monster locusts

[lysinlight87]

Today, I tried my guy on medium locusts for the first time and he loved them, but one thing I've learnt not to do if leave some in the cage with him!

I took a peek at him this evening just before his bedtime and he had gone stoney green-grey, so I did my usual thing, "what's wrong with you mr neelix? too hot, too cold, too moist? Are u mad because the cat keeps looking at you?"
I decided to check his thermometer & as I leaned round to take a look, I discovered a great big locust on his back! It reminded me of Alien or something. So I promptly removed all 3 locusts sitting in his cage. I'll only be hand-feeding locusts from now on, they're evil! I had gutloaded them before putting them in, but I guess they liked the taste of Neelix. This happened before when he was on hunger-strike, but I was hoping his new-found apepite would make short work of the free-rangers. Lesson learned!

I want to leave some food free-ranging in his cage because I think it's stimulating for him to hunt them out. Baby crickets don't pose a problem, but I want to get him on the mediums of those too, does anyone have any tips to stop biting? I have a hibiscus plant in the cage that they could munch on.

 

[Finx]

Brown crickets for the win there. And they are nowhere as noisy as black crickets. Black crickets tho can be quite nasty and are nocturnal so can have a nibble on your Cham while asleep. Bigger and more likely to harm your Cham food I never leave in the viv. My Yemen will always do anything to get a locust. Every time I approach his viv with one he'll almost be breaking through the glass to get at it lol.

A tip I was given was to always keep salad mix on the floor of the viv to keep the food fed so they don't look at the Cham for a snack, but i've never had a problem.

 

[justjumpit621]

Dubias would be perfect. They won't nibble on the chameleon!

 

[lysinlight87]

just looked them up, they look like woodlice! I'll see if I can order them in my local pet shop, they're fairly good at stuff like that. Or I'll buy online.

 

[justjumpit621]

just looked them up, they look like woodlice! I'll see if I can order them in my local pet shop, they're fairly good at stuff like that. Or I'll buy online.

Just the nymphs. I know of a few forum members in the UK who have them. I breed them, they are awesome feeders and so easy to take care of!

 

[Finx]

Are dubias roaches similar to lobster roaches? As I find with lobster roaches stay more on the floor and don't climb the viv. So do Dubias climb more?

 

[justjumpit621]

yes they do, they climb all over if it's screen, they will climb on plants if it's glass, they do like to hide under plants though so you have to check them.