Monarch caterpillar / butterfly as feeder

[ocdirtyjerz]

I have large amount of monarch caterpillars in my area. Thousands! Is it ok for chams to eat these? I have read that the milkweed is acidic. My one male Jackson absolutely loves to eat the flying butterflies. What about the caterpillars? Could someone whose had knowledgeable experience with feeding these give me some assistance please?
Mahalo

 

[Brad Ramsey]

My general and over safe rule has always been:
Moths are okay but steer clear of butterflies.
I have seen video of chameleons eating butterflies in Madagascar, as I am sure they do everywhere else chameleons live, however,
I am overly cautious offering anything that may be toxic so I have no experience feeding monarch butterflies to a chameleon.
My advice would be to avoid the caterpillars too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j-Nvjmiiqg&feature=related

-Brad

 

[ocdirtyjerz]

Ok, Thanks for the advice

 

[dodolah]

I am always under assumption that monarch butterflies and its caterpillars are poisonous.
So, I would avoid feeding those to your chams..

 

[kenya]

I think that monarch butterflies and caterpillars are toxic. You should set up a moth sheet and see what you can get at night- make sure nothing is endangered, though, before feeding it off.

My chams go nuts for moths....the fluttering seems to really get their attention.

 

[Sang]

monarch catapillers feed on milkweed, which is supposedly makes them taste awful/ possibly toxic.

and supposedly this moves on into there adult hood.

 

[kinyonga]

Milkweed has tannins and cardiac glycosides in it which would be transferred to the caterpillars. It can kill a cow and make a bluejay vomit.

Monarchs are somewhat endangered and even though they seem plentiful in some areas, they are in trouble...
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/monarchbutterflies/monarchbutterflies.html

"The population of monarch butterflies is deteriorating rapidly ý down to one-tenth of its peak in 1996 "...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2005/0810-saving_butterflies.htm

 

[ocdirtyjerz]

Sorry to hear about the monarchs perishing. I am on the most isolated place on earth. Please know they are not in any danger hear on the islands.
I'm not going force my chams to feed on these bugs by putting them in the cages. Please update if you find any further info.

 

[kinyonga]

You said your Jackson's ate some of the butterflies...if he didn't get sick from it then it might be okay. I still don't know of any chameleons eating the caterpillars, so I have no answer for that....sorry.

 

[ocdirtyjerz]

They eat the caterpillars if they see them too. No sicknesses. Any vets have opinions?

 

[Orchidartist]

Are you sure they are Monarchs? I dont think Hawaii is part of their natural distribution.

 

[kinyonga]

http://www.hilozoo.com/animals/AI_monarch.htm

 

[ocdirtyjerz]

Are you sure they are Monarchs? I dont think Hawaii is part of their natural distribution.

Yes, they are everywhere this time of year.

 

[Lizardlover]

it could be viceroy, their nontoxic cousin

 

[Syn]

I know I definately would not eat one of those! Haha. They have a natural defense to taste horibble, and they probably are horrible!!

 

[Chase]

Are you sure they are Monarchs? I dont think Hawaii is part of their natural distribution.

Monarchs go south to Mexico and Hawaii for the winter, being it isn't cold like it is where they live for 1/2 the year. Also, one way you can tell they ar either poisonous or they won't taste good is because of their bright colors. Like Kinyonga said, if your jackson didn't get sick, thats good. They can make other things that eat them very very sick.

 

[kenya]

Monarchs go south to Mexico and Hawaii for the winter, being it isn't cold like it is where they live for 1/2 the year. Also, one way you can tell they ar either poisonous or they won't taste good is because of their bright colors. Like Kinyonga said, if your jackson didn't get sick, thats good. They can make other things that eat them very very sick.

That means that the monarchs you have on the islands right now are the same monarchs that are in decline here on the mainland. Probably not good to feed a threatened species of butterfly off, anyway. I still think you would do well collecting moths. Many of them are non toxic and chams love them. I use the little bran moths that sometimes sprout from grain or bird seed. I bet if you ask a local pet shop (or anywhere that has bird seed) to hold wormy returned bags for you, you could easily get a little colony going.