Reptile & Amphibian Forums

well, that's what we always called them...they're those huge mosquitos you see buzzing around that scare the crap out of you when you open your garage door...orange-y colored...are they ok to feed to a cham?

Hopefully I did the picture thing correct, and you're seeing what looks like a giant mosquito. This is a crane fly.
Adult crane flies do not bite, suck blood, or pinch. They don't hunt mosquitos (sometimes called mosquito hawks), nor do they fly off with young children. As far as I know, Adult crane flies have no mouth parts, as they do NOT eat. Their only function is to mate and die.
No, I don't think they would make food for your chameleon. Not much nutrition in them. They might serve as good appetite stimulants, but only if you're sure they are not laden with pesticides or other chemicals.
Hope this helps!

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

haha! NJ Mosquito? You New Yorker, you!

I agree with Victor, they would offer minimal nutrition - they're all legs! They are very nice, docile insects

Of course Victor and I are the ones who turn our feeder roaches into pets - LOL!
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica the j sisters were sent to freedom last month
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia (MIA
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

lol...roaches do kinda grow on ya...never thought i'd say that..anyway, i gave him one of those jersery mosquitos and he perked right up and ran (if you can call it running) and gobbled it up...i'll chuck one in once in awhile, he looked so excited to see it.

thanks for the pic and the info gomezi but i still think they could carry away a small child or at least suck out all their blood..hehehe

I'm on the south end of the West Coast, don't have this problem, but I hear your part of the world is about to be invaded by the X Brood of 17 year cicada (wish I was there!!! ).
If your chameleon is big enough you can offer freshly molted cicadas. I wouldn't try the fully formed ones, as I hear the exoskeleton is too tough for chameleons (maybe Bearded Dragons or monitors, anyone know?).
Anyways, happy bug hunting, and steer clear of sprayed areas!!!
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Victor Gomez
gomezvi.tripod.com/sdchamkeepers/
gomezvi@yahoo.com

according to the NWF they aren't up in New England or even NY! I thought they were all over the Northeast - bummer. we have others but not the 17 year ones
Cicada map

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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica the j sisters were sent to freedom last month
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia (MIA
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

i've only noticed the ones that look like cat poop with wings...they scare the crap out of me and whenever i'm in the pool they are sitting on leaves watching me!!...they fly a hundred miles and hour and then purposely crash into the side of your head

you crack me up! What a scaredy-cat you are! LOL!!!!

>>i've only noticed the ones that look like cat poop with wings...they scare the crap out of me and whenever i'm in the pool they are sitting on leaves watching me!!...they fly a hundred miles and hour and then purposely crash into the side of your head
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica the j sisters were sent to freedom last month
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia (MIA
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

ohhhhh you have no idea...the worst possible scenario is "bee in car"...if your in a car with me and you see a bee you had better keep it under your hat or i'll spaz out and cause a 20 car pile up

yup....i've been hearing alot of the cicada talk lately...not sure if thats something to get too excited about though...they're kinda scary looking