Has anyone tried breeding black field crickets as a food source for pets? I caught around 40-50 this summer and am trying to starting a colony. I plan on using them to feed my two grey tree frogs, curly hair tarantula, leopard gecko, and various other critters that I keep from time to time.
It could work, but I wouldn't recommend it. Wild caught crickets and such could carry parasites, pesticides, diseases, and other things that could harm your pets.
It really wouldn't cost that much to buy a hundered or so to start a colony--I originally wanted to do this but, well, for me it was too much work to be worth it, so now I have a nice dubia colony going.
I've heard dubias have a better nutritional content. My lizard catches them easier too. They don't chirp, which my son appreciates (I like their songs but don't like my sons' complaining).
I have plants and stuff in with my frogs, if I used dubias would they hide in it all the time? Also, can they squeeze out of the small crack where the door meets the wall?
For me a feeding bowl is a must for Dubias. You can't just dump them in or they hide real well. With monitors a deep glass bowl works well that they cannot climb out of. It takes some trial and error to come up with a system that works though. I had the issue of their tail going in the bowl and the roaches would climb out of the bowl up it. It's very worthwhile to figure something out. Perhaps a separate bin for feeding?
Hmmm. I think it would be hard to move the frogs every time I need to feed them. Maybe a dish would work out.
I hand feed my Water Dragon Dubias. He'll take them right off my finger tip or I just hold a small piece of egg carton up to him and he picks them off
I just got my frogs back in July and they are still scared of me, my leopard gecko will take food from forceps and I think I could just toss dubias in with my tarantula as there isn't really anywhere to hide in her cage. Are the dubias fast runners?
I don't recommend it. Parasites are no joke. I highly recommend dubias. Best source is Home - Discount Dubias