Problem keeping crickets, need to switch feeder

[Covington8950]

I have a serious problem keeping crickets. It's gotten so bad I even considered for a half-second that I might not be able to keep Nacho (my one and only beloved female Veiled). I live in an apartment in CT. Because the larger crickets are noisy, I try keeping them on my balcony as much as possible, especially at night. Problems range from: it's too hot in the day in the summer, it's too cold in the winter, ants get into the cricket cage in the summer and eat everything , etc. Keeping them inside is problematic for noise, as I said, and smell. Smaller crickets are not price-efficient since I can't buy in bulk. So I want to switch to dubias or silkworms but they are pricey, I don't know where to buy them from and I don't know what problems they will pose. Can they be purchased in small quantities (remember, I only own one cham)? Can I keep them inside year-round without noise and odor problems? I think Nacho will eat them, she eats just about anything that moves. Silkworms seem ideal yet harder to care for. I've read that you can obtain a critical mass where they breed and you never have to buy more, but I imagine that only works for people who are feeding more than one cham, right? I've read plenty of tips on care-taking of these feeders on this forum,so I'm more concerned with the practical aspects such as obtaining them, price, problems people have with them, etc. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated as always!

 

[pssh]

I like my dubias. My lateralis breed faster though and cost less. Dubias: Just make sure you buy at least 20-50 adult females, 4-15 males, and maybe 100 mixed or medium/large. You can also sex the nymphs so you can feed off the male nymphs first.
Lateralis: try to get a couple hundred of medium-large sized ones and you're good to go.

 

[Ellron]

Ough Roaches are sooooo gross though!
I've wanted to setup a silkworm colony to. Silkies don't smell. Only problem with them is deciece (omg, I just realized I can't smell da-zeez someone help me!!!), and food. You need lots of mullberry leaves or worm chow.

 

[sandrachameleon]

As you're only feeding one chameleon, and presumably only buying small quantities of crickets, why not just cut the wings off the male crickets? thus eliminating the noise issue?

Additionally, you could start a small roach colony and a small superworm colony (both easy, smell free and noise free options that can be done on a small scale) so that you always have something on hand even if where you purchase crickets from is out of stock. Obtaining superworms and roaches isnt difficult (check site sponsors) or expensive. And its a one-time investment.

Then purchase small quantities of silkworms, butterworms etc as needed just to spice it up. If you cant find at local shops, buy online

http://www.stflies.com/
http://www.mulberryfarms.com/
http://www.nilesbio.com/prod95.html
http://www.greatlakeshornworm.com/
http://coastalsilkworms.com/splash.html
http://www.forkedtreeranch.com/prices.htm
http://www.ghann.com/
http://www.carolina.com/category/living+organisms/animals.do?sortby=ourPicks
www.joshsfrogs.com
www.theroachranch.com
and dont forget to check the site sponsors and the classfieds on this forum https://www.chameleonforums.com/miscellaneous-sale/

 

[Covington8950]

Thanks for all the advice! Just to be clear, I can set up colonies of silkworms, superworms or dubias and they will breed and reproduce on their own? I will not have to keep buying them the way I do crickets? I also forgot to ask how to present these feeders to Nacho. She loves hunting. Will they crawl around the cage walls? And lastly, I forgot to say that one of my biggest problems with crickets is that when they escape, they head straight for my roommate's bathroom and she is terrified/absolutely disgusted by crickets and makes a huge deal out of them. Because the other feeders don't jump, are they less likely to escape when moving from bin to cage?

 

[ajacobson]

Ough Roaches are sooooo gross though!
I've wanted to setup a silkworm colony to. Silkies don't smell. Only problem with them is deciece (omg, I just realized I can't smell da-zeez someone help me!!!), and food. You need lots of mullberry leaves or worm chow.

disease lol

 

[Chameleon Loco]

I don't mean to sound mean but shouldn't you have thought about this before you bought the chameleon Superworms are a good feeder and they dont smell hornworms are a good feeder But I wouldn't use them since you are feeding just one herp and they will grow to big to feed before you can use all of them and releasing them is illegal and you can create an invasive species. Roaches are a great feeder as they are easy to breed and chams love them

 

[Ellron]

disease lol

Thanks ajackobson!


There are lots of options for breeding feeders. The simplest, roaches but they are the grossest in my opinion.
Supers sound the next best!

 

[sandrachameleon]

Thanks for all the advice! Just to be clear, I can set up colonies of silkworms, superworms or dubias and they will breed and reproduce on their own? I will not have to keep buying them the way I do crickets? I also forgot to ask how to present these feeders to Nacho. She loves hunting. Will they crawl around the cage walls? And lastly, I forgot to say that one of my biggest problems with crickets is that when they escape, they head straight for my roommate's bathroom and she is terrified/absolutely disgusted by crickets and makes a huge deal out of them. Because the other feeders don't jump, are they less likely to escape when moving from bin to cage?

Yes, you can very easily breed Superworms and Dubia's and not have to keep buying them. Some people have more or less success than others when it comes to breeding silkworms.

I put roaches in a feeding cup or bowl. I dont like the idea of roaches running around free (especially as my cages are not escape proof).

Superworms will crawl up screen cage walls easily, and can also hold onto and crawl upon vines and branches. They can also be put in feeding cups.

Silkworms will cling to anything with their suction cup feet. Place them anywhere on a branch, on the walls of the cage, whatever.

Superworms and silkworms are going to jump, so will only "escape" if you drop them or such and dont pick them up. Roaches dont jump either, but if you drop one they could potentially run and hide under something before you catch them. If your roommate is afraid of crickets, chances are roaches wouldnt be a big hit to find roaming the bathroom floors either.