Cup feeding crickets/free range the worms!!

[KatCham]

I've decided on both!!

Have been weighing up pros and cons of cup and free range feeding.

As the crickets are only 1/4" and they freak me out, not to mention they could POSSIBLY get out of the enclosure, I will cup feed these as I have devised a routine which means I don't need to touch the little beasts, and they'll hopefully be eaten before they have a chance of escaping.

I've attached a cup holder to the side of the cage and I just hope my lil cham will take to lapping em up out of the cup. Any tips on starting off a youngster would be good. I was thinking of showing him the crix in the cup, then putting the cup in the holder, or should I pick a couple out (with tweezers) first? With any luck he'll get what he's supposed to do and flick out his little tongue when I show him them. It's only coz the crix are so small at the mo, although I am considering using silks as a staple??

As I don't mind the worms (silk, super, wax etc..), I'll free range/hand feed these so cham won't get lazy or have tongue probs. (I don't mind the resulting moths and beetles either,-can they be fed to a 3mo?)

I think I just have issues with many legs!! LOL

Oh, can also get baby locusts from my local reptile shop, so they might be easier to manage than the crix? Or not?

Let me know what you think. I'm interested in everyone's experiences with the bug side of the food list as I just can't bring myself to touch them!! Ewwww

 

[Ta2Smitty]

Start off with the cup lower to the cage so he'll have a better chance seeing them soon he'll realize what the cup means and start running to it. Eventually you can put it in his favorite spot. Also you can use two zip ties for a cup holder

 

[KatCham]

Start off with the cup lower to the cage so he'll have a better chance seeing them soon he'll realize what the cup means and start running to it. Eventually you can put it in his favorite spot. Also you can use two zip ties for a cup holder

Thanks, I have the cup low at the front. As there was little coverage there, I've been and got another fake plant so baby feels secure.

Hopefully crix will last till Tues.... A few skeletons in the tank, I think they're shed skins although a couple look like dead ones. Just gave them some watercress, get them nice and nutricious!!

I'm off to look for a local supplier of all the different feeders.

 

[KatCham]

I'm strongly considering doing without the crickets. They just freak me out!!! They stink and they leave their skins everywhere!!

If I was to feed basically a variety of feeders and use silks as my staple instead of crickets, would that be ok for cham? Could someone please tell me what I would gutload the following on where I have left blank??

Silks (small): mulberry chow
locusts (small): leafy greens
superworms( can you get small ones?):
Waxworms:
Hornworms (again can you get small ones?:

Could you also please advise how many I should feed a 3month old cham please? I want to have everything prepared for when he gets here.

I would still dust all feeders with Komodo Cricket Dust daily and with Nutrobal with D3 once a week.

 

[KatCham]

Yep, after reading this I'm convinced that silks are my staple of choice.

http://www.silkwormstore.co.uk/benefits-of-silkworms.html

I will also feed the other feeders, but crickets are just too creepy. If there's any still alive and kicking on Tues then I'll feed them off but after that it's silkworms!!

I'd still be grateful for reccomended quantities for a 3month old.

Eeeee I'm so excited!!!

 

[cbeal1]

Might i suggest dubia roaches? they dont stink and there easier to take care of than crickets. just a suggestion.

 

[DeviousMike]

I believe 1 small silk is like 2-3 small crickets. You kind of have to do some trial and error. See how many it will eat and take out leftovers. Maybe start with 5 small silkies

 

[bandi]

I wish i could get silkworms around here

 

[KatCham]

Might i suggest dubia roaches? they dont stink and there easier to take care of than crickets. just a suggestion.

I have seen those but didn't know where to get them. Have just found a supplier of every feeder I'll need.. RESULT!!!

They have this fab scheme for my silks

http://www.silkwormstore.co.uk/bred-to-order.html

Have ordered a tub of 40 to be sent every week. Then I can offer the other feeders in between to give variety. First lot of silks won't be here for 1 week apparently so I'm going with their special offer of 3 tubs for £5 as below:

http://www.silkwormstore.co.uk/special-offers.html

Getting dubia roaches, calci worms and morio worms. Have requested small on all of them.

 

[KatCham]

I believe 1 small silk is like 2-3 small crickets. You kind of have to do some trial and error. See how many it will eat and take out leftovers. Maybe start with 5 small silkies

That's what i thought. 5 silkies as they're much plumper than the crix. Thanks for confirming

 

[KatCham]

Well how fab are calci worms????

"Calci-Worms (same species as Phoenix Worms just a different brand name)naturally have 23 to 61 times more calcium than other commonly fed feeder insects! Calci-Worms are ready to serve when you take them home. There's no need to dust or gut load these insects before feeding your pet. Store in a cool place. Warm to room temperature before feeding them off and watch them wriggle once warm!"

 

[DeviousMike]

They are awesome. My chams won't eat them though. But I think I'm in the minority.

 

[Weggus]

Soldier fly Larve AKA Phoenix worms

I raise silks and hornworms as staple feeders and I have raised soldier flys to get the larve. When Caloo was small he ate them as they are very small. When he let some get away they hatched out into the enclosure and he greedily ate them as flys. Easy to handle they can be placed in the enclosure and will hatch in about 1-2 weeks or less i find he may or may not eat them as larve but as flys he can't resist. One stupid fly actually landed on caloo and as expected was it's last flight. LOL

 

[KatCham]

I can't find a supplier of hornworms anywhere.

Nevermind, he has plenty to be going on with for now:

staple: silkworms
variety: dubia roaches, calci worms, superworms, wax worms, locusts,

everything but crickets basically!!

 

[KatCham]

Just had a lovely email from my feeder supplier...the one I'm also getting the weekly order of 40 silkworms from.

He has ensured me my bred to order request is fine...AND.... as I told him cham is coming on Tuesday, he's shipping out 40 pre packed silks tomorrow (Mon) so they'll arrive on Tuesday!!! Then my bred to order silks will follow every week after that. I think that's excellent service!!!!

They sell every feeder I'll ever want for Simba:

Silk worms, butter worms, morio worms, calci worms, wax worms, fruit beetle grubs, locusts, dubia roaches and fruit flies

I know some of these will have to wait till Simba is bigger, but its great to have one supplier for everything.