House flies, bluebottles and maggots

[warpdrive]

I am a big advocate for using wild-caught feeders, EXCEPT wild flies. Wild flies like feces and dead animal bits, and as they feed on this nastiness they pick up pathogenic bacteria. I would not use wild flies if the lizards were starving.

Lab-raised flies are duped into laying eggs on meat, but those eggs are then moved to artificial (and clean) media right away.

I'm using my stupid Iphone, or else I'd give you a bunch of links to sites like Ed's Fly Meat and Josh's Frogs. Order clean flies and everybody will be happy.

totaly agree.
I just killed off all my houseflys yesterday. I'm telling you I'm having a bad week...I wouldn't feed my mantids any wild flys if they would fly though my window by the dozzen.
I got plenty of other feeders, they will have to learn to try them. I couldn't get them to eat a cricket leg even after touching their mouths with the juice from them. but maybe tiny crickets and supers will have to do.

Harry