Mold in Dubia cage... Still safe to feed them to the Cham?

[MedicMan1]

Hey y'all. I used some cocoa fiber in my roach box, went to work, and apparently the fiber was still damp, because there was a fine white mold with long strands that looked like hair all over the substrate. I cleaned out the cage, and found that none of the roaches were killed. They're all alive.

I have them isolated in a jar and wanted to check with the experts here and determine whether or not these were still safe to feed to the Cham or if I should euthanize them in the freezer and dump them in the trash, or let them lose under an enemies house or something. Still got about 100 of them.

Thanks!

 

[Peachypink]

I'm not sure about feeding them but I've been keeping dubia for years and I have never used a substrate of any kind. I have egg crates in the bin for them to climb on but that's it, never had a mold issue. Makes them easier to clean out and they can't hide.

 

[MedicMan1]

Lesson learned. I won't be using any substrate from now on either. I was attempting to find a way to deal with all the frass (these things poop like a duck eating applesauce!), but I'll take shaking crap out over dealing with mold any day.

I'm still waiting to hear from someone about how safe it would be to give my Cham any of these roaches after being exposed to mold. I won't wing it. If I don't hear from an experienced herp person, I'm throwing them out. My little guy is too damn important to risk.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Mold can be dangerous, but it's doubtful the consumed the substrate mold. I use substrates to provide cover for nymphs, manage the frass, and provide humidity. I've never had an issue. I've had mold grow on the food I feed the feeders, but in my experience, the roaches are rather picky and won't eat spoiled foods, unless desperate.
You could simply keep the roaches and feed them for a week to give them time to eliminate any mold you fear they have consumed, but I've never disposed of roaches or had chameleons made ill by using feeders that have seen a small amount of mold. Isopods, slugs, snails, and other feeders eat molds and are fed by many keepers. I think the mold has to be specific and grow on certain foods to be toxic.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

I'd let 'em loose in the kitchen of an enemy, or a school hallway.


Or I'd keep them for about a month, if I don't see any issues with them then feed them. I use a thin layer of potting soil in my roach bin with eggcrates. I give them gel cubes for water and keep all the fresh veggies in one corner for ease of cleaning. I also give them cricket crack in a bowl.

 

[MedicMan1]

They were exposed to mold for a maximum of 24 hours (assuming the mold took 24 hours to grow). I was at work for 48 hours and placed the (apparently still damp) substrate the morning that I left for work. I cleaned the cage out and isolated the roaches as soon as I noticed the mold.

Sounds like I will be isolating them for a week or two and watching them before I proceed with feeding. I didn't notice a single roach fatality so I am thinking that we are in the clear. I just want to be sure.

 

[Andee]

I generally manage frass with clean up crews that are good without substrate. I have been using a clean up crew put together by @nick barta . His peanut beetles/lesser mealworm mix has made an amazing job of keeping my dubia container rather dry, low of frass, and helps eat left over foods.

 

[nick barta]

I use the cleaner crews in all 19 Roach colonies I have. Multiply like rabbits....

CHEERS!

Nick

 

[trickedoutbiker]

or let them lose under an enemies house or something.

I'd let 'em loose in the kitchen of an enemy, or a school hallway.

I have a feeling we would all be really great friends...

 

[MedicMan1]

I have a feeling we would all be really great friends...

I concur. It is terrible that I sort of actually considered doing one of these things? I actually considered it.

 

[Virgil1972]

If you don't want to feed them to your cham you could always eat them yourself. They are safe for human consumption.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

I concur. It is terrible that I sort of actually considered doing one of these things? I actually considered it.

Amateur.

I've already done it. Old age and treachery beat youth and enthusiasm everytime.

 

[trickedoutbiker]

It is terrible that I sort of actually considered doing one of these things? I actually considered it.

To be honest I have to. The neighbor that I used to have living below me about half a year ago was always really really loud. Always turn their music up SUPER loud and it was vibrating my apartment. But then they have the audacity to call in repeated noise complaints towards US about something that they thought was a hammering noise coming from our apartment... Guess what that hammering noise was? It was the two dogs going up and down the stairs when we are taking them out to piss a few times a day. Absolutely nothing compared to the super loud music they would play for hours every night, sometimes up till midnight.

They have a barbecue that they love. They were always outside barbecuing all the time in the summer. I've actually thought about putting roaches in their BBQ as a nice little treat for them.

They moved out there about a month or two ago. I never did get around to doing it but I've actually had the thought hahaha. It's amazing how many people will freak out over an insect that I handle everyday.