Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi! I was thinking of getting some house flies for my baby panther chameleons. Can you culture them like fruit flies, or can you only get 1 generation out of each order. My panthers don't seem to like the meal worms I got them, and I am starting to run low on crickets. I don't want to try silkies right now because I have had multiple bad experiences with them in the past, and I think that the flies would be an atractive food source for my panthers. Also anyone who knows any good sources for buying them or links on their (the flies) care would be greatly apreciated. Thanks in advance to all who reply!

I have bought HOUSE FLIES from american cricket ranch.

http://www.americancricketranch.com

My Jackson's werent too keen on the flies so I stopped getting them.
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Raf

1.2 Jacksons Adults (Frank, Patty, Lucille)
0.0.1 Jackson's baby (George, the only survivor)
0.1 Adult Sulcatta (POOPIE,I bought it from Victor at Kobey's in SD)
0.0.2 Baby Sulcattas (frick and frack)
1.0 Home's Hingeback Tortoise (SPEEDY, From Victor as well)
1.2 Red ear slider babies (Hingis, Dingis and Dorkus)
1.0 Red Siberian Husky (Harley)
0.1 Black Lab (Krissy)
0.1 English Bulldog (Alice)
0.1 Blue Merle Great Dane (Wednesday)
Saltwater Fish and Inverts too

With house flies, you do only get one generation out of an order unless you breed them, which it seems to me is kinda tricky. I'll include a link at the bottom. Also, when you buy flies, they don't last as long as most feeders, and at room temperature, expect them to last only a few days in the container they come in. You can keep them in the fridge either as a fly (1 week max) or as a pupa (2 weeks max) for a little while and spread out the feedings a bit. Young chameleons love them. Just don't put too many in if the chameleons aren't eating them cause it's impossible to get them out or even open the door without some escaping. Here's that link:

http://www.adcham.com/html/insects/insects-fly-rearing.html

If you get it to work, explain the simple way to all of us I'm sure lots of people would like the easy method. I know I would.
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Tyler Stewart
Las Vegas NV

I don't know if I'd want to bother with culturing houseflies, especially when you can get them fairly cheap from Skipio. Try the link below.
I've ordered houseflies from them before. They ship them via first class mail, and there's no containers for them, so you'll have to get some deli cups if you go this route.
The major advantage is price: It will cost about $11.00 to have roughly 3000 (three thousand) fly pupae sent to you.
Good luck!
Skipio's house flies

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Victor Gomez
gomezvi.tripod.com/sdchamkeepers/
gomezvi@yahoo.com

Hi Victor,

I was going to order pupa from Skipio's. I read somewhere (his site?) that you can keep the pupa in the fridge for an extended period. What's your experience been?

lele

>>I don't know if I'd want to bother with culturing houseflies, especially when you can get them fairly cheap from Skipio. Try the link below.
>>I've ordered houseflies from them before. They ship them via first class mail, and there's no containers for them, so you'll have to get some deli cups if you go this route.
>>The major advantage is price: It will cost about $11.00 to have roughly 3000 (three thousand) fly pupae sent to you.
>>Good luck!
>>Skipio's house flies
>>
>>-----
>>Victor Gomez
>>gomezvi.tripod.com/sdchamkeepers/
>>gomezvi@yahoo.com
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & no name
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & no name

Hi Lele;
The guy at Skipio claims that you can keep pupae up to one month in the fridge. I've personally had success up to 3 weeks, but there is a marked increase in 'die-off' the longer the pupae are kept in the fridge.
I also know from first hand experience that some of the bigger house fly distributor keep hatched flies in the fridge, up to 2 weeks.
If you want to keep on the safe side, I would suggest keeping your pupae no longer than 2 weeks in the fridge, then bring them out and allow to hatch into flies. You can then keep your hatched flies in the fridge for another week.
Altogether, this gives you about 3 weeks shelf life for the house flies.
On the subject of my experience with Skipio: keep in mind that Skipio deals with flies as bird food. They're more used to selling pupae several ounces at a time (each ounce is about 2000 house pupae). The way they're shipped, you do get a number of them that are squished, but the sheer number you get makes up for this loss. Also, the pupae are shipped in a little cloth bag- you have to provide your own containers. I reccommend deli cups with sections of egg crate and some pine shavings for substrate.
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Victor Gomez
gomezvi.tripod.com/sdchamkeepers/
gomezvi@yahoo.com