Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm just going to say it. There is no way I am gonna culture fruit flies in my house. I know its easy..but I just can't have them escaping. I will give them the occasional snack of FF's when I order one from a pet store every few months...but I just wanted to make sure crickets would be a good staple.

I have 1000 3week old crickets right now for my 3 month old veiled chameleon.

I really want to get 3-4 leucs in a 29gal tank and raise crickets. It does not sound difficult at all. Of course I will try to raise them before I get the frogs.

I just wanted to hear some input on how my leucs will do with only crickets, and maybe the occasional FFs or springtails. I am going to buy them as froglets, probably around 1".

I feed my crickets the dry food from cricketfood.com and also provide water and plenty of hiding spaces. I will probably have a separate breeding tank when I'm ready to raise them.

Is there anything I can give my crickets that would be better for darts? I think I heard I shoudl stay away from vit A because it is too acidic for my darts.
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1.0 Baby Sunburst Veiled Chameleon -- Dexter

I hate crickets. They are dirty, smelly, time consuming, full of chitin, etc.

Fruit flies are the way to go. Much easier, take up less space, cheaper to care for, etc.

In a 29 gallon, 3-4 leucs would be ok. Make sure the planting is dense and within 8-10 months you should get some nice calling.
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Josh Willard
www.joshsfrogs.com

Yeah, I know Josh. Fruit Flies would be great except that they can get out of the tank. I CAN'T HAVE MY FEEDERS GET OUT.

I know people say crickets will, but they won't. I have a chameleon and I'm very good about getting them in there w/o spilling any, etc.

Fruit Flies however can climb the glass and the glue and get out through the screening which the light sits on. I can't have fruitflies in my house..especially because I drink a lot of beer and wine, and YES the idea is gross to me and my roommates would kick me out.
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1.0 Baby Sunburst Veiled Chameleon -- Dexter

How much do the lights cover the screening?
the completly wingless variety of flies that i've fed to my luecs always seem to have trouble climbing glass, or even the plastic container's that they're in.
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1.0.0 C. cranwelli
0.0.1 C. cranwelli x cornuta
1.0.0 yellow C. cornuta
0.0.2 green C. cornuta
1.1.0 Bufo regularis
1.0.1 D. leucomelas
0.0.2 P. Terribilis

Well what I am planning to have is a lid cut out of plexi to cover the whole tank. Then hte front half I will add hinges so it will swing up, and I will cut out a rectangle in the back. Then i will cover this rectangle with screening. Then I will have the UV light on the screening, so the UVA and UVB rays can get through.

I've just heard from everyone that you will have many escapes no matter waht, and you juste have to get used to flies around your house and in your drinks. This is unacceptable to me because I have roommates taht woudl hate me for this. I am plannig to breed crickets, so I should have pinheads around regularly to feed my leucs.

I'm just afraid even the wingless woudl climb up the 20 gallon long tank up the glue that holds it together on the sides...and then climb through the screen and into the light and get out.
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1.0 Baby Sunburst Veiled Chameleon -- Dexter

I'm not sure this woould work for fruitflies, but I know of people that put a ring of vasoline around the top of their tanks to keep crickets and roaches from escaping....
Anyone try this for their fruitflies?