wild caught grasshoppers?

[caroline?]

Hi, so my dad owns about 200 acres in the middle of nowhere in texas and they have crazy grasshoppers there, theirs like millions of them. i was wondering if i could feed them to my chameleons? we don't use pesticides there and neither do our neighbors out there, i don't know much about parasites though, would they be a problem?

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

Theres always a possibility of parasites with wild caught bugs, which is why I would personally never do this. But if you really want to, make sure it's not the black ones with the yellow stripes, I know those are toxic I think

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I know those are toxic I think

???

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

???

Is there a problem lol?

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Is there a problem lol?

Not with me. I just can't figure out if you know those grasshoppers are toxic, or just think so, or know that you think so, or think that you know so...

 

[cham girl]

So jealous google the species or show a pic I will buy some if you wanna ship

 

[caroline?]

So jealous google the species or show a pic I will buy some if you wanna ship

im trying to find the species now and im researching about parasites

 

[cham girl]

mine are large enough to eat hoppers now but the foam hopper is the most toxic but its in Africa,.... google it first! to be safe there are lots of pics and check at least two different sites

 

[jamest0o0]

Lubbers are toxic.

I wouldn't worry much about the constant fear mongering over parasites in wild caught bugs. You're more likely to get parasites from captive insects! I know many people, myself included, that regularly feed wild insects(I even have several neighbors! Oh no pesticides!) And have NEVER had a problem. Most pesticides that would harm a chameleon would harm the bug IMO. You could always collect some and let them sit for a couple days in a container if you're worried.

 

[caroline?]

You could always collect some and let them sit for a couple days in a container if you're worried.

what would this do?

 

[cham girl]

show that they have not been sprayed cause they would die

 

[caroline?]

i believe what we have it 2 striped grasshoppers but i'll check when grasshopper season starts, and make sure they aren't the toxic ones!

 

[cham girl]

but if you do that put a wet paper towel in with them or they dry up

 

[caroline?]

the grasshoppers get so bad you can't even walk around without 30 of them jumping on you, it's quite terrifying haha

 

[cham girl]

My chickens would go nuts they love and beg for bugs when i get them from the green house for the chams

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

Not with me. I just can't figure out if you know those grasshoppers are toxic, or just think so, or know that you think so, or think that you know so...

That's why I said "I think". That's just what I've heard from others

 

[cham girl]

LET ME KNOW GIRL ! AND I HOPE IT WORKS FOR YOU!

 

[Pearl Fields]

Theres always a possibility of parasites with wild caught bugs, which is why I would personally never do this. But if you really want to, make sure it's not the black ones with the yellow stripes, I know those are toxic I think

there is always a possibility of parasites with the bugs we buy too. the chance gets higher when you buy bugs from iffy sources

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

there is always a possibility of parasites with the bugs we buy too. the chance gets higher when you buy bugs from iffy sources

Yeah this is true, I just feel more comfortable buying bugs rather than catching them.

 

[snitz427]

The grasshoppers will be relished by your cham. If they're in a large field, they are probably quite content hanging in it and not venturing too far off. I would be more concerned with pesticides then I would parasites...and if you know what goes into your field, you should be fine. I feed wild caught katydids and grasshoppers all summer long, and I'm NOT in the country. I do sometimes keep them for a week or two and "clean their guts" with food I provide...but then you also loose some of the nutritional value that they've collected by foraging in the wild.

If you know the bugs are coming from a land that is not being treated for pests, and you're neighbor isn't a farmer who is likely spraying like crazy... then go for it.