Wild bugs that are safe

hagmegsis

hagmegsis

Member
It's finally warm enough in Ohio to catch various bugs/insects. My yard is pesticide free. We don't spray any chemicals at all. I was trying to find a list of safe worms in Ohio that I can catch and feed my guy. Roaches and beetles are pretty much a no. The owner of the home I live in says lady bugs are okay, but things like roaches or similar are not allowed.

We have a lot of those Japanese bettles that look like lady bugs but aren't. Are they safe to feed? What kind of grubs are safe? Out in the garden, flowers only, are plenty of grubs. There are no tomatoes with in miles of my home. I live in the inner city and know none of my neighbors grow any vegetables or fruits.
 
hagmegsis said:
It's finally warm enough in Ohio to catch various bugs/insects. My yard is pesticide free. We don't spray any chemicals at all. I was trying to find a list of safe worms in Ohio that I can catch and feed my guy. Roaches and beetles are pretty much a no. The owner of the home I live in says lady bugs are okay, but things like roaches or similar are not allowed.

We have a lot of those Japanese beetles that look like lady bugs but aren't. Are they safe to feed? What kind of grubs are safe? Out in the garden, flowers only, are plenty of grubs. There are no tomatoes with in miles of my home. I live in the inner city and know none of my neighbors grow any vegetables or fruits.
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No roaches and beetles? how do you feed your guy at all? Is she okay with Grasshoppers and Crickets? I would go with Grasshoppers if anything.

The only problem is not pesticides, parasites and what the insects eat could cause issues. Ladybugs are toxic so no go, as to the Japanese lady bug looking beetle, I would not risk it. Unless you can find the exact bug and google it. Alot of the lady bug looking beetles are toxic.

If your roomie doesn't allow crickets either than I would rethink having a cham and all worm diet is not advisable, and you are saying no to the most important food groups for chameleons that isnt going to work.

As to the tomato plants there is no possible way you can know that. Do you know every single person in a 3 square mile plus radius? And have asked them? I would bet someone has tomatoes or forms of nightshade, so I would not go for hornworms.

Sorry to be debbie downer.
 
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Alright so I looked back, for the crickets. And more debbie downer now.

Honestly you have some serious issues with your husbandry that need to be corrected. From what I have read that isnt possible for you. As the factors you have presented.

Honestly and not trying to be mean, I would rehome the cham and get an easier reptile. I know you just got the cham, but no job, no money, not able to gutload, not able to provide a balanced diet, all of this is shaping to become a very bad situation for your cham.

I think your focus needs to be on fixing your own situation before you take on another life with as special care as a chameleon.

I am not trying to be mean to you, I know this is a downer thing to say. However everything you have stated in your posts leads me to believe you are not in a position to take care of this animal.

Or you need to step things up, find side work to get bugs. Get a new job asap, talk to your roommate and setup a way to keep crickets.
 
I feed him crickets mainly. He gets a few meal worms here and there for a treat. My local pet stores only sell crickets, meal worms, and super worms. This is why I'm looking to catch my own. I've looked for bugs online and shipping is like $40 for like $5 worth of bugs.

We have a mulberry tree outback and I was hoping to find some silk worms soon. I do know that none of my neighbors have tomatoes. I live in a poor neighboorhood with fairly close housing. Most of my neighbors have very little yard. We only have a yard because the house next door was torn down and we get to use the empty land. Parasites are definitly a concern of mine. However, feeding him just crickets really isn't fair. I've been searching for a local supplier with no luck. I can catch grasshoppers from my yard.

Also most of my neighbors are too concerned with getting their next bottle or high to do any gardening. Not all of them, but if you knew my neighboorhood you'd understand.
 
cyberlocc said:
Alright so I looked back, for the crickets. And more debbie downer now.

Honestly you have some serious issues with your husbandry that need to be corrected. From what I have read that isnt possible for you. As the factors you have presented.

Honestly and not trying to be mean, I would rehome the cham and get an easier reptile. I know you just got the cham, but no job, no money, not able to gutload, not able to provide a balanced diet, all of this is shaping to become a very bad situation for your cham.

I think your focus needs to be on fixing your own situation before you take on another life with as special care as a chameleon.

I am not trying to be mean to you, I know this is a downer thing to say. However everything you have stated in your posts leads me to believe you are not in a position to take care of this animal.
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I will respect your comment as you're concerned for the safety of my chameleon. I only recently lost my job and have had him for 6 months. I will not ship him away unless I absolutely have no other choice. No one local will be able to offer any different food sources. I still have the means to offer crickets. He is given vitamins and calcium as required. Think of me as you will, but I will find a way to care for him. I'm learning daily and only wish to do my best.
 
hagmegsis said:
I feed him crickets mainly. He gets a few meal worms here and there for a treat. My local pet stores only sell crickets, meal worms, and super worms. This is why I'm looking to catch my own. I've looked for bugs online and shipping is like $40 for like $5 worth of bugs.

We have a mulberry tree outback and I was hoping to find some silk worms soon. I do know that none of my neighbors have tomatoes. I live in a poor neighboorhood with fairly close housing. Most of my neighbors have very little yard. We only have a yard because the house next door was torn down and we get to use the empty land. Parasites are definitly a concern of mine. However, feeding him just crickets really isn't fair. I've been searching for a local supplier with no luck. I can catch grasshoppers from my yard.

Also most of my neighbors are too concerned with getting their next bottle or high to do any gardening. Not all of them, but if you knew my neighborhood you'd understand.
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Okay, I understand the neighborhood you live in. I grew up in one of the worst neighborhoods in the US. That does not mean people do not have Tomato plants. Tomato plants dont require a huge yard, they can even be kept in pots with wire on the sides. Nightshades can grow wild even in the city.

If you have Hornworms you have tomato or nightshade I can almost guarantee it. I dont think the tomato plants are a problem if you are not going for hornworms.

You live in the city in a neighborhood, then pesticides are defiantly used around those small houses. Do not try to feed wild bugs from your backyard in a place like that. You can go out into the forest area and catch bugs a national park or the like.

You can buy worms and the shipping is not 40 dollars, you must have not looked very hard. Both coastal and Mulberry farms sell hornworms, silkworms, butterworms, superworms, waxworms ect. And the shipping is no where near 40 dollars. more like 5-10 dollars. Some places do charge 40 for overnight, but you dont need overnight.

Both mulberry farms and coastal silkworms will ship standard USPS.

Also, I do not think badly about you. Please do not think that. I think you are having a rough time in life and that is making things hard for you. I am sure you love your chameleon, I just think you need to be honest with yourself of if you are currently able to care for him properly. Not being able to provide a balanced diet, proper gut load, take him to the vet when it is needed, ect are problems.
 
distortionz said:
Where do you live? I'm in canton.. If you are close I would gladly donate you some dubia roaches.. They don't climb glass and if they get loose in your home it's too cold to reproduce and they will die.. Your landlord does not need to know about them.
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I think he lives with someone is what he is saying.

If it is a landlord, I am a landlord myself. I am here to tell you she can not do that, if its in the contract then she can if not she can not.

If animals are not allowed (or insects) it has to state so in the contract, if it doesn't she can not kick you out for having bugs in the house as pets. It is against the landlord tenant act. Besides as said do not tell her :).
 
distortionz said:
Your landlord does not need to know about them.
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That's basically what I was gonna say when I asked if the landlord snoops through the house. As long as they don't rummage through the house periodically, then they won't know about any of the insects.

Kind of like on "THE WATERBOY" movie where Coach Klein shows Bobby Boucher his hidden tattoo..... ;-)

"What momma don't know won't hurt her" :ROFLMAO::LOL:

And as Cyberlocc said anyways..... if it's not in the contract, then legally, the landlord can't do anything about it.
 
I li
distortionz said:
Where do you live? I'm in canton.. If you are close I would gladly donate you some dubia roaches.. They don't climb glass and if they get loose in your home it's too cold to reproduce and they will die.. Your landlord does not need to know about them.
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I live in Canton too! My landlord is my Aunt. We live in the same house so she'd know they were there. Otherwise I would have already snuck them in

Thanks for the bug list. What about any types of flies?
 
hagmegsis said:
What about any types of flies?
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Black Soldier Fly Larvae (a.k.a. Phoenix Worms, Calciworms, Reptiworms) are good feeders and full of calcium so you don't even have to dust them. They turn into Black Soldier Flies and chameleons go nuts over them. You can also order some Blue Bottle Flies or some Green Bottle Flies or some Houseflies as well.
 
All the flies trickedoutbiker named are great.. No wild caught flies though.. Wild caught flies eat off of shit and decaying stuff.. Lol.. High parasite risks.. When I have my chams outside I will see them occasionally get flies outside with no issues but I wouldn't offer wild flies to them purposely.

Small Dubias look more like roly pollies lol so if you decide you want some just let me know I have 2 huge colonies of them.. Nice to someone else local on here lol..
 
Rollies pollies are good, as well just dont feed the WC ones, I would catch some and make them have babies and then feed the babies.

That is the best way to deal with parasite concerns. Catch bugs, breed the bugs and your good.
 
KLowery88 said:
Just a heads up concerning hornworms: don't feed your chameleon any that have been eating tomato or tobacco plants as this makes them toxic.
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Dont get any that have eaten any Nightshade, tobacco and tomatoes are types of nightshade (however there is a whole lot more). All hornworms eat when wild AFAIK is Nightshade.

So just dont feed wild hornworms.
 
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