Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone buy their fruit fly containers locally like at a store somewhere? I want to get some, but i have no clue where to look except online, and I'd like to go there myself and avoid the shipping. I've been using ball jars but they're getting really annoying. Any help would be appreciated

Kasey

If you're only needing a few containers a week, then I'd just go to a local deli and ask for enough to hold you for a few weeks. I used to do this and they usually charged me about 25-28 cents each.
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Randy

i would also look at some of the "dollar stores". they seem to have a bunch of cheap containers. i got some 32oz sized containers and lids for very cheap, as well as other larger ones to store FF medium and stuff.

I only have to make 4 cultures a week. My husband goes through the drive through a lot for large drinks. He brings it home with the lid and all, and I sterilize them in the dishwasher, lid and all. I use the nylon and the lid(it even already has a hole from the straw and 32-48 oz. plastic cups. its worked well like this for nearly a year. Or another source, depending on where you are, are resturant supply stores. In California there is Smart and Final and they have the 32 oz deli cups with the lid. The cups are a bigger saving IMO.

I purchase deli cups (32 oz) with lids from a wholesaler called Bruce Edmeades. I was buying from a local Loblaws.... but they directed me straight to the wholesaler, as it was kind of a pain in the a$$ for them to wrap up a sleeve of delis for me every week. Have a look in the yellow pages, and you may find a wholesaler of some sort in your area. They don't sell to you at the true wholesale price that they would to the supermarkets, but it is still a heck of a lot cheaper than buying from the supermarkets.
To make the lids "fly friendly," I cut a circle out of the lid with a hobby knife (it doesn't have to be perfect.. a square hole would work too), and I glue a circle cut out of a coffee filter onto it to make it flyproof using childrens glue. This keeps out the wild-type flies, and keeps the mutants and their larvae in. It has been working well for me so far... I just thought I'd share.
Good luck
Double J

It seems that after a while the disposable cups would get exspensive to me. I use quart size mason jars with coffee filters for lids. They work great and all I have to buy is the filters which are about $.99 for 300 or so. The case of jars run like $8 for 12. Anyway I am sure everyone is looking t convenience on the disposable deli cups but the money I save I can spend on NEW FROGS! Just my 2 cents.

TonyT

1.1 Azureus
1.2 Imitators M Wilson line
0.1 Mint Terribillis
1.0 Citronella
3.2 G&B Auratus C/R
2.2 Luecs
0.0.4 Oyapoks
0.0.4 Alanis
0.0.3 Yellow backs
0.0.4 Red Vitattus

See, that's exactly what I have been doing. But when the larvae stage comes along, there are so many larvae, that they eat through the coffee filter, and it makes a mess!! they get all over the place and it's just not fun at all. So i was thinking i'd try something else. I'm too lazy also cuz i have like 15 jars sitting in the corner that are from past cultures that i still haven't washed out haha

I guess I'm the oddball here. I recycle my 24oz sports water bottles and they work great. I use only a quarter cup of the culture and I cover the tops with pieces of panty hose and a rubber band. I've been doing this since August and have had very good results, not to mention the ease of tapping the flies out. It's not my idea originally - I found it elsewhere on the web, but it works.

good luck!
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Kristi
************
Azureus
Cobalts
Powderblues
Galactonotus
Leucomelus
Dwarf French Guianas
Turquoise Bronze Auratus
Kalhua Cream Auratus

I've got about a 100 pdf's and find that more of my time is spent rearing the food source than the frogs! My deli cups come from a local restarant distributor...Exacto knife cuts a simple shape in the lids for air transfer.
I don't recommend the coffee liner as they tend to fall apart when getting wet--the maggots crawl up the side and lodge on the liner, which then "rots" away. I send my wife to the local craft store for sheer fabric...always ask if there's remnants already cut as its cheaper. I cut these sheets into appropriately sized squares and dispose of them each time I clean a batch of cups. I do not dispose of the cup at each change--just soak in hot water with a little bleach.

Go to superior enterprises and buy a case of insect containers. It is like $61 with free shipping for 240 of the 32oz containers. I personally use the 24 oz ones for space reasons, and they seem to work just fine. When you try to make the lids yourself something always goes wrong and flies get out, or it gets too dry or stays to moist. Trust me you really won't save much if any money anyways. I buy the 24 oz cups in cases of 240, which last me about 3 months, and they end up being 23 cents a piece. If you want a good recipe for fly media, I have that too. I am all about saving some money. I am a teacher and with my income I needed to find a cheaper way to keep everything happy. I have got my costs down to about 8 bucks a week including 20 cups and the media to fill them. This keeps 26 frogs going with plenty to spare.
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1.1.3 D. azureus
0.0.8 P. bicolor
0.0.7 D. auratus (polka-dot)
0.0.3 D. auratus (blue)
0.0.3 D. auratus (kahlua and cream)

Shannon

What is your fruit fly recipe?

n/p