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Well in the upcoming summer we (my area, northern ky) is having a gigantic cicada attack, where millions come out and breed, where you cannot walk one step without stepping on one. lol. Anyone else looking forward to this? (Egggh! i can imagine: *step**CRUNCH**step**CRUNCH**step**CRRRRUUUUUNNNCH*
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David - KDRKreatures

1.3 Bearded dragons (Ralph, Artemis, Cheech, Anna Nicole)
2.2 Eastern Box Turtles (Snappy, Mercuria, Gizmo, Galapago)
1.0 Ball Python (Carson)
0.0.8 Red Eared Sliders
0.1 Timneh African Grey (Roxy)

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Well in the upcoming summer we (my area, northern ky) is having a gigantic cicada attack, where millions come out and breed, where you cannot walk one step without stepping on one. lol. Anyone else looking forward to this? (Egggh! i can imagine: *step**CRUNCH**step**CRUNCH**step**CRRRRUUUUUNNNCH*

Well ill stop beeing mental for a second and ask the question: Can beardies eat cicadas? Are they good for them? i know they might have a chitinous shell but otherwise...??Can they be given as a treat? I was just wondering because i mean, why let them die out there if i can have them die before the gigantic jaws of a beardie?!? !
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David - KDRKreatures

1.3 Bearded dragons (Ralph, Artemis, Cheech, Anna Nicole)
2.2 Eastern Box Turtles (Snappy, Mercuria, Gizmo, Galapago)
1.0 Ball Python (Carson)
0.0.8 Red Eared Sliders
0.1 Timneh African Grey (Roxy)

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i think that would be one of the big issues, you don't know where they have been/touched/eaten

what about the ones digging out of my yard...that has not been sprayed..if i got them before they began flying around..then ? im not looking for soemone to tell me to not feed them "outside insects" because i just want to know if they can be used or if they contain a sort of toxin or anytihng. But thanks for the heads up, i will make sure i watch for that.
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David - KDRKreatures

1.3 Bearded dragons (Ralph, Artemis, Cheech, Anna Nicole)
2.2 Eastern Box Turtles (Snappy, Mercuria, Gizmo, Galapago)
1.0 Ball Python (Carson)
0.0.8 Red Eared Sliders
0.1 Timneh African Grey (Roxy)

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I have no idea if they are toxic, haven't heard anything about it. But, have you seen any birds eating them? Birds seem to know instinctively if something is nasty or poisonous.
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www.classylizard.com

I have seen cardinals eating them and bluejays too.

yea, here in north carolina, theres big old wasps called cicada killers that you can watch take down one of them at a time.

It's weird because it causes no pain, just numbness and swelling. A welcome surprise for a sting from such a large wasp.
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Who is like Set...

1.1 Vietnamese Blue Beauties
2.2 Taiwan Beauties
2.3 Cave Beauties
0.1 Bull Snake
1.0.0 Argentine Blk & Wht Tegu
2.5 Box Turtles

It's not just what the winged bugs are eating, it's what the larvae have eaten before they went underground. And while I do agree that birds tend to know what's good or bad, they did eat insects with DDT back when it was sprayed here in the U.S. (They still get it since most migrate to Central and South America, where DDT is still liberally applied). If your city/county does city/county wide gypsy moth spraying, then I'd say do NOT feed them. The toxins for those critters will be in the cicadas too.

I'd love to harvest the hoards of tent caterpillars around here, but I don't dare. There may not be enough poison to kill each insect, but it'll accumulate in my dragon to leathal/infertile levels.

Interesting idea to ask about, your call of course. I'm just paranoid about feeding wild food. My last dragon, Orion, got a hold of a wild critter and contracted a wild version of coccidia. It killed him by destroying his liver and kidneys. It was horrible.
Siri

i don't know about beardies and cicadas, but i've read numerous books that say copperheads love them... maybe the copperhead population will spike... ha

Cicadas are edible. Many animals will gorge on this special treat when the big brood emerges. Even people eat them on occasion. I would say a snack as large as a cicada should be reserved for adult dragons only and try to stick to the ones you find in your yard. Many will be clinging on the lower sections of trees within your reach after having just molted and not yet ready to fly. Those that are already flying tend to usually hang out at higher levels in the trees. The chances for pesticide poisoning is minimal even at a worst case scenario. there is no way anyone could hope to 'kill' the horde off by spraying (just too many to make it a worthwhile let alone workable solution for even a paranoid bug hating person...they'll be too busy just stomping the poor buggies). The cicadas are not dangerous or harmful pests. They don't bite or attack people (unless you consider one landing on you to be an 'attack'). They do very little damage and what damage they do cause is from females slitting the tips of tree limbs to deposit eggs. This is one of nature's way of 'trimming' trees so to speak.
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PHWyvern

Ewwww! Who would eat a nasty hard shelled bug like a cicada. I have heard that snakes (garters and copperheads),cats, dogs and birds (especially cardinals and bluejays) enjoy messing eith and eating cicadas. I think that they are nasty and all that the woodland (not periododical) cicadas do nothing but destroy the fruits i grow! i live in NJ and people have told me to feed them to my dumpy tree frog i think that they will hurt him. I see enough woodlands all summer long, let alone over a billion. My cat might like them (i have seen her attack woodlands), but still EWWWW! The chichichi noise will be unbearable!

I'm sure those guys will love it
1.3 Bearded dragons (Ralph, Artemis, Cheech, Anna Nicole)
2.2 Eastern Box Turtles (Snappy, Mercuria, Gizmo, Galapago)

Actually I am. I'm in Maryland, and we're expecting the same. I moved from New England, so this will be my first experience. I plan to save about $15 a month in free food for my geckoes. Are you planning to trap and feed too?

np
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David - KDRKreatures

1.3 Bearded dragons (Rocco, Artemis, Cheech, Anna Nicole)
2.2 Eastern Box Turtles (Snappy, Mercuria, Gizmo, Galapago)
1.0 Ball Python (Carson)
0.0.8 Red Eared Sliders

0.1 Timneh African Grey (Roxy)

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