Grasshoppers eating my cage plants!

[DonKeesh]

I have been relying heavily on wild caught feeders this summer. I threw in a couple big green grasshoppers into the cage and checked a couple hours later... The grasshoppers were eaten by the cham but had enough time to eat a large portion of my Maranta prayer plant leaves. Anyone else have this issue when feeding grasshoppers?

 

[Mountain Dragon]

u shouldn’t feed wild caught bugs bc some can have parasites and diseases and that can affect ur chameleon I would start ordering feeders or going to a local pet store but If u go to a big chain pet store make sure the bugs look healthy bc a lot of them aren’t

 

[Chameleoking]

I have been relying heavily on wild caught feeders this summer. I threw in a couple big green grasshoppers into the cage and checked a couple hours later... The grasshoppers were eaten by the cham but had enough time to eat a large portion of my Maranta prayer plant leaves. Anyone else have this issue when feeding grasshoppers?

Yes, all the time. At least it was gut loaded. As long as its safe plants it can't hurt. Except for the plant being partially destroyed

 

[Chameleoking]

You do have to be careful on what wild caught bugs you feed. Like green dino says they can have parasites. But my main worry is finding bug that havnt been in a yard that has been sprayed with pesticides. Benn doing it seven yes and havnt had problem yet. Cross my fingers.

 

[DonKeesh]

u shouldn’t feed wild caught bugs bc some can have parasites and diseases and that can affect ur chameleon I would start ordering feeders or going to a local pet store but If u go to a big chain pet store make sure the bugs look healthy bc a lot of them aren’t

I respectfully disagree. If you can provide any evidence that this assertion is true I will agree. Bill Strand relies on wild feeders.

 

[DonKeesh]

You do have to be careful on what wild caught bugs you feed. Like green dino says they can have parasites. But my main worry is finding bug that havnt been in a yard that has been sprayed with pesticides. Benn doing it seven yes and havnt had problem yet. Cross my fingers.

Exactly if anyone has proof wild feeders cause and issue let me know. It's all speculation.

 

[DonKeesh]

I have fed wild feeders since 2001 with zero issues and consistently clean fecal exams. This is another chameleon keeping myth with zero data to back it up.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

I respectfully disagree. If you can provide any evidence that this assertion is true I will agree. Bill Strand relies on wild feeders.

I’ll give some info here’s one and I have many coming

Here’s 1 from an edu website

In the United States, pesticides are used on 900,000 farms and in 70 million households.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

More Than 90 Percent of Americans Have Pesticides In There Yards from a .gov site

 

[Mountain Dragon]

Here’s from a cf

There is potential risk to using wild caught insects. Parasites, pesticides, and one that if often overlooked - the bug may have eaten something good for it but BAD for chamelones (like tomatoe leaves)

 

[DonKeesh]

More Than 90 Percent of Americans Have Pesticides In There Yards from a .gov site

Can you prove that has ever negatively affected a chameleon?

 

[DonKeesh]

Here’s from a cf

There is potential risk to using wild caught insects. Parasites, pesticides, and one that if often overlooked - the bug may have eaten something good for it but BAD for chamelones (like tomatoe leaves)

Why would out fearless leader Bill Strand intentionally install large screen mesh to allow in wild feeders in all his outdoor cages?

 

[DonKeesh]

Here’s from a cf

There is potential risk to using wild caught insects. Parasites, pesticides, and one that if often overlooked - the bug may have eaten something good for it but BAD for chamelones (like tomatoe leaves)

The benefits far outweigh any unproven potential risks.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

Can you prove that has ever negatively affected a chameleon?

Yea I’ll find a source for that but here’s my thought and info

yes it will negatively affect a chameleon if the bug has traveled through a yard (crickets and grasshoppers travel 10 Km an average) that has been sprayed with a pesticide and if the chameleon eats that bug it can cause harm bc it’s chemicals

 

[DonKeesh]

This is where chameleon keepers priorities are way out of line. Worrying about a negligible risk of wild feeders when they have major issues with their husbandry that are not addressed.

 

[DonKeesh]

Yea I’ll find a source for that but here’s my thought and info

yes it will negatively affect a chameleon if the bug has traveled through a yard (crickets and grasshoppers travel 10 Km an average) that has been sprayed with a pesticide and if the chameleon eats that bug it can cause harm bc it’s chemicals

What specifically will happen to the chameleon? What is the specific harm.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

This is where chameleon keepers priorities are way out of line. Worrying about a negligible risk of wild feeders when they have major issues with their husbandry that are not addressed.

It’s not just a risk it’s a percentage 90 PERCENT of homes get spayed with pesticides if it was 40 percent then yea it’s a slight risk but it’s 90 percent. 90 percentage. Btw I’m doing this respectfully it’s kinda hard to tell tone on “text” but I’m doing this kindly

 

[Mountain Dragon]

What specifically will happen to the chameleon? What is the specific harm.

Okay I have three sources here one

Lizards can eat the insecticide, consume insects poisoned with the chemical, drink contaminated water and absorb the insecticide through their skin. If the amount of insecticide the lizard is exposed to is high, it could prove fatal to the reptile.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

Lizards can be killed by insecticides in several ways – by direct and indirect contact with the chemicals. These creatures can: ... Consume poisoned-with-the-chemical insects; Inhale the insecticide.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

At this very high rate, the absorption of a pesticide is more dangerous than swallowing it! Oral exposure may result in serious illness, severe injury, or even death, if a pesticide is swallowed.

This is for humans