Phoenix Worms

[wiszo1mt]

hey all,

well after a long break back home, I returned to my college town with my little Shiva. Noticed I was low on crickets so went to the exotic pet store where I normally get everything. Knowing the owner (also a student) I sat and talked with him about his summer vacation and other breeds of reptiles he has in the store.

Meanwhile we got on the conversation that he will no longer be ordering crickets because of a disease that is going around cricket farms here in Michigan... He mentioned that it happened in Europe a few years back and wiped out a lot of cricket farms, I guess that the same disease is now in America... (DISCLAIMER: I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS TRUE OR NOT) he said to replace the crickets he will be ordering phoenix worms for feeders instead... Does anybody know anything about these?

I looked in the live food database and found nothing... I mean I have another pet store where I could get crickets from, but if this disease thing is true I'm worried about having Shiva eat one that is infected...

 

[VeiledOwner87]

its a disease that killls the crickets, the acids in the reptile's stomach are far too potent for whatever is killing the crickets, to harm your animal. ive had that across thr boarder from you as well. our petstores have gone through as phase of cricket virus, to the point where our distributor would only offer containers of 50 or 100 crickets, obviously the pet store could buy as many as they wanted, but for a time, they would not sell any cricket wholesales of over 100 in one container.. do you follow? the reason why i believe your buddy wont be ordering anymore, is because it is money that he is losing out on because of the high mortalities. the storm has seemed to pass here in windsor. if you wanted, you could always order from here at www.canadianfeeders.com, they have everything from crickets, to hornworms.

 

[JaxyGirl]

You can get phoenix worms at www.phoenixworm.com
My Jackson's didn't like them very much but my bearded dragons do.

 

[Psi]

Meanwhile we got on the conversation that he will no longer be ordering crickets because of a disease that is going around cricket farms here in Michigan

It's a cop out to sell you higher priced feeders at more profit to the store.

Not saying the virus isn't real (it certainly is), but anyone not order crickets because of the virus is taking the easy way out.

 

[Syn]

It's a cop out to sell you higher priced feeders at more profit to the store.

Not saying the virus isn't real (it certainly is), but anyone not order crickets because of the virus is taking the easy way out.

The easy way out is putting it lightly. Phoenix worms can get really expensive for the consumer.

 

[ladysilkworm]

I read on a different forum that yes, there is a big cricket farm that was closed after more than 20 yrs in operation. They were completely wiped out and had to file bankruptcy.

 

[Elizadolots]

The cricket virus is real, but there are also lots of clean farms so there are good crickets available. I understand Fluckers has good crickets for those who order them online.

I had a chameleon who loved Phoenix worms and there is a lot of anecdotal evidence to suggest many chameleons love them. They are hugely expensive though. Especially if you only have one or two animals to feed. If you have lots, then buying in bulk gets you better pricing.

 

[summoner12]

phoenix worms are good sources of calcium.... but are small so most chameleons won't be too interested. Chameleons like to hunt their good. They like things that move and wiggle.

It might be a good idea to look into keeping Dubia roaches, superworms, silkworms and hornworms.

Just remember not to feed too many soft bodied or hard bodied types of feeders and be sure to supplement (dust) your feeders.