Calci worms = Soldier flies!!!!!

[KatCham]

I just nearly had a flamin heart attack!!!

I've been away the past week and when I came back, my sis, who kindly house and pet sat for me (and did a fab job of looking after Simba!!) told me of big black grashopper/wasp type insects in the room where Simba is kept.
Reports of flying ants on the radio, so was watching out for them!!

So anyway...I just saw one tonight!! IN SIMBA'S CAGE!!!! I then knew it had to be summat that has hatched in there as no way they could get in?!?!?

Cue Google and there they are....soldier flies...adults from Calci worms which I had suspected had escaped the feeder bowl

So pleased they're not harmless, so anymore that appear can stay in there for Simba's LUNCH!!!!HAHAHAHA!!

Ugly little critters mind!!!

http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/2007/08/19/Paulwhwest/689177.jpg

As I've not been on here a while, will also mention that Simba is doin great. Growing fast and not interested in small feeders it seems so have upgraded his menu to include to medium locusts and morios...which was quite gross when I fed the first time as he proper squished it in his mouth!! CRUNCH!!!! URGGHHHH!!!

Will post some pics of him later on another thread

 

[DavidBuchan]

I'm going to get some calci worms soon, now my local pet shop gets them in.......where do you get yours from, is it local or online?

 

[Whammo72]

Yeah, I think they are awesome! I put the reptiworms in the plants potting soil on purpouse and a week later have great flying food the Chams go NUTS for. MUCH fun!

 

[chameleonoobie]

I have been deliberately pupating Black Soldier Fly larvae (Reptiworms, Nutriworms, Calciworms, etc) and letting the adult flies loose in my big walk in cage. The flies do not have a mouth they live just a few days as an adult to breed and lay eggs. They can not bite, sting or regurgitate anything. As flies go, they are pretty clean and not too annoying. They tend to sit and flap their wings which attracts chameleons attention.

Here’s a picture in my cage that does show an adult soldier fly just below and in front of a chameleon, if you can spot it. Mine love to hunt and eat them.

 

[jdog1027]

 

[KatCham]

I'm going to get some calci worms soon, now my local pet shop gets them in.......where do you get yours from, is it local or online?

Hi,

I get mine from

http://www.silkwormstore.co.uk

I get all feeders from there apart from locusts which I get from my local reptile shop as I use these as a staple.

Although the above site do supply locusts as well.

Hope that helps!

 

[KatCham]

Thanks for the reassurance!!!!

They look ugly and menacing but great to know they can be eaten without causing any harm.

Thanks again

 

[DavidBuchan]

Hi,

I get mine from

http://www.silkworomstore.co.uk

I get all feeders from there apart from locusts which I get from my local reptile shop as I use these as a staple.

Although the above site do supply locusts as well.

Hope that helps!

You spelt it wrong, but I found it, thanks, very helpful - I can get silkworms cheap, my Chams would say thank you if they could

 

[KatCham]

Now edited. Sorry

 

[chameleoman]

hey not about the forum but what do i do if there are fruit flies in my chams cage i just put live plants in his cage and see 1 and i dont want it to get out of control please help me and could you pm me for help thnks alot

 

[chameleonoobie]

Once these grubs get to the last stage before pupating, they stop eating and crawl from the food source. That’s the best way to know they are ready to go dormant. I put five each in these mini deli cups.

Add a little bit of Aspen bedding and snap the lid on, eleven days or so later you will have five adult flies emerge.

I put a couple of these together at a time so I have a fairly steady supply of adult black Soldier Flies. I’m experimenting with these, I’m thinking this could be a good idea if you were going on vacation or something, place these loaded cups in the cage take off the caps, and they will emerge and feed your chameleons for a few days. Like the idea of letting the grubs do this in the potting soil of the plants in the cage, etc.

These are one of my chameleons favorite foods. The flies like to sit in one spot for a long time twitching and flapping their wings. Very attractive to chameleons.

 

[DavidBuchan]

These are one of my chameleons favorite foods. The flies like to sit in one spot for a long time twitching and flapping their wings. Very attractive to chameleons.

Why am I not surprised? I read somewhere that in the wild 70% of the diet is made up of flies/flying insects, but in captivity this end up being too much protein (due to less activity/stress...). Like a nice burger or kebab......
But I guess these would be different depending on gutload, so what do these things eat?
Thanks for all info so far......

 

[DavidBuchan]

hey not about the forum but what do i do if there are fruit flies in my chams cage i just put live plants in his cage and see 1 and i dont want it to get out of control please help me and could you pm me for help thnks alot

Let the Cham eat them? If your Cham is too big for them then take them out.........