BSF Substrate?

[Fiona's Mom]

Just got in a shipment of 500 Black Soldier Fly larvae. It doesn't seem like there is really enough substrate or medium for that amount of larvae. Does anyone have any idea what I can add to give them more space to crawl in?

 

[Crashbandit05]

I use coconut substrate. I'm a huge fan of bsf and bsfl! The larvae are naturally high in calcium and can be gutloaded as well. My panther eagerly eats both stages of development.

 

[Fiona's Mom]

Yes...I know what you mean. I am preparing for a baby veiled...they are great feeders as larvae and great fun as flies for the cham. I have a wine cooler to keep them longer as my baby will be my only cham. Also will be feeding fruit flies, micro super worms and mantis as soon as they hatch (will get crickets after I have him). He is going to be one spoiled boy. Thanks for the info on the substrate...I actually think I have some som.

 

[NickTide]

The coco coir bricks can be purchased rather inexpensively at pet stores in the reptile section under the name of Zoo Med Ecco Earth. I think I get a 3 pack for like $8.

I hear coffee grounds work well for growing BSFL so that should work as well.

 

[Fiona's Mom]

The coco coir bricks can be purchased rather inexpensively at pet stores in the reptile section under the name of Zoo Med Ecco Earth. I think I get a 3 pack for like $8.

I hear coffee grounds work well for growing BSFL so that should work as well.

Thanks Nick...I wasn't sure about coffee grounds...I thought I'd heard that somewhere too. I do have the coco bricks somewhere...getting ready to find them now.

 

[jajeanpierre]

@Fiona's Mom You can add a damp paper towel. Don't forget to feed them. I don't use coffee grounds because I think they eat it. I'm not sure I want my chameleon gut-loaded with caffeine. They don't need a lot of space. If you find them in your compost bin, they will be a huge mass. Don't forget to feed them. Make sure your substrate is quite damp.

 

[Fiona's Mom]

@jajeanpierre what do you feed them...the instructions said they don't need anything?

 

[Fiona's Mom]

I don't have a compost bin...I ordered them online. I wondered about the caffeine too.

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

They will practically eat anything organic. So gutload them well with all chameleon safe gutloads. Look up sandrachameleon here on the forums if you want good info on gutloading!

 

[Fiona's Mom]

They will practically eat anything organic. So gutload them well with all chameleon safe gutloads. Look up sandrachameleon here on the forums if you want good info on gutloading!

Thank you...I know what to gutload everything else...I just was misinformed on BSF. Still learning.

 

[NickTide]

@Fiona's Mom You can add a damp paper towel. Don't forget to feed them. I don't use coffee grounds because I think they eat it. I'm not sure I want my chameleon gut-loaded with caffeine. They don't need a lot of space. If you find them in your compost bin, they will be a huge mass. Don't forget to feed them. Make sure your substrate is quite damp.

good point. the grounds I think are more for culturing them.

 

[Fiona's Mom]

They will practically eat anything organic. So gutload them well with all chameleon safe gutloads. Look up sandrachameleon here on the forums if you want good info on gutloading!

 

[Fiona's Mom]

Thank you...I know how to gutload everything else...I was misinformed on BSF. Guess I'm still learning and that is a good thing.

 

[jajeanpierre]

@jajeanpierre what do you feed them...the instructions said they don't need anything?

When you think about instructions for something like this, look at the motivation of the seller. They want to sell more BSF larvae, not necessarily give you information for the most nutritious BSF larvae. If you are not really careful about how you feed them, you will end up with a really disgusting stinky soupy mess. Compost goop gets on your hands and is incredibly hard to wash the smell off. The producer does not want you to have that stinky mess because you will never buy them again, so they say they don't need to be fed. They will live a long time slowly breaking down their own body in order to survive. The process is called catabolysis and you end up with a feeder insect whose nutritional content is depleted.

They like soft moist foods best. I would never feed them any gutload that is grain based since I want to reduce the chance of aspergillus growth. They so not seem particularly fond of things like kale

 

[Fiona's Mom]

When you think about instructions for something like this, look at the motivation of the seller. They want to sell more BSF larvae, not necessarily give you information for the most nutritious BSF larvae. If you are not really careful about how you feed them, you will end up with a really disgusting stinky soupy mess. Compost goop gets on your hands and is incredibly hard to wash the smell off. The producer does not want you to have that stinky mess because you will never buy them again, so they say they don't need to be fed. They will live a long time slowly breaking down their own body in order to survive. The process is called catabolysis and you end up with a feeder insect whose nutritional content is depleted.

They like soft moist foods best. I would never feed them any gutload that is grain based since I want to reduce the chance of aspergillus growth. They so not seem particularly fond of things like kale

Thank you @jajeanpierre ... I really appreciate this information. Do you think organic fruit or vegetable baby food mixed with some fresh ground raw would be good?

 

[jajeanpierre]

Thank you @jajeanpierre ... I really appreciate this information. Do you think organic fruit or vegetable baby food mixed with some fresh ground raw would be good?

You can use organic if you like. Forget the baby food--it's processed. I've steamed things like sweet potatoes or squash. Just take a slice of whatever veggie/fruit you are eating/preparing and dump it on top. I forgot to mention, not citrus. I suspect any citrus is too acidic for them. They burrow right into their food. They don't like grass or yard leaves.

Remember, they are composters.

For larvae I keep in the house to raise into flies, I put them in containers with small holes and a good seal (they can escape the tiniest crack). I put in about 2" of moistened coco fiber. They like it quite moist. They tend to migrate to the bottom until they are ready to pupate when they will crawl up the sides.

 

[Fiona's Mom]

You can use organic if you like. Forget the baby food--it's processed. I've steamed things like sweet potatoes or squash. Just take a slice of whatever veggie/fruit you are eating/preparing and dump it on top. I forgot to mention, not citrus. I suspect any citrus is too acidic for them. They burrow right into their food. They don't like grass or yard leaves.

Remember, they are composters.

For larvae I keep in the house to raise into flies, I put them in containers with small holes and a good seal (they can escape the tiniest crack). I put in about 2" of moistened coco fiber. They like it quite moist. They tend to migrate to the bottom until they are ready to pupate when they will crawl up the sides.

I just thought organic baby food would have less salt. I don't plan on raising any for reproduction...I will use them as feeders as larvae and flies for the baby I'm getting from Jann. A little out of practice since she has had Fiona since before breeding with Amos.

 

[jamest0o0]

They actually really like oranges, but as mentioned they turn it into a disgusting mess. I take my wet gutload cubes, thaw them and throw it in. Any kind of soft/moist food they'll swarm.