Wild food question

[losthere]

I work on an organic farm, and come across many insects but mostly worms "loopers". Would these be a suitable food source in order to diversify his food intake? I dont have a exact species identification other than looper, but they are not hairy, until the are very large, and then it is only a few little hairs on the back end. They are light green and some have a light yellow stripe down the side of the body. They mostly feed on the lettuce, radicchio, broccoli/cauliflower leaves. Is it worth the risk for some free food? Also how about rearing some of the worms and feeding as butterfly or moth?

 

[nightanole]

Its not the diet thats the problem with wild caught food, its the parasites and to some degree the insecticides if they are fliers. Its why people catch wild food and they breed several generations before feeding them.

 

[Texas Panther Man]

Ive fed wc insects for about 15yrs & parasites arent the issue. What ppl dont understand is that captive raised bugs can introduce parasites just like a wc bug can. The real issue is finding a safe collection area & being able to identify what your feeding your cham. I dont feed ANYTHING I cant Id. Its not worth the risk. I mainly feed off hoppers & katydids and the occas mantis for that reason.

 

[Cainschams]

Ive fed wc insects for about 15yrs & parasites arent the issue. What ppl dont understand is that captive raised bugs can introduce parasites just like a wc bug can. The real issue is finding a safe collection area & being able to identify what your feeding your cham. I dont feed ANYTHING I cant Id. Its not worth the risk. I mainly feed off hoppers & katydids and the occas mantis for that reason.

Ditto!!! Im a firm believer in WC insects for feeders. Collect from a safe site and know what you are collecting. I feed them off right away too. Half the reason I use them is to get the contents they have been eating in the wild.

 

[JackP308]

im haven't fed my outside chameleons once this spring -summer. I know he's eating well though and probably the best he has ever ate. I was concerned as he is located right near co-op corn and soy bean commercial fields, that I have watched being sprayed.

 

[Hoj]

Ive fed wc insects for about 15yrs & parasites arent the issue. What ppl dont understand is that captive raised bugs can introduce parasites just like a wc bug can. The real issue is finding a safe collection area & being able to identify what your feeding your cham. I dont feed ANYTHING I cant Id. Its not worth the risk. I mainly feed off hoppers & katydids and the occas mantis for that reason.

Agreed 100%
I often save any wc bug for at least 48hrs, figuring I can gutload them and that most sprays and incecticides would have killed said bug by then

 

[spawn]

Get us a picture off google losthere and we can go here from there.

 

[losthere]

Thanks for all the replies.
I am not really concerned about pesticides, because we are organic, and I am in charge of all the sprays, so I know exactly what and when anything was sprayed. The only thing we use to kill worms is Bt and a chameleon couldnt eat enough to kill him. Bt is pretty inert for anything but worms.
I am pretty good at insect identification as it is also a part of my job, so I doubt I would select anything that is poisonous, but could never be too sure. Is there somewhere I should look for a list of poisonous insects? I will google it right now to see what I can come up with. Any other recommendations on where to look?
Here is a link to a pic of what the worms look like. They are your normal cabbage looper.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r108301011.html

 

[sandrachameleon]

I have fed loopers to my chameleons, including baby chameleons, for YEARS. they are safe. so are leaf rollers.