Bsfl

[Flick boy]

I use slices of mango /papaya skin side up so they have coverage

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

Hi everyone...
BSFL do not have to be fed.
If your medium is stuck to them I would rub it off them prior to feeding.
When they start to pupate they will darken and harden to a black shell.
These then will hatch out as flies and are great feeders as well.
If BSFL are too small then they may come out the exact way they went in or even alive. This happens when the cham does not chew them. If you have this issue you can "pin" them just prior to feeding. And that is exactly how it sounds. Take a sewing pin and stab them. They do not die and keep moving but the hole allows them to break down through digestion if the cham eats them without chewing.

I move them into a clear container... screen on the top of the lid. This way I can see them as they start to pupate. And also see them if they have turned into flies. I then take them when they are hard and black and toss them into pots to hatch out or I put them in a small container in the bottom of my enclosure with a hole in the top so they can fly out.

When I didn't feed mine, they died after a week so I would suggest feeding them, could of been a bad batch I guess but thought it was weird.

 

[Beman]

When I didn't feed mine, they died after a week so I would suggest feeding them, could of been a bad batch I guess but thought it was weird.

Weird mine don't die. lol I do keep them on heat though with my dubia.

 

[Pearl Fields]

Weird mine don't die. lol I do keep them on heat though with my dubia.

i had some got them from thecritterdepot, they were at like 65-70 degrees and didnt die. i had em for awhile too, maybe the source you got them from wasnt good?

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

Weird mine don't die. lol I do keep them on heat though with my dubia.

Oh I just have them at room temp

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

i had some got them from thecritterdepot, they were at like 65-70 degrees and didnt die. i had em for awhile too, maybe the source you got them from wasnt good?

I got them from joshes frogs and after that I didnt have any problems

 

[Joeskier]

The body of the Black soldier fly is actually much smaller then you would expect They are thinner and aren't hard for them to chew up. The nice thing is that they are not a fast fly like the Blue bottle fly. So easier to catch if it escapes your enclosure.

If baby is at least 3 months I would not be concerned at all about feeding off the flies. Most will not respond to the larvae very easily but the flies they know what is what lol.

I have two 4 month old veiled and I fed BSFL today for first time and they didn’t eat them.... so maybe because they didn’t move as much??

 

[Beman]

I have two 4 month old veiled and I fed BSFL today for first time and they didn’t eat them.... so maybe because they didn’t move as much??

Do you have the two veileds in separate enclosures? If they are together this is a big issue and you want to separate them before they hurt each other or stress each other.
IME they eat what they know. So when you add something new it can take time. I always add them in with other feeders so they are grabbing new feeders with ones they know. That works well in getting them to start on another feeder.

 

[Joeskier]

Do you have the two veileds in separate enclosures? If they are together this is a big issue and you want to separate them before they hurt each other or stress each other.
IME they eat what they know. So when you add something new it can take time. I always add them in with other feeders so they are grabbing new feeders with ones they know. That works well in getting them to start on another feeder.

I do have them in separate enclosure and I did add them and they ate them today- thanks ! Love this site so helpful!

 

[Erica1884]

So after a few months of having Cassidy it seems that his feeder of choice are black fly larvae. I have tried silk worms, dubia roaches, horned worms (he would not even touch these lol), and crickets. Out of all of these bsfl and crickets are the most consistent. I have a little feeding cup at the base of his plant for everything but crickets. I have tried leaving Dubai’s and bsfl and will come home to find only the Dubai’s left! Are bsfls okay for the majority of his diet??? @JacksJill

 

[JacksJill]

He used to love dubia nymphs but I hand fed those. I know it a PIA. BSFL are a great feeder and have a great CA/Phos ratio. Mixed with gut loaded crickets, occasionally fed as the adult flies and the occasional mini superworm should give you enough variety. Try the other items when he's older and skip a feeding the day before you introduce something new. Some of mine flip for horns and others just don't see them as food. Smaller prey items are best for introducing new things. So try tiny ones first.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Try the other items when he's older and skip a feeding the day before you introduce something new.

+1 Tastes can definitely change as they mature.