Roach Feeding ???

[Scrappy]

Okay...I ordered some of those blaptica dubia roaches. Well, besides the fact that most are huge and creepy, what's the best way to get Bubba to eat them? I tried turning a big one loose in the cage after pulling off the big back legs and he wasn't/still isn't interested. Then I've placed 3 small ones in his feed bowl and he's not interested in those either. I'm at a loss. I thought I'd read somewhere on here that even picky eaters love the roaches. He's seems to have cut back on his food intake al the way around. He won't eat super worms, butter worms or wax worms. He likes silkies and crickets....that's about it.

Any suggestions?? I would greatly appreciate it!

 

[Stuey!]

well, i heard from some1 here whos name i cant remember (i asked the same question) that if u starve them for like a day or 2 they should eat anything. i dont like it but im gonna try it to expand his diet

 

[Stuey!]

well i fed stuey 3 crickets this morning so he wouldnt starve, then later i put a waxworm near his basket spot, then i turned out all the lights but his, and hid in the dark outside my room, and after a bit he ate it.

 

[Heika]

Okay...I ordered some of those blaptica dubia roaches. Well, besides the fact that most are huge and creepy, what's the best way to get Bubba to eat them? I tried turning a big one loose in the cage after pulling off the big back legs and he wasn't/still isn't interested. Then I've placed 3 small ones in his feed bowl and he's not interested in those either. I'm at a loss. I thought I'd read somewhere on here that even picky eaters love the roaches. He's seems to have cut back on his food intake al the way around. He won't eat super worms, butter worms or wax worms. He likes silkies and crickets....that's about it.

Any suggestions?? I would greatly appreciate it!

I use blaptica dubias to feed everyone here. Some chameleons just don't like certain bugs. You may want to give him time and see if he will take them at some point in the future. I run the roaches on the screen for the panthers, and they can't seem to resist. I don't break off any legs. They are sorta fast, but not fast enough to outrun a tongue.

The good thing about this insect is that they are really easy to keep. You could hold onto them, allow them to reproduce, and then if there is still no interest from your cham, you could sell the colony. Lots of people out there are looking for mature colonies. How big is Bubba? Is he a full grown panther chameleon? Spencer will occasionally take the adult roaches, but he seems to prefer "teenage" nymphs, about 3/4 the size of the adult roaches. My female gets nymphs that are about half grown. I started Spencer on roaches that weren't any larger than adult crickets.

Heika

 

[Scrappy]

Bubba's a little over a year old now so he's full grown. I've tried different sizes from small ones that are no bigger than a full grown cricket to very large ones and no interest.

I think he's just being a picky little brat. But I will keep trying.

 

[MWheelock]

Roaches

Manga would not/will not eat roaches out of his bowl. He won't do reguardless the size. At first he was reluctant to eat the roaches I put on the branches, but once he got the first big one he was pretty much hooked. I don't know why, but he would only eat the male adults at first, but now he doesn't discriminate.

In the morning before I put in the rest of his food, I put in a roach or two to let him hunt. After he's eatten those (because my staff will not tolerate even the possibility of one escaping-very unlikely) I will put in his bowl of crickets, mealworms and superworms. (He usually picks out what he wants for that day and leaves the rest.)

Don't give up
Matthew

 

[Scrappy]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Mathew. I figure I'll try putting some of the small ones on the screen and see if that makes a difference. I through a few free range crickets in this morning and he went after those immediately....so I know he's hungry. Guess he's being stubborn. I figure if he gets a taste of one then he'll love them, but it's just getting that first taste I guess.

 

[hybrid]

roaches and earwigs are the only bugs that creep me out..............and unfortunately...............my girl wouldnt be very happy with me trying to bring roaches in the house.

Im going to have to be creative and find all kinds of other stuff to use for feeders.

 

[MWheelock]

Creative ideas

Maybe you could dress up the roaches so they didn't look like roaches (tiny top hat and moustaches...)

Or you could just pretend they are giant doodlebugs...

Good luck with your girlfriend,
Matthew

 

[hybrid]

hahahaha

think there are biodegradeable top hats and moustaches? I wonder how my chams would like that kind of thing on some roach? hahahha

 

[Scrappy]

LOL guys....I'm a girl and they extremely gross me out, so I wear a rubber glove when I gotta pick one up

I stuck two small ones on the screen this morning and Bubba puffed out his gular and leaned back like he was afraid of them. Then he turned his back and walked away. Guess we'll keep trying.

 

[Stuey!]

im a guy and i still hate roaches. ew. ima buy some from lllreptile unless any1 has a better place to buy

 

[Scrappy]

I got mine from Mulberry Farms.

 

[hybrid]

LOL guys....I'm a girl and they extremely gross me out, so I wear a rubber glove when I gotta pick one up

I stuck two small ones on the screen this morning and Bubba puffed out his gular and leaned back like he was afraid of them. Then he turned his back and walked away. Guess we'll keep trying.

hahahaha

my little noseybe blue male is like that everytime I walk up to his cage.

Hes stressing me out a bit lately..........Ive not seen him eat anything in a week but to make up for it Ive overloaded his cage with little crickets. He is still alive so I have to assume he is eating something.

Ive gotten a bit worried enough that I may move him to a smaller cage for a month or two.

 

[MWheelock]

Here's a site to help with insect suppliers.

http://www.feederfinder.net/

I like Blaberus for my roaches.

Talk to y'all later,
Matthew