Locusts or dubia roaches?????

[Redspacecase]

Hi guys just wondering what's anyone's views on locusts v dubia roaches? My cham seems to be loving his locusts at the minute but didn't know if roaches were more nutritious. Anyone know cheers guys???

 

[Miss Lily]

I assume by the fact that you feed locusts that you are in the UK. A varied diet will always be best for your chameleon. We have several feeder options over here although we can't get hornworms as they are illegal. We can still get hold of locusts, crickets, Morio (more often referred to as 'supers' on here), butterworms, calciworms/grubs, mealworms and waxworms (as treats) and silkworms, although the latter are quite difficult to get hold of at times. There are other feeder roaches around too, plus woodlice/pillbugs can be bred as feeders too.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Hi guys just wondering what's anyone's views on locusts v dubia roaches? My cham seems to be loving his locusts at the minute but didn't know if roaches were more nutritious. Anyone know cheers guys???

both are excellent, when gutloaded.
I agree with Miss Lilly that a varied diet is great - so offer both choices, and more!

 

[Canny Chams]

I also agree, variation is important, but if you are choosing one as a staple feeder, as in you feed it most often, i would say to use dubia roaches

 

[nthompson]

I am not experienced....I did find this at a local feeder store -

Feeder Nutritional Value Hierarchy

Listed most in nutritional value to least in nutritional value:

Silkworms and Hornworms
Any Roach Species
Superworms
Phoenix Worms
Butterworms
Giant Mealworms
Mealworms
Crickets
Wax Worms (no nutritional value – treats)


Here is a site that does discuss locusts. It lists locusts with crickets. http://www.lizardloungeblackpool.co.uk/page/livefood_nutritional_values

 

[Canny Chams]

ummm... in what world are superworms and mealworms more nutritious than crickets, id say the heirarchy depends on how you gutload them, superworms are 15% fat (67% calories from fat), mealworms are 14%(65% calories from fat). You want something more in the 63% calories from protein and 37% from fat, variety is a good thing, but they are certainly not very nutritious, they are also harder to gutload. in a perfect world, where you gutload perfectly This would be the heirarchy

Hissing Roaches
Dubia Roaches
Terrestrial Isopods
Nymph Crickets
Silkworms (high protein, high water content 83%, 76% of calories from protein)
Adult crickets (adult crickets are higher in fat)
Hornworms (high water content, 86%)
Locusts
butter worms (high in calcium)
young Snails(adults accumulate heavy metals in their shells, dont use wild caught specimines as they often carry flukes (had a cham with them once, they are hard as hell to get rid of)
phoenixworms
Chinese mantids
mealworms
giant mealworms
Super worms (the mcnuggets of bugs, harder to digest)
waxworms (the Big Mac of bugs, 80% calories from fat)

 

[sandrachameleon]

ummm... in what world are superworms and mealworms more nutritious than crickets, id say the heirarchy depends on how you gutload them, superworms are 15% fat (67% calories from fat), mealworms are 14%(65% calories from fat). You want something more in the 63% calories from protein and 37% from fat, variety is a good thing, but they are certainly not very nutritious, they are also harder to gutload. in a perfect world, where you gutload perfectly This would be the heirarchy

Hissing Roaches
Dubia Roaches
Nymph Crickets
Adult crickets (adult crickets are higher in fat)
Locusts
butter worms
phoenixworms
Chinese mantids
mealworms
giant mealworms
Super worms
waxworms

Agreed in that Gutloading is key. You can gutload hornworms and silkworms, so no reason to leave those off the list. You can also gutload locust, and I'd rate those no lower than crickets. I would remove "giant mealworms" and waxworms from the list entirely. And I would add terrestrial isopods near the top of the list. Snails should be on the list too.

 

[Canny Chams]

ahh sorry i forgot those i was kinda in a rush, il add those. My chams love the dwarf white isopods, they cant get enough of them

 

[Redspacecase]

Hi thanks for all the replys some good info cheers!! Il buy sum roaches when I stock up next!! What are the Isopods are they the ones that look a bit like woodlice? Also how easy are dubia roaches to breed? Thanks all

 

[sandrachameleon]

What are the Isopods are they the ones that look a bit like woodlice? Also how easy are dubia roaches to breed? Thanks all

yes, terrestrial isopods ARE woodlice (also rollie pollie, wood sow, pill bug and many other names). Dont use wild ones, especially not anything caught around human habitation. Instead captive breed them. Here's a link with info: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...orcellio-pillbugs-wood-sow-rollie-pollie.html

Roaches can be easily bred too. More info in this blog:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html

 

[Redspacecase]

Ideal thanks alot Sandra I will check them out, I'm looking into breeding something it will save me tons of cash