Blue Bottle Larvae
- Thread starter xephyr17
- Start date
kplatvoet
Member
mantisplace.com -
It's almost impossible to screw up- the only problem I've ever had is them hatching on the way - in the heatwave last summer- and i just transfered the ones that hatched into another container - gut loading is difficult when they have hatched I put the gut load (i use the "fly food" she sells) in with the pupae and just let them hatch in a 1/2 lb deli container - I put a piece of paper towel in the bottom put the pupae in loose and put in a smaller cup with the food in it. In the winter i sit it on top of the cage a couple of days - I've added water crystals or food by sticking them in the freezer for a min or so and then taking it outside to do the transfer.
There are instructions on the "feeder care page" at mantisplace
It's almost impossible to screw up- the only problem I've ever had is them hatching on the way - in the heatwave last summer- and i just transfered the ones that hatched into another container - gut loading is difficult when they have hatched I put the gut load (i use the "fly food" she sells) in with the pupae and just let them hatch in a 1/2 lb deli container - I put a piece of paper towel in the bottom put the pupae in loose and put in a smaller cup with the food in it. In the winter i sit it on top of the cage a couple of days - I've added water crystals or food by sticking them in the freezer for a min or so and then taking it outside to do the transfer.
There are instructions on the "feeder care page" at mantisplace
xephyr17
New Member
Ha, you're the first person on the forums to get the reference! I liked the name Ender for the cham. If I get another one, I'll probably name him/her either Bean or Victoria... But I'll feel weird breeding them if her name is Victoria, so I might have to rethink that... xD
Psychobunny
Avid Member
I get mine from Grubco.com.
They are always nice and healthy.
I put some into a round flat plastic container with lid while they are still
white maggots. Then they turn black at room temp.
After about a week, they start hatching as flies.
I open the lid, and place a small deli cut of food, which is repashy bug burger mixed with calcium powder and honey.
I have a hole cut into the side of the container, and put a rubber stopper in it.
When all the flies have hatched, I just open the cage door, and pop the stopper off the container to let the flies out into the cage.
You can also put them in a cup, when they turn black, put a hole in the cup, place a lid on it, and stick it in your cham cage.
When they hatch, they will come out the hole and into the cage.
They dont all hatch at once, so if you put 2 or 3 dozzen in the cup, they will hatch over a few days, and there will be fresh flys for your cham every day.
Just remember to put a good lid on it or water from misting and such may get inside the cup.
I have not had good experiences with mantisplace.com, one order I had to wait a few weeks, and all the flies had hatched into the
closed deli cup they were shipped in, and all dead. Another order I never received at all, and no answers to emails.
Grubco is cheaper and more reliable.
They are always nice and healthy.
I put some into a round flat plastic container with lid while they are still
white maggots. Then they turn black at room temp.
After about a week, they start hatching as flies.
I open the lid, and place a small deli cut of food, which is repashy bug burger mixed with calcium powder and honey.
I have a hole cut into the side of the container, and put a rubber stopper in it.
When all the flies have hatched, I just open the cage door, and pop the stopper off the container to let the flies out into the cage.
You can also put them in a cup, when they turn black, put a hole in the cup, place a lid on it, and stick it in your cham cage.
When they hatch, they will come out the hole and into the cage.
They dont all hatch at once, so if you put 2 or 3 dozzen in the cup, they will hatch over a few days, and there will be fresh flys for your cham every day.
Just remember to put a good lid on it or water from misting and such may get inside the cup.
I have not had good experiences with mantisplace.com, one order I had to wait a few weeks, and all the flies had hatched into the
closed deli cup they were shipped in, and all dead. Another order I never received at all, and no answers to emails.
Grubco is cheaper and more reliable.
Last edited:
xephyr17
New Member
Awesome, thanks for that. That's exactly what I needed.
Unfortunately I already ordered them from mantisplace.com, so I'll just hope they come in alright... But I'll check out that other one
Thanks so much for your advice!
xephyr17
New Member
Doesn't that bring about the risk of parasites though?I catch a lot of mine from outside. Just place a piece of meat or fish on the lawn & catch them in an aquarium net. Then transfer them to a container (without them flying away
xephyr17
New Member
Ha yeah there are tons of dragon flies outside so I'm not sure if I want to try it or notPossibly, same as if you free range outside. I know my pathers & yemens eat lots of wild insects when i used to house them outside in the summer. Never had a problem personally... maybe just lucky
Ha yeah there are tons of dragon flies outside so I'm not sure if I want to try it or not
Yeah i know what you mean. I was always paranoid about them eating wasps, even though the wasps warning colours should put the cham off trying them. I kept remembering a video of wild chameleons eating bees.
xephyr17
New Member
Yeah, I mean, they'll eat pretty much any insect they find, so far as I've seen... It's just a matter of what keepers know/think are okay for them...
I figure the only reason anything from outside would be bad for him would pretty much just be because he hasn't got the immune system of a wild chameleon... but I feel like it could be built up.
I'm thinking about feeding him some stuff from outside just to see. There are preying mantids everywhere! But I also don't want him to get some kind of infection or parasite because of my little "test."
I figure the only reason anything from outside would be bad for him would pretty much just be because he hasn't got the immune system of a wild chameleon... but I feel like it could be built up.
I'm thinking about feeding him some stuff from outside just to see. There are preying mantids everywhere! But I also don't want him to get some kind of infection or parasite because of my little "test."
Wow! Wild mantids... How lucky are you? Surprised someone with more knowledge regards feeding wild food hasn't commented? Might be worth speaking to an experienced bug keeper, especially mantids. Just to see if they thought there might be a risk. Personally i think it's a case of if the feeder insect looks healthy then it's worth the risk. I feed quite a lot of wild bugs & (touch wood ) have never had a problem i could put down to feeding wild prey. Obviously i'm a little selective about where i collect the food from. But would have thought that if the prey insect in question, had say, eaten anything poisonous, it wouldn't be alive long anyway?
) have never had a problem i could put down to feeding wild prey. Obviously i'm a little selective about where i collect the food from. But would have thought that if the prey insect in question, had say, eaten anything poisonous, it wouldn't be alive long anyway?
xephyr17
New Member
Wow! Wild mantids... How lucky are you? Surprised someone with more knowledge regards feeding wild food hasn't commented? Might be worth speaking to an experienced bug keeper, especially mantids. Just to see if they thought there might be a risk. Personally i think it's a case of if the feeder insect looks healthy then it's worth the risk. I feed quite a lot of wild bugs & (touch wood
Yeah, I'm kind of hoping someone will jump in at some point, but I'm enjoying going back and forth with you anyhow xD
I know there are some bugs that pretty much only eat poisonous stuff... Like tomato leaves, for instance, are poisonous. And there's like some kind of beetle or caterpillar or something that eats them and then becomes poisonous, but doesn't get killed... And the scary part of that is--I'm growing tomatoes outside. Lol
Maybe I'll be able to find someone who knows about mantids and snails out here in particular. Those are the main things I see, besides rolly pollies
