OPINION: Why I don't feed crickets

[Gingero]

I would love to stop feeding crickets, but my Cham won't eat Dubia Roaches. ?

I usually have to trick my panther into eating dubias by putting in 1 superworm and like 15 dubias into his feeder cup. This way there's a high likelihood he'll eat a dubia by accident when he goes for the super. I have a pretty high success rate doing this haha.

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Glad to know I'm not the only one on Team Anti Mr. Jiminy Cricket. Would be cool to get my hands on other types of roaches. As long as they don't fly or climb smooth surfaces, I'd give them a shot.

 

[CK415]

I usually have to trick my panther into eating dubias by putting in 1 superworm and like 15 dubias into his feeder cup. This way there's a high likelihood he'll eat a dubia by accident when he goes for the super. I have a pretty high success rate doing this haha.

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Glad to know I'm not the only one on Team Anti Mr. Jiminy Cricket. Would be cool to get my hands on other types of roaches. As long as they don't fly or climb smooth surfaces, I'd give them a shot.

Lol. I have to try the superworm trick. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Kaizen]

For everyone who has trouble getting their chams on dubia, I have a few tips that worked for me. First, make sure your dubias are warm when you feed them...like 90 degrees. They tend to move a lot more when they’re warm. Second, put a lot in the cup. Three or four dubias will quickly stop moving in a feeder cup, but 20 motor all over for a lot longer. Just let your cham have his fill, then throw the rest back in the bin. Third, feed later in the morning, once the Cham has warmed up. Fourth, feed at the same time every day; this seems to help build that Pavlovian reaction. Within a couple weeks, I’ve found my chams start shooting at their cups immediately regardless of how active the prey is...even before I set the cup down.
Of course, you could certainly try different species, but dubia seem to be what most people have, and are certainly the most popular feeder roach.

 

[Kaizen]

One more thing, and I’ll probably get crucified for saying this, but I don’t worry about feeding later in the day. There is literature that suggests wild chams wake up, bask to get warm, then hunt—all in the morning. Then they retreat to the shade in the afternoon, maybe tag a bug or two, before heading out for an early evening meal when temps are cooler. So, all popular advice to the contrary, Wild chams don’t appear to sweat eating before bedtime.

 

[jamest0o0]

For everyone who has trouble getting their chams on dubia, I have a few tips that worked for me. First, make sure your dubias are warm when you feed them...like 90 degrees. They tend to move a lot more when they’re warm. Second, put a lot in the cup. Three or four dubias will quickly stop moving in a feeder cup, but 20 motor all over for a lot longer. Just let your cham have his fill, then throw the rest back in the bin. Third, feed later in the morning, once the Cham has warmed up. Fourth, feed at the same time every day; this seems to help build that Pavlovian reaction. Within a couple weeks, I’ve found my chams start shooting at their cups immediately regardless of how active the prey is...even before I set the cup down.
Of course, you could certainly try different species, but dubia seem to be what most people have, and are certainly the most popular feeder roach.

Good call, warming up the feeders and letting my cham warm up before feedings has been useful for me feeding the Parsons. Oddly though, he is the one cham I've had that seems to prefer dubia. Doesn't like to cup feed, but I can occasionally trick him with a small bin if he's hungry enough.

 

[jamest0o0]

One more thing, and I’ll probably get crucified for saying this, but I don’t worry about feeding later in the day. There is literature that suggests wild chams wake up, bask to get warm, then hunt—all in the morning. Then they retreat to the shade in the afternoon, maybe tag a bug or two, before heading out for an early evening meal when temps are cooler. So, all popular advice to the contrary, Wild chams don’t appear to sweat eating before bedtime.

Warm late afternoons seems to be the best feeding times for me. I'm with you

 

[Ramrod]

Warm late afternoons seems to be the best feeding times for me. I'm with you

My veiled just does not like to eat early in the day. It's 3-4pm before he is interested in eating anything and its been that way since he was small.

 

[Kaizen]

My veiled just does not like to eat early in the day. It's 3-4pm before he is interested in eating anything and its been that way since he was small.

My veileds will eat whenever, but my panthers are like this. Won’t even shoot at superworms until after noon.

 

[snitz427]

LOL 2 new chams and dubias in the freezer. Bet john is thrilled

He’s been a joy to be around today

My guys dont always like to eat early, either. I free range what i can but cup feed roaches because theyve escaped every feeder Ive tried this far. They seem to prefer slightly smaller dubia than they could otherwise handle - and if feeding adults, they definitely prefer males for some reason.

 

[SauceGandhi]

Hold up, do red runners not smell horrible to you guys? I quit them because the adults have a nasty musk. Also because I woke up to one chewing on my skin lol.

 

[cyberlocc]

Hold up, do red runners not smell horrible to you guys? I quit them because the adults have a nasty musk.

I have never kept them. That's interesting that they smell.

Also because I woke up to one chewing on my skin lol.

Is why I will not and have not tried to keep them. They are native (well introduced?) and will badly infest here in AZ.

 

[Tony_S]

Preach! I'll second the orange head roaches, that's for sure. My chams ignore dubia, but go crazy for orange heads. I've had reasonable success with red runners, too

+3 Ezekiel loves orange heads

 

[Tony_S]

I like red runners, but they freak some people out lol

I liked them, but man they are fast

 

[snitz427]

+3 Ezekiel loves orange heads

Do the Orange Heads fly? James is sending me some, and I don't think they do... but I saw a vid of ActionJackson holding one in tongs and that things wings were flapping like crazy! My guys have been turning their noses up to dubia lately so hoping the like the OHs.

 

[cyberlocc]

Do the Orange Heads fly? James is sending me some, and I don't think they do... but I saw a vid of ActionJackson holding one in tongs and that things wings were flapping like crazy! My guys have been turning their noses up to dubia lately so hoping the like the OHs.

They have wings, I have never seen them fly though.

Only adult males have wings though. They can't climb smooth surfaces either, like Dubia.

 

[Tony_S]

Do the Orange Heads fly? James is sending me some, and I don't think they do... but I saw a vid of ActionJackson holding one in tongs and that things wings were flapping like crazy! My guys have been turning their noses up to dubia lately so hoping the like the OHs.

They don't fly or climb, I think I did read somewhere that if they are up high they can glide down.

 

[jamest0o0]

They have wings, I have never seen them fly though.

Only adult males have wings though. They can't climb smooth surfaces either, like Dubia.

Males and females have wings and look very similar.
@snitz427 Nope they don't fly, but I have often held them by their wings and they flap like crazy.

I haven't even seen them glide and I've fed them for a long time now.

 

[snitz427]

Males and females have wings and look very similar.
@snitz427 Nope they don't fly, but I have often held them by their wings and they flap like crazy.

I haven't even seen them glide and I've fed them for a long time now.

Nice, thank you. I didn't think they did but man do they flap!!! Craig held it by its butt and moved it around on the tongs like it was hovering like a dragonfly. His cham looked pretty excited about it!

 

[JoXie411]

Males and females have wings and look very similar.
@snitz427 Nope they don't fly, but I have often held them by their wings and they flap like crazy.

I haven't even seen them glide and I've fed them for a long time now.

Hmmm if they don’t fly I might need to get some from you.

 

[cyberlocc]

Males and females have wings and look very similar.
@snitz427 Nope they don't fly, but I have often held them by their wings and they flap like crazy.

I haven't even seen them glide and I've fed them for a long time now.

Well shoot. Your right I been sexing these things wrong haha.

I thought the Males had the wings. And the large dark ones were Females those are just final stage nymphs? Good to know.