Raising Crickets

[fuellass]

If breeding crickets, would it be okay to raise them on dogfood until a few days to a week before feeding them to your chameleon then switch up to the more nutritional gutload?

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

I would say yes, as long as they're gut loaded 3 days or more before being fed to your Cham.

 

[marley patches]

I read on this site that NOT to use dog or cat food , I'm new owner but was told by a member (not new member never to feed crickets with dog or cat food) now I'm confused ????

 

[marley patches]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/food/ here is the help

 

[oneillchameleons]

There is some debate(the stuff that causes about this. Some say it's fine as long as you take them off it and feed fresh veggies a few days to a week before feeding. However there is some new research that suggests that the bad protein and uric acid (the stuff that causes gout) stays in the system for much longer, even up to months. I choose not to raise them on it solely, although my dry gutload recipe does include a tiny amount of organic cat food (barely any, as in a couple teaspoons in a gallon of gutload) which I find helps deter cannibalism.

 

[fuellass]

There is some debate(the stuff that causes about this. Some say it's fine as long as you take them off it and feed fresh veggies a few days to a week before feeding. However there is some new research that suggests that the bad protein and uric acid (the stuff that causes gout) stays in the system for much longer, even up to months. I choose not to raise them on it solely, although my dry gutload recipe does include a tiny amount of organic cat food (barely any, as in a couple teaspoons in a gallon of gutload) which I find helps deter cannibalism.

 

[fuellass]

Thanks for the information

 

[fuellass]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/food/ here is the help

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/food/ here is the help

Thanks

 

[fuellass]

I would say yes, as long as they're gut loaded 3 days or more before being fed to your Cham.

Thanks

 

[chamsarecool]

I use Dumor chick layer mash ground up in a coffee grinder. Works great for all ages of crickets. I breed most of my own crickets.

 

[aqualungs]

Get a nice big bag of kale and some roach chow, or cricket crack etc. We. eat a lot of fruits and veggies in this house, but I actually eat more with these crickets. I snack so do the crickets, or I feed them and I snack. Today was bananas and blackberries for both of us. Otherwise a staple of chow and kale. This is just my schedule and what my thinking is. I cook a lot with fresh ingredients everyday. And for any quality livestock, fruit, or vege whatever and however you upkeep them it transcends to the consumer! I want perfectly healthy, fat, and happy crickets going into my baby boy. I want him to taste the awesomeness of what thaws Crix eat. Have fun with them and Good luck!

 

[aqualungs]

I am also regularly feeding my pups crickets. Whatever Boba doesn't finished the dogs get em!

 

[raven1139]

Switch to dubia roaches, they are much easier to keep and very low maintenance. I would never go back to crickets! They die off like crazy, smell horrible, loud etc etc....

 

[marley patches]

Switch to dubia roaches, they are much easier to keep and very low maintenance. I would never go back to crickets! They die off like crazy, smell horrible, loud etc etc....

I have had my 2 chams fro 7 mths , I can get them to eat anything but crickets so far, I tried different kind of worm the next thing is roaches and try them :>(

 

[aqualungs]

Switch to dubia roaches, they are much easier to keep and very low maintenance. I would never go back to crickets! They die off like crazy, smell horrible, loud etc etc....

I have an open spot on my breeder rack for dubias.. Waiting for my wife to get over the fact they're roaches.

 

[trickedoutbiker]

I have an open spot on my breeder rack for dubias.. Waiting for my wife to get over the fact they're roaches.

That's the problem I have with my girl. She doesn't want a "roach" in the house. What she fails to understand though is that a roach is just like any other insect. She only thinks they are nasty and bad because that's the way people are raised and when someone sees a cockroach, it typically means there is nasty trash or food somewhere that attracted it. But raised in captivity and bred, the roaches eat only what you want them to eat, and therefore, are not the "nasty yucky" roaches one might find crawling around a barn lookin for poo.

ANY insect can be nasty and bad, if it eats nasty and bad. But raising them, that won't (or shouldn't) ever be the case, with ANY insect,

I was thinking about getting some Green Banana Roaches though, the small ones, not the large ones. Thought about using them instead of the Dubia roaches, because the Dubia look like the typical cockroach everyone seems to hate. Instead, I could use the Green Banana Roaches, and tell my girlfriend that they are just yellow beetles. Maybe she won't know the difference! Because I mean c'mon, who has ever really heard of a green roach before they ever got into keeping reptiles? Not me! One day perhaps...

 

[aqualungs]

That's the problem I have with my girl. She doesn't want a "roach" in the house. What she fails to understand though is that a roach is just like any other insect. She only thinks they are nasty and bad because that's the way people are raised and when someone sees a cockroach, it typically means there is nasty trash or food somewhere that attracted it. But raised in captivity and bred, the roaches eat only what you want them to eat, and therefore, are not the "nasty yucky" roaches one might find crawling around a barn lookin for poo.

ANY insect can be nasty and bad, if it eats nasty and bad. But raising them, that won't (or shouldn't) ever be the case, with ANY insect,

I was thinking about getting some Green Banana Roaches though, the small ones, not the large ones. Thought about using them instead of the Dubia roaches, because the Dubia look like the typical cockroach everyone seems to hate. Instead, I could use the Green Banana Roaches, and tell my girlfriend that they are just yellow beetles. Maybe she won't know the difference! Because I mean c'mon, who has ever really heard of a green roach before they ever got into keeping reptiles? Not me! One day perhaps...

I was pondering the same thing! I may do it lol!!!

So far I'm raising crickets, pill bugs, silkworms
Buy Phoenix worms, blue bottle spikes, and green horn worms (occasional treat and hydration)
I need one more in his diet to feel like I'm being a good dad.

 

[aqualungs]

Well a little bird told me to be honest and always be honest to your wife. So I told her what they were and how good they would be for Boba. Her reply,"Wait are those the bright green cute ones?" So I'm ordering some.

 

[trickedoutbiker]

Her reply,"Wait are those the bright green cute ones?"

So if I can get my girl to tell me they are cute, we good.

I recently started chatting with someone on this site that just moved to my area last year, and actually lives about 5 or 10 minutes tops from my place. We've talked back and forth, and he said he is going to be breeding Dubia roaches soon because he has a lot of reptiles. So, All I'd have to do is go to HIS place here and there, pick up some roaches, bring em home, and feed em off right away. They'd never be in the house for more than a few minutes before they are gobbled up because they are not going into a bin, so there's really no risk of escape.....

Nothing to worry about = happy girlfriend

Life is good

 

[kinyonga]

Chamsarecool...does your chick feed have formaldehyde in it?