Trying to break up the diet

[Killjoy]

Hi Everyone!!
Im trying to get some SPECIFIC opinions on different food sources.
I find crickets are the best, just because availabilty and they tend to serve their purpose well......though i am looking tyo diversify the diet, can someone put together a breakdown of different insects they use, how often, prices, housing them, gutload tactics, smell, mess, etc. thanks all for the help

 

[draetish]

Dubia Roaches would be next on the list of staple feeders. They are housed and gutloaded the same as crickets. If you buy a starter colony with 100 or so they will reproduce and you'll have a constant feeder available

Hornworms and Silkworms are tricky to reproduce but it can be done. Usually order 25 small from Great Lakes or the other sponsers is a good start. They come with their own food.

 

[Killjoy]

thanks Donna, i am feeding only a few reptile and need about 25 insects a day. how many dubia would i need to render that kind of production.....also are dubia the same as hissing roaches?

 

[Lizardlover]

thanks Donna, i am feeding only a few reptile and need about 25 insects a day. how many dubia would i need to render that kind of production.....also are dubia the same as hissing roaches?

No, dubia are not the same, dubia are much faster breeders than hissers, turkestan roaches are the fastest breeders and most efficient IMO.

I personally like to get my feeders from nature, especially in the summer months, I make sure that the source i collect from is pesticide free and collect as much as I need. Normally this includes grasshoppers, dragonflies, moths, and non-noxious butterflies.

 

[draetish]

thanks Donna, i am feeding only a few reptile and need about 25 insects a day. how many dubia would i need to render that kind of production.....also are dubia the same as hissing roaches?

You would probably need to start with 500 mix dubias. You don't want to feed a whole lot of the colony off right away. Check the classified forum to see if you can pm somebody to make a deal.

 

[Killjoy]

cool thanks, how long will i have to leave the 500 alone before i can begin to pull 15-20 a day??

 

[Texas Panther Man]

As Donna stated if you want to start feeding off your colony immediately you will need at least 500. I bought 100 back in February/early March. I have just started to feed off some of the small nymphs. It took mine about 2 months to really start producing.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Hi Everyone!!
Im trying to get some SPECIFIC opinions on different food sources.
I find crickets are the best, just because availabilty and they tend to serve their purpose well......though i am looking tyo diversify the diet, can someone put together a breakdown of different insects they use, how often, prices, housing them, gutload tactics, smell, mess, etc. thanks all for the help

I try to offer a different bug at each meal, rotating through a variety of prey items. I primarily feed my chameleons a mix of:

• turkistan roaches
• dubia roaches
• hisser roaches
• crickets
• silkworms
• superworms
• butterworms
• stick insects
• terrestrial isopods (wood sow / pill bug)

And on a more occassional or seasonal basis:

• moth
• grasshoppers
• painted lady
• termite
• hornworms
• cabbage loopers
• praying mantis
• mealworm and beetles

I keep a daily log of what is eaten. You are welcome to review it:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/food-diary/

Also in my blog here I have collected information about breeding/keeping feeders and the nutritional values of most commonly used bugs:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/nutritional-information/

Since i breed most of my bugs, I dont have price information to share.

 

[Killjoy]

sandra great list, i like the "treats". i gotta google some of those occasional insects i have dragon flies by me.........are they safe and how do i catch them?

 

[pssh]

Actually, I found that my 100 adults (not mixed, approx 80 females and 20 males) bred fast enough that I could feed after two months, but it takes 4 or so months with heat for the babies to get large.

 

[sandrachameleon]

sandra great list, i like the "treats". i gotta google some of those occasional insects i have dragon flies by me.........are they safe and how do i catch them?

Honestly dont know about dragon flies; No idea if they are safe or not. But pretty sure they'd be darn hard to catch even with a good butterfly net.

I left Snails off the list. Suprisingly well received - good treats. Easy to breed. But takes a long while before the young become large enough to be worthwhile. (wild caught ones are parasite hazards)

 

[Killjoy]

i can see it now........ill be camping out for hours and never catch one lol