Spiders?
- Thread starter Annum
- Start date
Ace
Avid Member
If the spiders are not venomous ....and they werre bred not caught in the wild ...cuz wild bugs and spiders could have pesticides on them and can get your cham sick or dead....
I guess its okay...
try superworms, silkworms, hornworms, stick bugs, and dubia roaches....:d:d:d
good luck
I guess its okay...
try superworms, silkworms, hornworms, stick bugs, and dubia roaches....:d:d:d
good luck
Would love to try superworms but was just informed today at the pet store that we can't have them in HI. Not sure as to whether or not that's true, but man it's hard to find other options than crickets and mealworms. But I did manage to get myself on a waiting list for silk worms and grasshoppers.
So, looking to start catching insects from outside. Can't do it in my yard because of pesticides so I'm trying to figure out what I can and can't catch and give to her.
So, looking to start catching insects from outside. Can't do it in my yard because of pesticides so I'm trying to figure out what I can and can't catch and give to her.
Elizadolots
New Member
I know that you can get Phoenix Worms (which are soldier fly larvae) in Hawaii...as an alternate feeder, they might be good.
KingJulien
New Member
We had a pest control guy at the house a few weeks ago, so I thought I'd share what he said about spiders. When it comes to the liquid pesticides normally sprayed on the ground around the inside and outsides of buildings, they work because the insect cleans themselves. Flies, for example, constantly groom themselves, and so they quickly get the pesticide on themselves (and ingest it) and die. Spiders don't really groom themselves, so they can walk around for a long time with the pesticide and still appear normal. This is how we got a black widow wandering around in the garage when all the crickets and other bugs die if they get in.
So, as far as spiders are concerned, I would say they are more risky than other wild caught bugs.
So, as far as spiders are concerned, I would say they are more risky than other wild caught bugs.
Lizardlover
New Member
In the wild jacksonii eat spiders, snails, flies, and slugs quite often. Just make sure you know what species you are feeding and its not venemous.
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
All spiders have venom, just some are worse for us than others. Generally speaking, spiders are not recommended. Using any wild caught bug comes with risks, some of which are fairly easy to mitigate. My thoughts on the subject are in this blog entry: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/213-use-wild-caught-insects.html
You may be able to import butterworms - they are unable to reproduce, so pose no threat to the native environment.
You could breed your own snails (easy to do, but takes awhile), starting from wild stock.
Same goes for terrestrial isopods.
You may be able to import butterworms - they are unable to reproduce, so pose no threat to the native environment.
You could breed your own snails (easy to do, but takes awhile), starting from wild stock.
Same goes for terrestrial isopods.
Cainschams
New Member
Sheesh, why all the spider haters? Some feed WC bugs and some dont. We all have our reasons. If you can get any species of flies those are good feeders or even start culturing them yourself. As for spiders, I feed them with some regularity with no problems. I would not feed highly venomous ones like the brown recluse or black widow but I do know of a thread where someone stated they have fed black widows with no problems to jacksons. I feed wolf, jumping, crab, orb weavers, garden spiders etc etc. Know what you are feeding and you should be fine.
I fed my K. tavetana babies quite a bit of baby wolf spiders this year. They absolutely loved them.
Some feed WC bugs and some dont. We all have our reasons. If you can get any species of flies those are good feeders or even start culturing them yourself. As for spiders, I feed them with some regularity with no problems. I would not feed highly venomous ones like the brown recluse or black widow but I do know of a thread where someone stated they have fed black widows with no problems to jacksons. I feed wolf, jumping, crab, orb weavers, garden spiders etc etc. Know what you are feeding and you should be fine. I fed my K. tavetana babies quite a bit of baby wolf spiders this year. They absolutely loved them.
KingJulien
New Member
Sheesh, why all the spider haters?
I fed my K. tavetana babies quite a bit of baby wolf spiders this year. They absolutely loved them.
There were some good logical reasons presented to demonstrate why spiders can be more of a risk than other feeders.
Obviously, every situation is different and everyone makes their own decision. I know you are being a bit playful with your words but please don't dismiss logical reasons as "hating" because I have seen that some people will use one thread or opinion alone to make a decision and those are exactly the people who need to take caution.
Cainschams
New Member
You are right. There are some people who will just take one opinion to make a decision. This is why I like to reply to threads like these because it is for the majority one sided because of pesticides and parasites. I really dont know if some people base their opinion from experience or if it is just something they saw posted and are just repeating it (the parrot effect). Personally I feel the benefit of feeding WC bugs out weighs the risks. Be smart about where you collect your bugs and what you are feeding off is the main thing. Besides the variety, WC insects can provide nutrition that isnt in our routine gutloading schedule.
Sandras blogs are always great and provide risks and benefits of both sides. Something I see a lot of posts lacking.
BTW, I never said there werent any logical reasons why spiders can be more of a risk than other feeders (even though in my experience I can not agree with this but). As you said, "being playful with my words". I think it was pretty evident and others recognize this.
KingJulien
New Member
You are right. There are some people who will just take one opinion to make a decision. This is why I like to reply to threads like these because it is for the majority one sided because of pesticides and parasites. I really dont know if some people base their opinion from experience or if it is just something they saw posted and are just repeating it (the parrot effect). Personally I feel the benefit of feeding WC bugs out weighs the risks. Be smart about where you collect your bugs and what you are feeding off is the main thing. Besides the variety, WC insects can provide nutrition that isnt in our routine gutloading schedule.
Sandras blogs are always great and provide risks and benefits of both sides. Something I see a lot of posts lacking.
BTW, I never said there werent any logical reasons why spiders can be more of a risk than other feeders (even though in my experience I can not agree with this but). As you said, "being playful with my words". I think it was pretty evident and others recognize this.
I hope they do! Sometimes I read some posts that make me roll my eyes, or I see a cham in bad shape when it was completely preventable.
As you mentioned, it all hinges on one's personal situation. If I gathered spiders around my house, I'd be a fool. I have a pest control spray put down every 3 months. We have way too many black widows here for my taste. Even if a neighbor were to gather spiders for their pets, that would be pretty dumb of them since spiders could have come from my yard.
Of course, if you live in an area where no one nearby uses pesticides, you're in the clear and the only concern you might have is venom. I personally don't know a thing about that, since collecting wild bugs is not a consideration for me.
Many of the heated arguments stem from things that really depend on individual circumstances. I for one am really bored of it. So I try to limit my input to what I do know for my situation, and not give input about what anyone else should do in theirs.
