Feeder Area

[Trik]

Hello Everyone, first post!

So I've been a herper all my life, and have always wanted a cham. Just graduated and am moving into an apartment with my girlfriend in NYC. So, I'm deciding between a panther or a veiled, and have been doing prep/research in the forum to make sure I have all the amenities taken care of. </bio>

I know the cham itself requires a large enclosure (~2x2x4) which I'm ok with (gf, not so much). I also have realized that unlike some of my other lizards, I'm going to need a couple different food sources. I've also always been a proponent of breeding my feeders, due to the long term savings in time/money. I figure I will go with at least crickets, mainly due to the low cost, and the years I've been feeding them to my pets.

For those unaware of property in a city, space is expensive, so everything is going to be in the one room we have, and is sharing floor space with couches, tables, etc. The cham cage I have been able to negotiate( luckily they are "pretty" display animals haha ) but I see myself having issues with another couple cages and boxes of feeder enclosures. Many of the "good" worm species (horn, silk, etc.) seem relatively fragile, and pupate into flying adults, so need a larger enclosure

So, to make a long post a short question: I want something to feed, in addition to crickets, that I could breed with relative ease and small space. Thanks in advance for the advice.

PS: I got a big NO to dubias. I would also be willing to breed only this mystery feeder, and regularly buy crickets.

 

[camimom]

Silkworms are great staple bugs.

If the gf hates dubias, whcih i get, trust me... tell her that they cant get out of the cage or the breeding tub.

they cant really fly, and they cant climb smooth surfaces.

hornworms are great too.

i breed/ keep

orange head roaches
discoid roaches
dubia roaches
(soon) banana roaches
superworms
bean beetles
crickets
silkworms
hornworms
mealworms

 

[pigglett79]

You can breed many different feeders relatively easily. I breed silk worms, hornworms and dubias as those are what my guys prefer. I have a blog link in my signature that may help you with breeding hornworms. I am planning to write one for silk worms as well. Many of the forum members breed their own feeders to save money. You can also find good deals in the classifieds section of the forum. People also sell breeding paid of dubias there.

 

[SarahcoadunatioZac]

I think dubias are better then crickets. Crickets chirp, smell, jump, bite (chameleons) easily escape because they can climb.

Dubias dont fly, dont smell, cant jump, cant climb, don't make any noise. Just toss in food and add a heat source, free feeders.

 

[Trik]

Thanks for all the info! I might just have to try and win her over with the roaches, they do seem like the best bet...

I do like the idea of the hornworms too. The only issue I've seen with the silkworms is the popular opinion seems to be that they are very hard to breed...

 

[SarahcoadunatioZac]

I'm working on Hornworms myself (still in homework/setup stage) great feeders from what I hear.