feeding flies

[Ta2Smitty]

Ok how are you guys feeding flies to your babies without getting them everywhere? every time I open the container they get out everywhere!! Anyone have some tips or hints on an easier way to accomplish this task without having flies everywhere?!?!

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

You could probably put them in an exoterra and cover the top until they're mostly done feeding.

 

[Hoj]

Place them in the fridge for a few min ( say 3min ) it will slow them way down and make life simple again

 

[ASublimeDay]

Pop them in the fridge for a half hour. Some say freezer for 30 seconds but its just not as effective and could kill them.

I have a container with several hundred blue bottle flies and after some time in the fridge they lose the ability to fly for a few minutes. I just scoop 10 into a deli cup and set it in the cage. Close up the flies and they go back into the nice warm garage.

Be sure to gutload them. A great gutload:

1 hard-boiled egg
Dry cricket or roach gutload
Bee pollen (if possible)
honey
yogurt

Mash it up and give 500 flies about two tablespoons every couple days (be sure to take out the old stuff. I mix it so that its a moist consistency but not wet and not dry. It molds in about a week and you dont want them eating mold)

 

[sandrachameleon]

Ok how are you guys feeding flies to your babies without getting them everywhere? every time I open the container they get out everywhere!! Anyone have some tips or hints on an easier way to accomplish this task without having flies everywhere?!?!

Tap/bang container down onto a hard surface. All the flies fall to the bottom. Open lid, dump out as many as desired, bang container onto hard surface (or palm of hand) again to get the remaining flies back to the bottom allowing sufficient time to put top back on. (I am assuming these are flightless fruit flies - if they are blue bottles or house flies, putting into the fridge for a few minutes first works)

 

[dirklance]

What sandra said.

Again assuming you mean flightless FF, the other part to remember (if you are dusting them), is to also remember to tap the container you are putting the flies into as well! Once you get the rhythm, it gets easy - dare I even say - fun? =)

 

[Texas Ranger]

Tap/bang container down onto a hard surface. All the flies fall to the bottom. Open lid, dump out as many as desired, bang container onto hard surface (or palm of hand) again to get the remaining flies back to the bottom allowing sufficient time to put top back on. (I am assuming these are flightless fruit flies - if they are blue bottles or house flies, putting into the fridge for a few minutes first works)

That is what I do works great ........ There is a very small temp range for the fridge method to slow them down or kill the culter ...... I don't like doing the fridge method....

 

[Ta2Smitty]

Ok I tried the frig method and it worked out great. I did five minutes in the freezer and was able to separate what I needed and dust them too.

 

[Ta2Smitty]

ok so I guess 5 minutes in the freezer was waaay to long, I missed reading those post so I guess I'll switch over to the frig instead of the freezer, oh well, I have 3 more container full of flies...