Feeder Insects in Canada

Bunn

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 5, 2017
Messages
5
So, I feed my small (but steadily growing) collection of T's crickets, but I hate the damn things. Roaches are super illegal, and I'm at a loss. Is there any other insect that I can rear and toss to my babies, or am I stuck with the spawns from hell? I reside in Ontario, so the bylaws here are already stricter, and the last thing I want to do is get anyone in any form of trouble.
 

athlete96

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 23, 2017
Messages
78
I feed mealworms cut up for little slings, and I've also fed black soldier fly larvae.

Also in ON. God damn the fact we can't have dubias.
 

Gossamer

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 9, 2017
Messages
34
I absolutely hate crickets too, but we don't have much variety here that's readily available. Like others said, meal worms or superworms. Except I hear that supers are fattier, so guess I have to incorporate crickets into their diet anyway.

I'm also in ON
 

StampFan

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jul 12, 2017
Messages
756
So, I feed my small (but steadily growing) collection of T's crickets, but I hate the damn things. Roaches are super illegal, and I'm at a loss. Is there any other insect that I can rear and toss to my babies, or am I stuck with the spawns from hell? I reside in Ontario, so the bylaws here are already stricter, and the last thing I want to do is get anyone in any form of trouble.
Waxworms are pretty readily available and a lot less work than crickets.
 

Bunn

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 5, 2017
Messages
5
*deep sigh* I guess I'll be mixing it up with worms.. And crickets. I'm looking to start a breeding colony to save myself a couple bucks here and there (for more spiders, obviously), but everything I've read about crickets makes me want to curl in a hole and die.
 

Mila

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 7, 2017
Messages
169
crickets are easy to breed im not sure why they get a bad wrap minus the smell. just need a large tub (you want a tall one so they dont jump out whenever you open it to feed them or harvest) and then provide containers of a soil substrate with mesh over the top that you can spray. it works best to cut out the lid so you just have the frame of the lid then hot glue the mesh on top. the crickets will deposit the eggs into the substrate and then when they hatch you can swap out the containers and harvest the micro crickets are put them into a seperate container and raise them until theyre sub adults.
 

Bunn

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 5, 2017
Messages
5
The smell is what gets to me. That, and they are a lot of work. I have a lot of animals that require daily upkeep, so I'd prefer something that requires a little less maintenance, but I do like the idea of knowing what I am feeding my spiders from the moment their feeders are born.
 

Mila

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 7, 2017
Messages
169
if you keep the crickets on a mesh bottom then their poo will fall through and is easy to remove. i saw a setup before where the poo fell into water which masked the smell. i used to breed rats by the hundred every week and crickets are nothing compared to that smell.
 

Bunn

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 5, 2017
Messages
5
Ohhh. The mesh is a good idea! I've just recently gotten into spiders, so my area of comfort an expertise is with snakes, so thank you very much for the advice!
 

Chuckmater

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 11, 2016
Messages
24
So, I feed my small (but steadily growing) collection of T's crickets, but I hate the damn things. Roaches are super illegal, and I'm at a loss. Is there any other insect that I can rear and toss to my babies, or am I stuck with the spawns from hell? I reside in Ontario, so the bylaws here are already stricter, and the last thing I want to do is get anyone in any form of trouble.
I'm also from Ontario and yeah, crickets and super worms are just about the only options we have. Hornworms are pretty cool I guess. Once, I went and bought a small lizard at PetSmart and fed it to my P. Formosa....that was quite the treat for her!
 
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Bunn

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 5, 2017
Messages
5
I don't have anything that would be big enough to eat a lizard yet haha. But hopefully my L.para will get there c: Fingers crossed it's a female!
 

darkness975

Latrodectus
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Messages
5,610
Not sure what people are feeding their crickets or how wet they are keeping their enclosure but I don't have issues with smell.
 

Georgia B

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 3, 2017
Messages
64
So, I feed my small (but steadily growing) collection of T's crickets, but I hate the damn things. Roaches are super illegal, and I'm at a loss. Is there any other insect that I can rear and toss to my babies, or am I stuck with the spawns from hell? I reside in Ontario, so the bylaws here are already stricter, and the last thing I want to do is get anyone in any form of trouble.
This would be a good question to post in the Canadian specific forum. Actually I’m sure you wouldn’t have a problem finding many similar threads there since we all have the same problem...but no different answers...
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
2,423
This would be a good question to post in the Canadian specific forum. Actually I’m sure you wouldn’t have a problem finding many similar threads there since we all have the same problem...but no different answers...
Harley is new to the forum and probably doesn't know that a Canada specific forum exists. You have to ask for permission to have access to it. @Bunn, you should probably do that if you want to keep up to speed on Canada specific information and events.
 

Bunn

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 5, 2017
Messages
5
I have put in a request. Thank you, Vanessa. Also, no need to worry about me potentially illegally shipping in roaches. I have no interest in them due to the federal laws surrounding them. I was just seeing if there were other options that weren't crickets.
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
2,423
Also, no need to worry about me potentially illegally shipping in roaches. I have no interest in them due to the federal laws surrounding them. I was just seeing if there were other options that weren't crickets.
I'm not worried about you specifically. I know that you have access to that information outside of this forum and we might have already had this conversation. However, there could be people who do a search on this topic and are not aware of the potential ramifications of importing a controlled and/or prohibited species.
There have been plenty of conversations already surrounding importing live animals without the proper permits. That is where the term 'brown boxing' comes in and it is not something that is encouraged on this forum. A well known dealer in the United States was caught doing it a few years back and everyone involved suffered very serious consequences.
That doesn't stop these yahoos who think that just because people do it, and sometimes even get away with it, that it is acceptable. It's not. Those laws are in place for good reason, but there are still those who are unable to grasp that.
 

Bunn

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 5, 2017
Messages
5
I'm not worried about you specifically. I know that you have access to that information outside of this forum and we might have already had this conversation. However, there could be people who do a search on this topic and are not aware of the potential ramifications of importing a controlled and/or prohibited species.
There have been plenty of conversations already surrounding importing live animals without the proper permits. That is where the term 'brown boxing' comes in and it is not something that is encouraged on this forum. A well known dealer in the United States was caught doing it a few years back and everyone involved suffered very serious consequences.
That doesn't stop these yahoos who think that just because people do it, and sometimes even get away with it, that it is acceptable. It's not. Those laws are in place for good reason, but there are still those who are unable to grasp that.
Touche. We have had this conversation before, and I go out of my way to make sure to avoid anyone who has roaches. I have no interest in brown boxing the community, but my fingers and toes are still crossed that they will maybe unban dubias for the consumption of reptiles.. It's a longshot though haha.
 

Hiruma26

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 12, 2017
Messages
37
Touche. We have had this conversation before, and I go out of my way to make sure to avoid anyone who has roaches. I have no interest in brown boxing the community, but my fingers and toes are still crossed that they will maybe unban dubias for the consumption of reptiles.. It's a longshot though haha.
You really wanna feed them roaches eh? Lol
 
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