are one of the most common types of worms at pet stores, and yes, you can include them in a Pacman frog’s diet. 

You can buy hornworms from pet food stores or online. You can also breed them as feeder insects. Horned frogs, like your pet Pacman frog, enjoy eating hornworms because these worms are packed with moisture and calcium. 

What Size Hornworm Should You Feed a Frog? 

Hornworms grow to be about four inches long, making them one of the biggest caterpillars in the insect world. But when they start out, they are nothing but small green eggs with a diameter of less than ½ inch. 

When you feed a hornworm to a horned frog, the thumb rule is that it should not be wider than the space between the eyes of your frog. The length of the hornworm needs to be about a third of the frog’s body or less.  

If you keep hornworms, it is best to keep each in a separate container. This will help you monitor their growth. 

Moreover, you can gut-load the hornworm by feeding it a commercially available, special diet full of calcium and vitamin D3 about half a day before you feed it to your Pacman frog. 

What Are The Benefits of Hornworms for Frogs 

There are numerous benefits of hornworms as feeder insects for horned frogs, most of which come from their nutritional value.  

• Hornworms have a high moisture content that provides hydration to Pacman frogs. 
• Hornworms are rich in calcium and phosphorus. 
• Fat content is low in hornworms, so if your Pacman frog is obese, they are good food.  
• The bright green color of hornworms is enticing to Pacman frogs that are picky eaters. 

Never Feed Wild Worms to Pet Frogs 

Hornworms in the wild eat plants from the nightshade family, including tomatoes and tobacco. These plants generate toxins, which hornworms process and store in their bodies. These toxins can be harmful to your frog.

Other wild worms often carry diseases that can be passed on to your pet frog. When you keep a Pacman frog in captivity, it’s unlikely that it will have the skills to identify which worm to eat and which to reject. Therefore, they are more prone to ingesting parasites. 

You should also not feed pet frogs dead insects for the same reason. Parasites from wild worms or dead insects can enter the substrate of the frog tank. This will lead to the contamination of the entire ecosystem within the tank.

What Else Do Pacman Frogs Eat? 

Pacman frogs are voracious feeders, and apart from hornworms, you can include a number of other foods, some of which are given below. 

Pinky Mice

Adult Pacman frogs can eat pinky mice. Pinky mice are newborns that do not have a coat and have not opened their eyes. A newborn mouse is also soft and digestible. 

If you are feeding a pinky mouse, make sure it is small enough for your frog to eat it safely. However, some Pacman frogs can consume adult mice as well. 

Wax Worms

Wax worms are common as supplementary food for Pacman frogs. But these worms are rich in fat, so you should only feed them to your horned frog 3 to 4 days a week. 

Dubia Roaches

Dubia roaches have high nutrient content and are easily available. They are also easily digestible. That’s why pet owners use them as a primary food source for domestic Pacman frogs. 

Nightcrawlers

Pacman frogs love nightcrawlers as they are soft, and they can easily snatch them up. You can buy nightcrawlers online or in fish food stores (because they are also good fishing bait). 

Other Foods

But check if the worms have chemical additives before buying. Horned frogs can also eat several aquatic species, including fish. These are good supplements. A Pacman frog might also snack on crickets, bearded dragons, and other lizards. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Pacman frogs eat nightcrawlers? 

Pacman frogs eat nightcrawlers because they don’t have a hard exoskeleton, and they can easily digest them. 

In fact, nightcrawlers are a favorite among many species, including box turtles, aquatic newts, Pacman frogs, and even salamanders. Nightcrawlers usually include earthworms and red wigglers.

Can Pacman frogs eat Dubia roaches? 

Dubia roaches are a staple food for Pacman frogs. They have proteins, essential fats, moisture, as well as an adequate content of fiber and minerals like calcium and phosphorus. 

For smaller or baby frogs, you can use small roaches so that they don’t choke on them.

What is the biggest thing a Pacman frog can eat? 

Pacman frogs have incredibly large and powerful mouths and can eat mammals and reptiles of a certain size. 

One of the biggest things that a Pacman frog can feast on include adult mice. Due to their strong tongue adhesion, these horned frogs can snatch an entire rat and eat it in one go. 

How do I fatten up my Pacman frog? 

If your Pacman frog is underweight, you can add wax worms to its diet. Wax worms contain a high percentage of fats. 

You can also start feeding it fish and mice, which are fatty foods. You can add supplements with beta carotene and other nutrients along with springtails as treats once in a while. 

Wrap Up 

In the wild, especially in parts of South America, Pacman frogs feed on a variety of bugs, lizards, and mammals. 

But in captivity, you need to keep an eye on its diet. We hope this article helps you provide the best nutrition for your pet Pacman frog. Thank you for reading.