Notes on Crickets
Brown & Black crickets of the appropriate
size for the animal are suitable for most lizards,
some amphibians,
inverts
& insect eating snakes such as the Rough Green
Snake Opheodrys aestivus. Black crickets are
more suited to animals that are kept in a high
humidity
environment
as they cope with this better than the browns.
Crickets should be removed from their "cricket tub" into
a larger escape proof container that is well ventilated.
This serves two purposes, the
crickets will last longer and also Black crickets
and some large Browns have been known to chew there
way through the tubs that they are sold in. Crickets
do best at room temperature. As crickets are territorial,
and will fight and kill one another, it is a good
idea to provide plenty of shelter. An excellent choice
would be egg boxes, apart from providing hiding places,
the egg box can be lifted out complete with crickets
which can be shook into a plastic bag, ready to start
feeding your pets.
Crickets should be fed regularly with highly nutritious
foods such as a mixture of porridge oats and bran,
fresh fruit and vegetables or one of the commercially
produced cricket foods. Water/moisture is a must
especially for micro/small crickets that have a tendency
to dehydrate very quickly, so either a shallow container
with a ball of wet cotton wool must be provided or
high water content foods such as orange segments,
potato slices should be offered regularly.
Nutritional Content of
Crickets
Moisture: 69.07%
Fat, 6.01 %
Protein: 20.27%
Fiber: 3.2 %
Notes on Locusts
Slower moving than crickets Locusts are ideal for slower
moving creatures, many Chameleons like Locusts
as part of there diet. Locusts should also ideally
be moved from there "cricket tub" and placed in a suitable container.
If they are to be kept for extended periods of time, you will have to give
them supplementary heat, unlike crickets they require above room temperatures,
ideally between 90-95 degrees fahrenheit. Being desert insects they do not
require water, high humidity will kill them. Any moisture they need will
be absorbed through the food you give them. Locusts are herbivores, so a
diet of fruit and vegetables and bran can be offered. Locusts of all sizes
are great jumpers, it is only the adults that have wings are able to fly.
Notes on Mealworms
Mealworms are the larvae of the darkling beetle,
they stay at this stage for approx three months they
then pupate, this lasts approx two weeks before little
beige coloured beetles emerge, within two days these
turn dark brown and eventually black.
Mealworms can be offered to vary your pets diet, and
most will relish them. They can also be used to feed
wild birds in the winter months.
Remove the mealworms from there packaging and place in
a shallow dish that is filled with bran or rolled oats,
a cat litter tray is ideal. Mealworms will feed on the
bran, as they grow they shed there skins like reptiles/inverts
do. You might want to put a piece of fruit or raw potato
in one corner of the container, so as they have a form
of moisture should require it. Mealworms can be kept
in the refrigerator to slow down the pupae stage, but
at this temperature they will not eat, it is better to
keep them at room temperature as they will be more nutritious
to your animals with a gut full of food.
Nutritional Content of Mealworms
Moisture: 62.44%
Fat: 12.72%
Protein: 20.27%
Fiber: 1.73%
Notes on Wax worms
A great favorite with many reptiles/amphibians
etc.Wax worms are the laval stage of the Wax Moth.
Wax worms can be refrigerated this keeps them in
a hibernated state. Leave them in the containers you
brought them in, no additional substrate or food is
needed, as they are packed in a mixture of bran & honey.
If kept cold wax worms will remain dormant until you
feed
them
to
your pet.On returning to room temperature they become
active again. Wax
worms have a soft exoskeleton making them very nutritious,
easily digested and a
great source of protein,
moisture and fat, especially useful food item for feeding
to females that have just laid eggs/gave birth and
to convalescing animals.
Nutritional Content of Wax Worms
Moisture: 61.73%
Fat: 22.19%
Protein: 15.70%
Fiber: 7.69%
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