Got them in the mail today, got some larger than 1/2 inch. Put some key limes in there for hydration and put dog food kibble and kale in there for food. Will the small 1/4 inch-1/2 inch dubia eat the dog food kibble without it being ground up? After I make sure my reptiles will eat them it will be set up for breeding and not feeding as of yet. Will the dog food make them grow quicker for breeding due to the protein? Thanks
Starting a Dubia Colony
- Thread starter Albula
- Start date
browncofan
New Member
No dog or cat food
Remember that everything you feed your feeders you are feeding your Chameleon. Dog and Cat food has a lot of animal protein which is not good for Chams, you do need protein but from non animal sources.
I sugest making or buying a good roach chow or gutload. SandraChameleon has really good blogs with receipes and tons of nutritional information on gutloads for all types of insects.
If you don't want to make your own check out the sponsors for a good commercial gutload. I use one made by MS2 enterprises. It is 100% natural and organic with NO animal products.
Remember that everything you feed your feeders you are feeding your Chameleon. Dog and Cat food has a lot of animal protein which is not good for Chams, you do need protein but from non animal sources.
I sugest making or buying a good roach chow or gutload. SandraChameleon has really good blogs with receipes and tons of nutritional information on gutloads for all types of insects.
If you don't want to make your own check out the sponsors for a good commercial gutload. I use one made by MS2 enterprises. It is 100% natural and organic with NO animal products.
pssh
Avid Member
Like said above, NO DOG OR CAT FOOD!!! Dog/cat food has a lot of animal protein in it and excessive amounts of animal protein can cause gout in chameleons. Even if you stop feeding the dog food and gutload, the protein doesnt leave the roach for months. Its best to feed them a healthy gutload (you can bulk up a dry gutload with extra oats/wheat bran/similar stuff to make it a little cheaper, then gutload properly a few days before they are fed off.) Think of it like this, if you eat only fast food your whole life, then eat healthy for a week, you are nowhere near as healthy as you would have been if you just ate healthy your whole life.
Grated up some fresh carrots and broccoli and put in their bin. I ate roasted carrots, steamed broccoli & cauliflower w/cheese and salmon on the grill for dinner tonight. The dubia I've got are about 1/4"-1/2" in size, how long do you think it will be before I have this bin full of 100 dubia to be reproducing and producing others? Thanks
ridgebax1
Avid Member
Broccoli is a no no too; it is high is oxalic acid which interferes with calcium binding (so does Kale); SandraChameleon's blogs have good info on what to put in your gut load. There are some commercial gut loads available from the forum sponsors. Even a cricket gutload would be better than dog food. But seriously check out those blogs.
Shaunny
Member
7-8 months at least. They take forever to grow and then about a months for the babies to be born. Then you still don't want too feed off straight away
Shaunny
Member
In fact you probably have longer than that. Mine was set up in April this year and I can only just start feeding off some 1/2" ones to my Cham! I started off with 200 females and 40 males.
You can cover the outside of your clear bin with shelf paper found at any grocery store if you dont have a dark place for the bin.
Nick
Nick
