Folks, lets keep the vendor feedback in that particular forum. It's more search-able that way too.
Dr. A. I kinda remember that huge thread on DFz about that specific feeder insect - Soldier fly larvae. Although it is a commonly available feeder ( sold at all Reptile Shows), I think that dart frogs are not "designed" to handle (eat) a "grub-like" prey item. I may be wrong here and that insect species as well as your vendor experience are both worthy of continued threads / postings, IMO.
I agree with this message. Really good information...
Philsuma Wrote:Termites are only offered by a few people and then, only seasonally and occasionally.
Not that they are really $$, but most people do not culture them for a variety of reasons. The ones harvested from the wild - you have to be careful of as well (disease).
You should place an ad in the "Wanted" section of the Marketplace here.
Hello! Im back and thought I would start by sharing some experiments I am trying with some new feeders.
A friend of mine brought me some beans from a tree his parents had in Vegas. Not sure on the name of the tree...
Anyways, the beans are infested with small beetles, Chrysomelids, more specifically Bruchids. We are working on a species ID, though this is not as easy as it sounds with this subfamily.
They are slightly smaller then the common bean beetle (Callosobruchus maculatus) we see in the hobby currently. They are lighter in color and have small hair particles on the underside, likely making them great for holding supplement powders for feeding.
Currently we are hatching the beetles and attempting to get them to lay their eggs on a more common culturing media, black eyed peas. The hopes is that the larvae will accept the new beans and will be as easily cultured and their kin.
A few pics will come in the future, maybe in its own thread.
Wish us luck!!!
Its awesome being able to mix my love for Entomology with my love for Darts. 8)
We are also working on some new Isopod sp, found locally. They have a purple hue, with some orange in them, not like the 'Purples' we currently have. Also working on several species of springtails, including a ridiculously purple, almost blue species.
This one is going to be a shocker: We are even working on a pseudoscorpion species. This species is about the size of a meaty termite. Being a pseudoscorpion it has no tail or venom. It feeds on springtails only so culturing food for them is easy. 'Pinchers' are only small enough to grab springtails, so basically its impossible for it to harm frogs of any size, though its would be a feeder to 6 months or older frogs. The ants they eat in the wild are more vicious
The down side to all of this is the fact that everything is temperate and not tropical, so 'seeding' isnt an option, but feeding is. Right now the most promising are the Bruchids, and the isopods. The others are going to take some time to really figure out life cycles and various needs, and if culturing will result in large enough populations to feed from.
Oh and for anyone who might be concerned about nutrition, the beetles and pseudos are high it protein, the pseudos will have fat also, which is good for breeding season, and the isos are great for calcium. These potential feeders are meant to add variation to Dart diets but not intended to replace a staple diet of FF's...
You may want to be very careful advertising asking for or selling across state lines...
Oh good point. I always forget that detail, and I should know better being so involved in the Entomology Hobby. I'll attempt to edit the post or have Phil edit that part out.
Iv been really interested in pea aphids for some time.
Anyone know a good place to order them. I have read they can be boom or bust as far as culturing them goes but i would really like to try and keep some for alternative feeders.
Not sure exactly where to get them, but I do know that Acyrthosiphon pisum LOVE alfalfa. I have never tried culturing Aphids.
I would worry that they would find a niche in my vivarium and devastate some of my plants...
I've looked into them and I think the general consensus was they were too high maintenance to culture long term.
If your daily staple food is not fruit flies, you are bound for trouble.
Roaches?...not good to feed
Mealworms, soldier flies, phoenix words?...not good to feed
Crickets?...unless tiny pinheads, and even then, flies are better for many reasons.
Termites?...only use as a snack or a couple times a year. Frogs will gorge on them and stuff themselves to death.
Fruit flies are the staple. If you cannot or will not provide them, dusted, on a regular dally basis, then you are looking at not doing well in the hobby and most likely, dead frogs.
You left out springtails and isopods Phil. Also, aphids can be used as well
rcteem Wrote:You left out springtails and isopods Phil. Also, aphids can be used as well
They are on the first post.
IS ANYONE recommending roaches as a feeder ?
If so, please elaborate on why and how.
You will not get crucified. I just need to wrap my head around introducing such a possible problem feeder insect not to mention that I don't believe that dart frogs eat them in the wild often.