Roaches in substrate

[vangarret2000]

If you are gonna feed roaches to your chameleon but it doesn't like eating out of a cup, what do you do to stop the roaches from just getting to the bottom of the tank and burrowing into the substrate?

Also anyone know of lizards that eat bugs but live in a dry environment? That aren't types of geckos or bearded dragons?

 

[ridgebax1]

You can try to hand feed the roaches. My chams never liked roaches, they are not active enough. I don't know how others may feed them. I remember someone made a kind of cup with a stick with that the roaches climbed but could not get out of the cup.

 

[ZiggyStardust]

Best advice is to get rid of the substrate altogether and have nothing at the bottom or just some paper towels. Chameleons can ingest it and it can cause impaction.

 

[Devokid]

If you are gonna feed roaches to your chameleon but it doesn't like eating out of a cup, what do you do to stop the roaches from just getting to the bottom of the tank and burrowing into the substrate?

Also anyone know of lizards that eat bugs but live in a dry environment? That aren't types of geckos or bearded dragons?

Why are you using substrate? The floor should be bare or paper towels. However, I usually feed my roaches with tongs.

 

[vangarret2000]

I use paper towel in my tank. Being as this is the Chameleon forum I was trying to relate the question to people that have chameleons but use the tips for other reptile tanks. I know most people just use towels but there are people that do use substrate in their tank. I don't know why really. Help with humidity I would assume.

 

[ridgebax1]

Whether you use substrate or not, roaches can escape from the screen cages. However those who keep these feeders say that escapees cannot infest a home. I prefer not to take chances and did not use these feeders since my chams did not seem interested in them. There is also some debate about their ability to reproduce in temperate environments. I do keep Dubias but my colony is struggling right now. I use them for the beardie and she is in a glass tank so there are no means of egress for the bugs!

 

[Chiichan]

I use hot glue a cut out piece of screen mesh in my feeder cups. You can see it in the post I just put up literally a minute ago. "Thought I'd Share"

I hand feed my two older veilds crix often, but they also have these containers for supers and dubias to crawl in and around. Works just fine for me.

 

[Ctg]

Luckily my current chameleon cup feeds fine, but my others I was definitely paranoid about dubias getting out or burrowing in my plants soil. I made sure to keep an eye on the when I fed them.