How does this sound......

[Kazza]

I haven't put Shiver in her new cage yet as i'm still waiting for a reply from company who sent it, but i have made a few changes to her present cage.

I have still got the UV D3 lamp but also got another lamp with a 60w bulb - her ambient temp is 73F and her basking temp is 88F.
I've noticed a slight increase in her appetite and activity.
Lights are now on a timer and the heat lamp goes off half an hour before the UV lamp.

I'm misting for 10 mins 3 times a day - she's only opening her mouth a couple of times during mistings so i'm giving her 4 - 5 drops of water using a pipette twice a day, should i be giving her more water?
She doesn't seem to be stressed by the pipette, i rub her nose with it and she opens up ( without hissing and attacking ).

My bug selection includes brown crickets ( main food ), hoppers, meal worms, wax worms, curly wing flies, silk worms and roaches when i can get them.
Bugs are fed ready made gut-load food plus extra veggies, fruit & bee pollen.

Her veggies include sweet potato ( grated ), carrots ( grated ) and various greens - she doesn't seem to have eaten any yet but i change them every day regardless.

I have a D3 lamp so do i still need to put the supplement on her food?

I dust 2 - 3 bugs a day with just calcium - is this enough or too much? And i'm putting a small dab of vit A on one bug once a fortnight - is this enough or too much?

Over-all Shiver seems much happier with these changes - all thanks to you guys!

Is there anything else i could improve on?

Thankyou all

Karen
xxx

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Excellent Karen!
It seems you've been doing your homework.
Personally I would reduce the calcium dusting to once or twice a week and take the carrot out of her veggie diet. I only offer greens to mine. Edible flowers would be a good addition tho....hibiscus, pansy, nasturtium. Make sure you grow these yourself or buy them in the produce department of your grocer to avoid fertilizer/pesticides.

-Brad

 

[Kazza]

Thanx Brad

( Oops, carrot was another suggestion by guy in the store - i'll give it to the bugs )

I'll see if i can get hold of any of them flowers. I'm a bit reluctant to buy plants because of the pesticide risk - i might have a go at growing my own.

Is the D3 and vit A supplement ok? I'm putting a small dab of each on one bug once a fortnight.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I would be making sure that is the tiniest dab you can dab.
I am considering starting this supplement myself but was only going to do it once a month.
I assume you read the roundtable discussion on Vit A posted by Heika.

-Brad

 

[Kazza]

Yeah, i read that yesterday which got me wondering if i was giving too much.
I might reduce it to once a month.
It is a VERY tiny dab that i put on, i scrape the pipette on the bottle before touching the bug.
I don't do them together either, i use D3 one week and Vit A the next week.

 

[Kazza]

Oh, forgot to mention - i've got some Indian stick insects now, i got 12 plus 100 eggs. Sticks are only young at the mo, i'm planning on letting these get to adult stage and feed the next generation to Shiver.

I know sticks are illegal in the States ( i'm in the UK ) but does anyone have any knowledge on how to care for the eggs? I'm going to google it but want your advise too please.