How do you guys deal with live plants and feeders in enclosures? I have porthos, ficus, and umbrella plants. My crickets and dubias all seem to find really good hiding places under the pots, near the substrate, in cracks in between the plastic pot and substrate (especially dubias). I go into those places every now and then and find a lot of them hiding which means they are no longer gut-loaded and they will most likely only come out at night when the predator's sleeping.
Feeders hiding in live plants
- Thread starter 44937
- Start date
I think cup feeding dubias is the only option for them. the can hide in the smallest cracks anywhere in the tank.
As far as crickets free-ranging, do you put foods in there to keep them gut-loaded? I am guessing a starving cricket hiding in the enclosure for 2-4 days doesn't provide any gut-loaded nutrients.
As far as crickets free-ranging, do you put foods in there to keep them gut-loaded? I am guessing a starving cricket hiding in the enclosure for 2-4 days doesn't provide any gut-loaded nutrients.
Char333p
Avid Member
Ive actually been planning on putting a small pile of gutload on bottom to deter the crix at night from botherin my cham.. if he misses them that is..
Robyn.lux
Member
That's a good idea. I was doing the same when I was feeding mine cricks (stopped cause they stink and he doesn't eat them). They cricks always went for the gutload over my cham.
Char333p
Avid Member
Nah never witnessed a bite but heard its happened i think? But i just dont even want them walking on him or anything
Jesspete
Avid Member
We keep a layer of screen over our potted plant, makes it easier to fish out the dubias that have fallen down into it. They still find cracks. It's always fun changing out the drainage pan and trying to stop the three or four that have gotten underneath it, from escaping while we dump the mist water.
Brodybreaux25
Chameleon Enthusiast
If you were the cricket would you bite the dragon that’s 100x your size that your locked in a cage with?
Brodybreaux25
Chameleon Enthusiast
I could see if maybe it was a hatchling, I think it mostly over protective parents worrying too much...
Angelwolf
Chameleon Enthusiast
That will mold. I recommend not. Don't forget that the bug itself IS nutritional for the cham. It's just, by gutloading, we are providing "extra" nutrition for our cham. Crickets will munch on the live plants in the cage, which many chams also eat. More to the point, however, if your feeders are so numerous that they aren't being hunted and eaten within a day, you are surely overfeeding. A full grown cham should only be receiving approx. 6 full sized crickets or about 4 full sized dubia, every OTHER day. If your cham is hungry, he will hunt and eat. If he's not, you are over feeding.
Char333p
Avid Member
Oh true, didnt think bout the misting... and my chams only bout 8 months now i believe. But he takes his time hunting. And misses only 1 here an there. Its not an issue with my particular setup
Similar threads
