Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello forum! Been away too long, but I've been lurking.
The recent threads regarding the feeding of insects got me interested enough to post a new thread. To those that know me, this comes as no surprise, hehehe.
Just wondering WHY we are trying to re-invent the wheel here? With so MANY different known safe prey items, why is the focus on using untested species? The following is a short list of readily available insect prey items that are known to be safe for chameleon consumption:
Crickets
Superworms
Meal worms
CULTURED House flies
small mantids
walking sticks (as long as they don't spray chemicals)
sow bugs
snails
slugs
And of course, the MANY varieties of roaches.
All of these I've used with great success with my chameleons. The stick bugs I've used (Indian Walking stick, Vietnamese Giant) are a bit difficult to come by, and the mantids are a bit of work. And you have to make sure to use the non-climbing roaches. However, I for one, find it enjoyable to raise bugs.
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Victor Gomez
gomezvi@yahoo.com

I suspect that not all of these safe feeders work for everyone, some may be too "creepy", not available at some times of year or in some areas, their chams don't like some, and keepers may be looking for that perfect species.

I can't speak for others, but my personal reason is just for my chameleon's enjoyment. I love the way they react with gusto to an insect they have never tried before or that they particularly like. Wild chams get to sample hundreds or thousands of different kinds of insects. Our captive gems don't have to face the trials that chams in nature do, but they sure seem to appreciate new food items. My Chams get so excited at the sight of hornworms that I am fascinated with finding other green bugs(they seem to prefer green). I am planning on trying cuban green roaches which others have tried with much sucess. I guess my obsession with chams never ends and I'll always be searching for some way to improve my little friends life.
I guess if others didn't feel the same way we wouldn't have the long list of insects you mentioned available today, we'd all still just be offering cricks and mealies.
Note: I do not support feeding wild caught insects and urge all to thouroughly research and test any new species before you offer it to your pet.

That's exactly my point. Offering your chameleons a variety of insects will keep him entertained and interested in food. I personally would try some of these insects that I have mentioned before trying unproven species. All of the insects that I listed may not be available to all, but these are prey insects that I have used in the past with great success.
Besides keeping them as food for your chameleons, you might find it fun in itself to keep some of these insects.
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Victor Gomez
gomezvi@yahoo.com

I hear what you are saying, there are already a variety of proven insects available. But these animals are only 'proven' because someone put effort into resarching and proving them. Many keepers are still interested in finding more kinds of insects that will benefit thier chameleons. To some this may seem like overkill, while to others it is just plain fun. As you mentioned, keeping insects like mantids can lead to a fascinating hobby of it's own.
Some other available proven feeders:
silkworms
hornworms(chow fed)
butterworms

A quote from Jason Descamps of Chameleon Online Magazine:

As chameleon keepers we should constantly challenge ourselves to find new and interesting feeders for our animals. A note of caution must always be added to any captured feeder discussion. Many areas are sprayed with pesticides on a regular basis these pesticides can be stored in the gut of an insect and easily passed on to your chameleon. Be sure that any collection area you choose to use is 100% pesticide free. If you have any doubt about the status of an area, do not collect insects from this area and it is always better to be safe than sorry. Knowing which insects in your area are toxic should also be a priority.

I think mantids are a great prey item too because chams seem to love them and enjoy them in the wild as well. My experience is limited to chinese mantids, and I haven't raised them to a large size, just fed off the nymphs. One egg sac may produce 400 nymphs, how awesome is that! Which species have you used? Any insight is appreciated.

>> Which species have you used? Any insight is appreciated.
I've only used the garden variety Chinese Mantids as prey items. The other more exotic mantids are just too expensive and hard to come by to use as prey items.

As Carlton alluded to, mantids are not as economical to use as other insects. Being that they are predators themselves, you do have to provide prey items for your prey items, LOL. I start them off on larger fruit flies, then feed larger prey items as they grow.
It is more work, but keeping Mantids is fun (least I think so).
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Victor Gomez
gomezvi@yahoo.com

I just ordered another set of chinese mantid oothecas(egg cases for those not mantid savy). I'll try raising some to a larger size this time instead of just feeding them off asap. I'm gonna have mantids up to my ears because I found a cheap seller on ebay. 15 oothecas each containing 50-400 mantids for just $18. Normally they sell 1 for $5-$15. I've read you can refrigerate the ooths until you are ready for them to hatch, but I've never tried it and don't know for how long you can keep them in the fridge. Any info. would be appreciated. I'm sure there is no way I'll use 750-6000 of them in time and I never offer the same prey for more than a week anyhow.

Copy and Paste this in your browser to see a cool photo of a wild panther in madagascar eating a mantis:
http://www.alamy.com/stock_photography/6/1/Kevin Schafer/AMPBXB.html

Talk about biting off more than you can chew! I wonder if this little guy ever managed to swallow it.