Im sure many of you are dealing with the same thing but we have stink bugs in our home like crazy. I keep an open top enclosure for my cham for unfiltered uvb. Earlier I went in there and witnessed him eat a stink bug that was inside the top of his cage. If I had to guess, I would say that this is not a healthy food choice and should probably be avoided. Is anyone dealing with this problem, or have any suggestions? Im considered just screening the top at this point. Thanks
stinkbugs- open top enclosure
- Thread starter l0u1ss
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fleetwoodchams
New Member
My son ate one by accident several years ago while watching a movie. It was in his popcorn YUCK!
Other than being totally grossed out he didn't get sick.
Other than being totally grossed out he didn't get sick.
tagerlilly18
New Member
They actually have a very mild toxin if I'm not mistaken. It won't really hurt you but it's supposed to taste bad. My dog and cat have eaten them before.however my Venus fly trap can't BC it kills the head that ate it. Also if you were to smash one on your skin and let it sit it will physically burn your skin and leave a welted mark for a few days.
Devokid
Established Member
Haha, how did you figure that out? It may just be me, but I don't usually smash bugs into my skin and leave them there.
This has happened to me before. I had one crawling on me in the middle of the night and I went to get it off and got "stinked" it left a small burn and red welt for few days. I'm just wondering about the safety off chams eating them. He did seem to enjoy it. He ate it so quick I didn't have time to do anything.
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
You can still have the top screened and get uvb through it. I would say 99% of us keepers have tops on our cages with the uvb on top and all of our chameleons do well. It will diminish it some but not enough to do harm. And how do you keep your chameleon from climbing out??
tagerlilly18
New Member
Lol that's a good question. I know people who had one in their shoe or sock and didn't realize they were squishing all over it until there foot started feeling like it was on fire. The thing I'm not sure about is weather or not its actually a toxin or an allergic reaction. Such as how people say the sumac tree or poison ivy is poisoness but in reality its a very common allergy.
fluxlizard
Avid Member
We feed them to our bearded dragons- they snap them up like candy.
But when I feed a chameleon several in one go, they seem to loose their appetite for days aftewards, so I don't feed them to the chams.
But when I feed a chameleon several in one go, they seem to loose their appetite for days aftewards, so I don't feed them to the chams.
I have a plastic lip around the top of the enclosure to allow light to get in and prevent him or insects from escaping.
Also I've done a little looking around on this subject. I found this in an older thread:
"As a chemist, I have checked on the web to see the chemical composition, and there is some research:
"A 2006 study done at Clemson University used Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry to determine at least two of the compounds present in the stink bug odor: the aldehydes trans-2-decenal and trans-2-octenal. These two compounds are used in the food industry to add flavor and aroma to products. The trans-2-decenal, also known as decenaldehyde is described as having a “powerful waxy orange aroma” by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).
trans-2-decenal (decenaldehyde)
trans-2-octenal
The trans-2-octenal is described as having a nutty flavor and an odor described as waxy or like a cucumber. In the world of food chemistry it is can found used in bakery items or dairy products."
Since these do not seem poisonous, we put another in his cage and he hunted it preferentially to the crickets and meal worms. He has certainly developed a taste for stink bugs, and it doesn't stink when he eats them and so far no problem."
I've read responses from several people that say they feed these off and have seen no negative side effects. He seemed fine today after the one he ate yesterday so I threw another one in there when I got off work. His response was instant. I've never seen him react that way to a feeder. He literally charged across the cage for it. I like to play it on the safe side when it comes to my Cham so I don't think I'll be introducing these as a regular feeder, even though he really seems to enjoy them
Restricted E
New Member
I have a plastic lip around the top of the enclosure to allow light to get in and prevent him or insects from escaping.
Also I've done a little looking around on this subject. I found this in an older thread:
"As a chemist, I have checked on the web to see the chemical composition, and there is some research:
"A 2006 study done at Clemson University used Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry to determine at least two of the compounds present in the stink bug odor: the aldehydes trans-2-decenal and trans-2-octenal. These two compounds are used in the food industry to add flavor and aroma to products. The trans-2-decenal, also known as decenaldehyde is described as having a “powerful waxy orange aroma” by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).
trans-2-decenal (decenaldehyde)
trans-2-octenal
The trans-2-octenal is described as having a nutty flavor and an odor described as waxy or like a cucumber. In the world of food chemistry it is can found used in bakery items or dairy products."
Since these do not seem poisonous, we put another in his cage and he hunted it preferentially to the crickets and meal worms. He has certainly developed a taste for stink bugs, and it doesn't stink when he eats them and so far no problem."
I've read responses from several people that say they feed these off and have seen no negative side effects. He seemed fine today after the one he ate yesterday so I threw another one in there when I got off work. His response was instant. I've never seen him react that way to a feeder. He literally charged across the cage for it. I like to play it on the safe side when it comes to my Cham so I don't think I'll be introducing these as a regular feeder, even though he really seems to enjoy them
The only thing I would really worry about is if you spray your house with pesticides. It does not always kill some insects, but it can still be on them.
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