Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I plan on having only one (two tops) geckoes and i wondered if instead of raising the bugs myself i just bought them since i dont really know the cost i wondered if it would ruin me!? i thought about raising them i wouldnt mind but lets face it i dont think my mom would be to thrilled of me raising bugs in the house.

>>I plan on having only one (two tops) geckoes and i wondered if instead of raising the bugs myself i just bought them since i dont really know the cost i wondered if it would ruin me!? i thought about raising them i wouldnt mind but lets face it i dont think my mom would be to thrilled of me raising bugs in the house.

Bug eaters are THE MOST EXPENSIVE pets to feed. Sorry, I could have told you that.

Look at it this way. I have available locally a couple of pet stores that sell crix and mealies and waxies at 7cents each to 9cents each. If I buy them by the thousand it is less than 2 cents each except for waxies with is like 4 cents each. I can keep anything but the waxies alive for months. I have my bins set so I don't lose crix or mealies. So I can order in 4 boxes of various, get good shipping (especially going in on a shipment with others) and still save a lot over buying locally. I also raise my own tiny crix....for the salamanders and I let the mealies and waxies do what they will. I actually, out of neglect, got a box of waxies to breed. I have lobster and hisser roaches too and they breed great and I am feeding off babies, which my leos LOVE. But most folks REALLY don't want roaches in the house.
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Sonya

The smell or space a bin of breeding mealies take up is just about the same as a bin you would keep the mealies you buy from the pet store in, except you'll never have to buy them after the first generation. We have more then enough to feed our three geckos, with LOTS left over. Search the forum for lots of info.
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The Classroom Zoo is...
1:2 leopard geckos, R.I.P. Rosie
1:0 Jackson's Chameleon
1:0 Veiled Chameleon
1:1 Bearded Dragons
0:1 Florida Kingsnake
0:1 White's Tree Frog
Hairless Mice, Roaches, Mealies, and Supers...

Find Me At Virtual Homestead

Retail, a 100 count cup of mealworms is about $2, 50 count cup of waxworms is about $5, and crickets are 5-7 cents each. With only one or two geckos, a 100 count cup of mealworms will last you about 3 weeks. Waxworms and crickets can be given intermittently.

Also, you need to figure in the cost of calcium/vitamin/mineral supplements. A small bottle or jar will be 5-12 dollars but will last several months.

You can order mealworms, crickets, etc. online but with only one or two leos, it doesn't make much sense to buy in such large quantities.

To reduce your expenses, you can easily breed your own mealworms. Just put a couple hundred mealworms in a batch of bedding. Oatmeal (non-quick rolled oats), powdered milk, rice and barley baby cerial, etc. all make good bedding material. I always use a combination to give them some variety. You'll also need to put a sliver of carrot, potatoe, apple, etc. in to provide some moisture.

The mealworms will turn into beetles and the beetles will lay a couple hundred eggs per female. In a week or two, you'll start to see tiny mealworms in your box.

If you need more information about mealworm breeding, there are instructions all over the internet. Good luck!!