MamatoElvis
Member
Has anyone used the large milkweed bug as a feeder? The one raised in captivity on sunflower seeds so they are not toxic. I was thinking of trying these and I was wondering if anyone had experience keeping them.
Large milkweed bug
- Thread starter MamatoElvis
- Start date
RabidDragon
New Member
ok, first off I have to admit to being a novice here (so my opinion doesn't count for much)... but I have to ask... why use an unknown species when there are many that are already well documented and known? seems like a lot of work for a unknown risk.... just my -0.02c
my apologies for butting in
my apologies for butting in
MamatoElvis
Member
Well, I find it fun to introduce new and interesting bugs to my guy. He gets bored of crickets and worms. So when I read about something I've never tried before I'm intrigued. Aren't you when you see a new food you've never tried before. I think it's important to remember you have an animal completely dependent on you to make his exsistance as interesting and varied as possible in captivity. I try to live up to that.
MamatoElvis
Member
You didn't butt in. I put it out there.
zlew
Member
Never used it but milkweed is certainly very toxic, and even with the sunflower seeds I'm not sure that the bugs wouldn't have something in them that was toxic. (Like whatever allows them to eat milkweed). They're known to taste pretty bad, although I don't know about chameleons and their preferences in taste because I haven't tasted any of the bugs myself, except for one salt and vinegar flavored roasted cricket. Anyways, unless you know of someone who has already fed it to their chameleon, I wouldn't try it just in case there is something we don't know about it that could harm your cham.
MamatoElvis
Member
Yes, I'm rethinking it because it doesn't look like anyone has ever used them. I was hoping to hear someone had at least tried them before. they were originally introduced for dart frogs. The captive bred frogs ate them just fine but the wild caught bugs whould not touch then due to the warning colors. I'm always looking for something new my guy will find fun to hunt down.
jpowell86
Chameleon Enthusiast
I also try to vary the diet of my chameleons as much as possible. The Large Milkweed Bug's taste and toxicity come completely from the milkweed plant itself. I know some people raise them on watermelon seeds which makes them supposedly harmless/tasty so to say. With saying that, I still do not like leaving things to chance when it comes to my chameleons. I like to go out and collect things like dragonflies and dobsonflies. My group of Melleri go completely nuts when I bring them dragonflies. I like to go out and collect the larva of the dragonfly and mature them myself too. It keeps tasty treats for your chameleons all year round. I do the same with Katydids.
MamatoElvis
Member
Do you worry about the dragonfly eating Mosquitos and maybe having parasites from that? How do you raise them yourself because I saw a gardening place that sells the larvae? I almost grabbed a cicada the other day off the screen for him but I got nervous it was too big. The big problem in our area is pesticides. We have a truck that drives trough every once in a while in the middle of the night spraying for Mosquitos. I was walking my dog and they drove up, a guy got out in a hazmat suit and told me I should probably head home. It was a little creepy.
jpowell86
Chameleon Enthusiast
We have Mosquitos, but no men in hazmat suits ushering people home. Good Lord! I would be creeped out too. When I collect them, I make sure I'm a good half hour outside of town and I stay away from crop fields(farming areas where pesticides may be). Raising the larva is super easy. I keep them in a small tank with some plants. They will eat anything that moves. I have a rock that breaks the surface, and when they are ready to turn, they will crawl out on the top of the rock and go through metamorphosis. Cicadas are another favorite of my chameleons. I like to go out around 2:00 in the morning and grab them while they are still in their brown shell or right after they emerge from it. I'm not sure what kind of chameleons you keep, but I use them for my Melleri and my Veiled Chameleon loves them.
MamatoElvis
Member
What do you feed the larvae? I have a panther but he's only 6 months old. He probably could have been ok with the cicada but I didn't know how hard and crunchy they are so I didn't want to risk it. I really want to do the dragon flys though.
MamatoElvis
Member
I just noticed your location. Funny, small world. A friend of mine is moving to Rockwall next week.
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