Modified Milk Jug feeding cup

Howdy Y'all!

I took a look around for articles and posting on creating a feeding cup and found the one on using a milk jug. I thought it was a great idea so I took it and upgraded it to a little better container.

Hanging in cage Front View:


Hanging in cage Rear View:


Closeup Front:


Closeup Rear:


Closeup Side:


Closeup Hanger:


I used the bottom half of a coat hanger to make the hanging device and I have included images of the bends made to make it work. I love the idea of having screen on the back for the critters to climb to better stimulate feeding as opposed to a deli cup where they all lay in the bottom.

This was my first attempt so I may take the lessons learned and make another better quality one.

Hope this helps out others!

so the screen is actually glued to the inside of the milk jug?

very nice.. i'm trying to put together my feeding strategy,, i like this one!!! lisa

Yes. I used hot glue all the way around to secure the screen. Make sure it is all the way so that the insects cannot get behind the screen.

That may work well for worms esp. Since its hard to make them move around without giving them something to climb on. Ive screen the bottom of my cups but not thought about doing the side like that. Good idea.

This is my favorite way of feeding, just be careful with the little loose wires on the sides of the screen, your cham might get hurt if he shoots and "pins" his tongue with it.

will do. I am probably going to make another now that I have the process down and I will use more caution with the screen and glue. Thanks

chameleoholic said:

This is my favorite way of feeding, just be careful with the little loose wires on the sides of the screen, your cham might get hurt if he shoots and "pins" his tongue with it.

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good point. i'm guessing that if you folded the edges under prior to gluing it that would eliminate that concern...

I never lined the cup we use because I feel like the crickets would climb right out and escape. Then again, I guess Shooter and Sinatra are such pigs and each right away they don't even have a chance to move haha.

lisagr07 said:

good point. i'm guessing that if you folded the edges under prior to gluing it that would eliminate that concern...

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Or put some water resistant tape around it to cover the edges. (like duct tape?)

Mr Wilson said:

I never lined the cup we use because I feel like the crickets would climb right out and escape.

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I thought the same thing, but if you look at the screen placement it is not near the edges and only on the back so they can only climb up. The only time I have seen them escape (in testing) is when I dump them in and they start jumping otherwise they climb up and down. I think jumping away from a wall must not be something they are wired to do.

The other thing this works well for is feeding dubias. I have noticed that in a normal cup they move for a minute or so then just sit there. With the screen they climb up and down like the crickets.

I have not actually fed out of this because it is intended for use in the adult enclosure which Gizmo will not be moved to for another month or two but I have tested with insects to make sure it works the way I want it to.

Or you can use an acrylic or plastic screen to prevent any injuries.

One of mine will not eat from these contraptions. I think he was scared. He'll eat from normal milk jug cut in half though.

Here is the cup in action:





My wife does not like the way it looks in the cage so I made another that she "bedazzled" with artificial plants:

I personally enjoy her bedazzled version better. She must have good taste

I was trying to come up with a good feeding cup for my new outdoor cage. This is going to work perfectly. Thanks for the great idea Mike!

Hmmm...too much work, sharp edges, impractical not a good idea, sorry dude I do not like it.

Eltortu said:

Hmmm...too much work, sharp edges, impractical not a good idea, sorry dude I do not like it.

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The whole idea or just the bedazzling?

nylon screen would eliminate sharp edges. This cant take more than 20 minutes to build

reptoman is correct it only took a few minutes to build it, none of the edges are sharp and in my bedazzled version I have the screen folded under itself . Not sure how it is impractical as it stimulates the feeding much better than a deli cup.

What kind of cup/container did you use? Is this a purchased water mug?

It is a small rubbermaid container that I purchased at Target for $2.49.