MatthewGregory
Member
Any alternatives to crickets out there? They are a bit of a pain to deal with since they can escape etc. Please dont mention dubia roaches i have an issue with roaches haha thanks in advance
Cricket alternative
- Thread starter MatthewGregory
- Start date
MatthewGregory
Member
I know they would be great but i cant stand them haha. Would feeding a rotation of superworms, silkworms, and hornworms be fine?
Theveiled
Avid Member
You could also add butterworms, waxworms and black soldier fly larvae.
MatthewGregory
Member
Sounds good. I see silkworms are very healthy which i good. I have a quad and they dont do well with supplements so healthy feeders is key
guanagator
Avid Member
Superworms and silkworms are good. Roaches really are the easiest to keep, breed, and give excellent nutrition. My quads love discoids and redheads, they are also quiet and don't stink. Hornworms are a good treat but not a staple. BSF larvae are good nutrition wise but it takes a ton of them to keep adult quads fed.
trickedoutbiker
Avid Member
I use roaches as my staple feeder and have a huge colony of them. I also keep superworms and use them a couple times a week, as well as the darkling beetles that the superworms turn into. On top of that, everything else is a major variety for me and all depends on what I have on hand at the moment. I use butterworms, crickets, silkworms, silk moths, hornworms, hawk moths, black soldier fly larvae, black soldier flies, house flies, blue bottle flies, and praying mantids.
When it's nice outside and the weather is warm, I also catch and use lots of wild insects such as grasshoppers, locusts, various safe moths, various safe butterflies, various dragonflies, walking sticks, wild praying mantids, katydids, cicadas, and bumblebees (I cut the stingers off of these first before feeding off).
Variety is key to a healthy and long-lived animal so I strive to use anything I possibly can that is non-toxic and has nutritional value. I also gutload every insect that I can as well, as gutloading is another huge factor in health.
When it's nice outside and the weather is warm, I also catch and use lots of wild insects such as grasshoppers, locusts, various safe moths, various safe butterflies, various dragonflies, walking sticks, wild praying mantids, katydids, cicadas, and bumblebees (I cut the stingers off of these first before feeding off).
Variety is key to a healthy and long-lived animal so I strive to use anything I possibly can that is non-toxic and has nutritional value. I also gutload every insect that I can as well, as gutloading is another huge factor in health.
MatthewGregory
Member
Are silkworms seasonal? Everyone seems to be sold out.
Remkon
Chameleon Enthusiast
If kept indoors you can breed silkworms year round...
But I don't think you should only feed sikworms as they are to 'moist'.
I use Gryllus Assimilis as my type of cricket, they don't escape at all here since they are fatter and less agile and almost don't make a sound too!
I have low die off with them so I buy em size 6 in bulk and keep em in a container with eggcrates.
Before I had banded crickets and they are ok too but some escaped and would keep me up at night with their chirping...
But I don't think you should only feed sikworms as they are to 'moist'.
I use Gryllus Assimilis as my type of cricket, they don't escape at all here since they are fatter and less agile and almost don't make a sound too!
I have low die off with them so I buy em size 6 in bulk and keep em in a container with eggcrates.
Before I had banded crickets and they are ok too but some escaped and would keep me up at night with their chirping...
guanagator
Avid Member
Where do you order crickets from?
kelly_girl199
Avid Member
do you breed horns and silks?
Angelwolf
Chameleon Enthusiast
I order crickets from Ghann's. They are one of the site's sponsors.
Remkon
Chameleon Enthusiast
I doubt it would do you any good if I told you since I'm from the Netherlands.
RandellTheCham
Established Member
Grass hoppers are good also.
guanagator
Avid Member
I doubt it would do you any good if I told you since I'm from the Netherlands.
You are correct haha guess I'll stick with banded crickets.
trickedoutbiker
Avid Member
Nope. The only thing I breed is the huge colony of Dubia that I have. I buy superworms in bulk to save money since they are hardy and have a pretty decent lifespan on them. Everything else, I buy as needed. I catch wild insects in the spring, summer, and fall months.
The list of safe butterflies you can use really depends on your geographic location, because not every insect available to me will be available to you and vice versa. A safe list for my area would not include the safe ones that may be in your area.
What I typically do is, when I catch lots of different kinds of insects in the warmer months, I look every single one of them up online to learn everything I can about it before deciding to use it as a feeder or not. After examining and identifying a bug, I then look up what the insect eats at all stages of its life and determine if its natural food sources are safe food sources and if they are toxic or not, because whatever that insect eats, your chameleon is eating too when he chomps on the bug. If that insect feeds on something toxic, then it's generally a safe assumption that the insect's gut and body is full of stuff you don't want to put in your chameleon.
I also examine if the insect itself is known to be toxic in any way due to poison glands, poison barbs, poisonous bites or anything that can make it a poisonous insect at all. You definitely don't want to be putting toxins into your chameleon. Another thing I keep a close eye on is if the insect is a mimic of another insect or not. This is because there are lots of insects in the wild that are non-toxic but they LOOK toxic because they mimic the color patterns of another species that actually is toxic. So I keep a close eye on all markings on an insect when researching to make sure I know EXACTLY 100% what the insect I have is. If there are every any doubts whatsoever, I play it safe and release the insect back into the wild. Better to be safe than sorry.
As for the research, there are lots of different sites you can use to identify insects in your area and there are lots of different sites you can use to identify different plants and such that insects feed on. You would have to do a quick Google search to find some of these sites and see which ones you like best. In my experience, you will have to use more than one site sometimes because some web pages list bugs or plants that other sites don't. There are also some different mobile apps you can use as well if you want to do some quick research while out in the field. Just make sure you know ABSOLUTELY 100% FOR A FACT what kind of insect you have before you EVER decide to feed it to your chameleon.
You'll also want to be very certain that your insect didn't come from an area that might have been sprayed with pesticides, as pesticides on an insect can be lethal to your chameleon. Use your best judgment if you live near farms or fields.
Most of the things I catch, I already know if they are safe or not simply because I have caught them before and looked them up. If I ever see a thread on here where people need help identifying something, I always chime in if I know.
kelly_girl199
Avid Member
What type of bugs have you fed yours. I'm just always afraid of pesticides and I don't live an area that is crawling with insects. I found a roach in my room once and fed it to him...but I wouldn't do it again because there are roach tablets laying around under beds and in closets. I just didn't think that time. I tried catching butterflies but it's hard. And my college sprayed pesticides heavily around here. Btw that timer is marvelous! I like it better. The set up isn't as easy and sometimes it's a little annoying. By I by far prefer less wiring. I hate seeing it out. But I am a very organized neat person. CliMist actually makes them. Everything looks just like mistking. I actually it's ordered an extra nozzle and it's exactly the same quality. Looks the same. Only it's free shipping on there stuff and slightly cheaper.coastal silkworms makes them.Nope. The only thing I breed is the huge colony of Dubia that I have. I buy superworms in bulk to save money since they are hardy and have a pretty decent lifespan on them. Everything else, I buy as needed. I catch wild insects in the spring, summer, and fall months.
The list of safe butterflies you can use really depends on your geographic location, because not every insect available to me will be available to you and vice versa. A safe list for my area would not include the safe ones that may be in your area.
What I typically do is, when I catch lots of different kinds of insects in the warmer months, I look every single one of them up online to learn everything I can about it before deciding to use it as a feeder or not. After examining and identifying a bug, I then look up what the insect eats at all stages of its life and determine if its natural food sources are safe food sources and if they are toxic or not, because whatever that insect eats, your chameleon is eating too when he chomps on the bug. If that insect feeds on something toxic, then it's generally a safe assumption that the insect's gut and body is full of stuff you don't want to put in your chameleon.
I also examine if the insect itself is known to be toxic in any way due to poison glands, poison barbs, poisonous bites or anything that can make it a poisonous insect at all. You definitely don't want to be putting toxins into your chameleon. Another thing I keep a close eye on is if the insect is a mimic of another insect or not. This is because there are lots of insects in the wild that are non-toxic but they LOOK toxic because they mimic the color patterns of another species that actually is toxic. So I keep a close eye on all markings on an insect when researching to make sure I know EXACTLY 100% what the insect I have is. If there are every any doubts whatsoever, I play it safe and release the insect back into the wild. Better to be safe than sorry.
As for the research, there are lots of different sites you can use to identify insects in your area and there are lots of different sites you can use to identify different plants and such that insects feed on. You would have to do a quick Google search to find some of these sites and see which ones you like best. In my experience, you will have to use more than one site sometimes because some web pages list bugs or plants that other sites don't. There are also some different mobile apps you can use as well if you want to do some quick research while out in the field. Just make sure you know ABSOLUTELY 100% FOR A FACT what kind of insect you have before you EVER decide to feed it to your chameleon.
You'll also want to be very certain that your insect didn't come from an area that might have been sprayed with pesticides, as pesticides on an insect can be lethal to your chameleon. Use your best judgment if you live near farms or fields.
Most of the things I catch, I already know if they are safe or not simply because I have caught them before and looked them up. If I ever see a thread on here where people need help identifying something, I always chime in if I know.
kelly_girl199
Avid Member
What type of bugs have you fed yours. I'm just always afraid of pesticides and I don't live an area that is crawling with insects. I found a roach in my room once and fed it to him...but I wouldn't do it again because there are roach tablets laying around under beds and in closets. I just didn't think that time. I tried catching butterflies but it's hard. And my college sprayed pesticides heavily around here. Btw that timer is marvelous! I like it better. The set up isn't as easy and sometimes it's a little annoying. By I by far prefer less wiring. I hate seeing it out. But I am a very organized neat person. CliMist actually makes them. Everything looks just like mistking. I actually it's ordered an extra nozzle and it's exactly the same quality. Looks the same. Only it's free shipping on there stuff and slightly cheaper.coastal silkworms makes them.Nope. The only thing I breed is the huge colony of Dubia that I have. I buy superworms in bulk to save money since they are hardy and have a pretty decent lifespan on them. Everything else, I buy as needed. I catch wild insects in the spring, summer, and fall months.
The list of safe butterflies you can use really depends on your geographic location, because not every insect available to me will be available to you and vice versa. A safe list for my area would not include the safe ones that may be in your area.
What I typically do is, when I catch lots of different kinds of insects in the warmer months, I look every single one of them up online to learn everything I can about it before deciding to use it as a feeder or not. After examining and identifying a bug, I then look up what the insect eats at all stages of its life and determine if its natural food sources are safe food sources and if they are toxic or not, because whatever that insect eats, your chameleon is eating too when he chomps on the bug. If that insect feeds on something toxic, then it's generally a safe assumption that the insect's gut and body is full of stuff you don't want to put in your chameleon.
I also examine if the insect itself is known to be toxic in any way due to poison glands, poison barbs, poisonous bites or anything that can make it a poisonous insect at all. You definitely don't want to be putting toxins into your chameleon. Another thing I keep a close eye on is if the insect is a mimic of another insect or not. This is because there are lots of insects in the wild that are non-toxic but they LOOK toxic because they mimic the color patterns of another species that actually is toxic. So I keep a close eye on all markings on an insect when researching to make sure I know EXACTLY 100% what the insect I have is. If there are every any doubts whatsoever, I play it safe and release the insect back into the wild. Better to be safe than sorry.
As for the research, there are lots of different sites you can use to identify insects in your area and there are lots of different sites you can use to identify different plants and such that insects feed on. You would have to do a quick Google search to find some of these sites and see which ones you like best. In my experience, you will have to use more than one site sometimes because some web pages list bugs or plants that other sites don't. There are also some different mobile apps you can use as well if you want to do some quick research while out in the field. Just make sure you know ABSOLUTELY 100% FOR A FACT what kind of insect you have before you EVER decide to feed it to your chameleon.
You'll also want to be very certain that your insect didn't come from an area that might have been sprayed with pesticides, as pesticides on an insect can be lethal to your chameleon. Use your best judgment if you live near farms or fields.
Most of the things I catch, I already know if they are safe or not simply because I have caught them before and looked them up. If I ever see a thread on here where people need help identifying something, I always chime in if I know.
