# Weevil breeding? For feeding use(other animals)



## SandDeku (Apr 18, 2011)

Okay guys. So I am trying to find insects I can use to feed small toadlets(they aren't toadlets yet... but rather have this going). Would you guys know if weevils are safe to feed to toadlets? Are they easy to breed?


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## The Collector (Apr 18, 2011)

SandDeku said:


> Okay guys. So I am trying to find insects I can use to feed small toadlets(they aren't toadlets yet... but rather have this going). Would you guys know if weevils are safe to feed to toadlets? Are they easy to breed?


They are... dart frog people love 'em. I bet they have several species for sale on their forum.


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## ZephAmp (Apr 18, 2011)

Bean weevils are good food for some small amphibians. They have an odd shape that makes them less appetizing to some species, though. Flour beetles are usually a good alternative but even then most species will take fruit flies over them.


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## dtknow (Apr 18, 2011)

bean weevils will likely be too big for your toadlets. I'd reccomend looking into springtails. A large percentage of the diet of American toadlets in one study was mites-so we are talking tiny food here(you'll understand when you see how small they are when they leave the water).


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## SandDeku (Apr 19, 2011)

dtknow said:


> bean weevils will likely be too big for your toadlets. I'd reccomend looking into springtails. A large percentage of the diet of American toadlets in one study was mites-so we are talking tiny food here(you'll understand when you see how small they are when they leave the water).


I understand. But I can't seem to find any springtails. .... they're probably too small for me to see reguardless....
I don't have the best eye sight....


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## Roachfreak101 (Apr 19, 2011)

*bean weevils*

Actually bean weevils are among the easy'est live food to culture.
all you really need are the weevils and beans.
you take a standard size deli cup (one quart will do) fill the containers,
about 1 inch from the bottom with black eyed peas (really beans).
Or any other dry beans will do.
Add the adult weevils.
The adult will lay an egg on each bean, and when the larva hatch they,
will burrow into the bean and feed on the inside of the bean.
If you really want to take care of the adults (not really necesarry),
you can add a very small dish of sugar water to feed the adults.
As far as springtails goes, you can just add a scoop of them (from a culture) to the toadlets, cage and the toadlet would just feed at their leasure.
This way you dont have to worry about seeing individual springtails.
RoachFreak101


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## SandDeku (Apr 19, 2011)

Roachfreak101 said:


> Actually bean weevils are among the easy'est live food to culture.
> all you really need are the weevils and beans.
> you take a standard size deli cup (one quart will do) fill the containers,
> about 1 inch from the bottom with black eyed peas (really beans).
> ...


How will I know if the toadlets are feeding on the springtails? 

As for bean weevils-- how easy are they to breed? like how many eggs in total can they lay per week? 
toadlets must be fed once a day and the food must be strong with calcium, and vitamins and such.. 

I just got some woodlice yesterday. Hoping for them to breed. Theres onlike 10-12 of them in there. Iam hoping to catch more. I don't have a leaf litter in there yet. Hoping to get some soon--- as I been rather busy.  I did manage to get an egg carton, and I will get some toilet paper rolls and such.

Iam  hoping they can be fed to adult toads too. Since Iam going to aim for an extremely varied diet. Crickets would be mostly once a month for heavy dusting of vitamins and calcium. While Iam hoping to get:
1)Earthworms(main diet)
2)Woodlice(main diet)
3)Moths(Weekly food)
4)Crickets(monthly---for dusting of calcium and vitamins. I'm not a fan of crickets.... Well the ones for feeders that is.)
5)Roaches(MUST not resemble a roach, must not fly, must be small 2inch max.,  must not bite, etc.) Parents dislike roaches heavily. SOOO it must be something they will never think is a roach. They have a SEVERE hatred for roaches. But they're not that bright about insects.  So if it looks different, and doesn't fly they won't think its a roach and not pester me about it. 
6)Waxworms(treats--maybe monthly as well) and their adult counterparts. 
7)Mealworm beetles(Toads hate the pupae for some odd reason)


Iam hoping I can get these for breeding. Except the crickets. I just really really don't like crickets. lol. Well not all of them but mainly the ones sold for food purposes. They annoy me beyond reason---after one got loose and wouldn't shut up for a week till I found it and burnt it. :l

Roaches would have to be something small--but not something that won't fill up the toads. Something like 1-2inches perhaps. It cannot be a: 
1)Flier(flying insect)
2)Pest(if it gets loose it cannot be able to reproduce outside of the container) 
3)Bite/sting(cannot be harmful or aggressive)
4)Easy to buy online or in stores. 
5)Easy to breed.
6)looks nothing like a regular roach(think of german roaches, american roaches, etc.)
7)healthy to feed, etc.
8)Not an escape artist--atleast of an extreme.
------ 
I say that about the roaches because Iam pretty sure there are over a thousand species of roaches. So the chances of me finding a roach with those qualifications are pretty high. I'm pretty sure theres more than just over a thousand. But thats what Iam saying since I don't know much about em. There's a green roach that -may- be okay because to me it doesn't resemble too much of a roach. Its greenish color would throw it off as a beetle looking insect(to extremely ignorant people about insects). lol. 

Green banana roach I believe it is called. Though the wings seem to make me think its a flying insect. 
theres also
Formosan Sand Roach Unidentified polyphagid

Domino cockroach Therea petiveriana

Egyptian Desert Roach Polyphaga aegyptiaca

These are the ones I found from the site called allpet roaches.
They are the ones that to me don't make me wanna gag. So Iam pretty sure it will be just as well with my parents. You have to understand that were I come from--- roaches are our enemy. They invade our homes not just by one of them. But by the hundredth! They get in our food, defecate everywhere. Lay eggs just about everywhere. Transmit diseases, etc.  I don't live in that country anymore. But it made us very wary about roaches and certain insects. 

My mom was a nurse as well she is a neatfreak. Everything MUST be in tiptop shape. There cannot be any dirt anywhere(except my room---since I set limit for it lol).
Etc.


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## ZephAmp (Apr 19, 2011)

None of the species of roach that you listed will suit your list of needs. 
P. nivea fly, the Formosan sand roaches are tricky to breed, and the dominos and Egyptian sands take forever to grow and mature.

I would recommend _Pycnoscelus surinamensis_ or _Pycnoscelus femapterus_. P. surinamensis is an all-female species and the adults can climb, but the nymphs can't. They have a habit of "jumping" roach containers but all that's needed to keep them contained is a Vaseline barrier and a good lid. The easiest way to breed them is to use a tall deli cup filled half way with coconut fiber with a fabric-covered lid. You just add food to the top of the substrate and when it disappears, add more.
P. femapterus is smaller but only the adult males can climb. You can keep them the same way, only they like things a bit warmer.
**Also, both species vaguely resemble small beetles. The P. femapterus adult females look like rolly-pollies.





Adult female at top, adult male to the right of her, various nymphs underneath.


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## SandDeku (Apr 19, 2011)

ZephAmp said:


> None of the species of roach that you listed will suit your list of needs.
> P. nivea fly, the Formosan sand roaches are tricky to breed, and the dominos and Egyptian sands take forever to grow and mature.
> 
> I would recommend _Pycnoscelus surinamensis_ or _Pycnoscelus femapterus_. P. surinamensis is an all-female species and the adults can climb, but the nymphs can't. They have a habit of "jumping" roach containers but all that's needed to keep them contained is a Vaseline barrier and a good lid. The easiest way to breed them is to use a tall deli cup filled half way with coconut fiber with a fabric-covered lid. You just add food to the top of the substrate and when it disappears, add more.
> ...



You know the critter keepers? And things of the sort? Could they be kept in one that is extremely high and wide and long? 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...en&field-keywords=exo+terra+faunarium&x=0&y=0

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=pd_lpo_..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0D9A57X63VZ9PX1GJK91

Or a large tupperware? is it possible to stack the insect containers(pillbugs, roaches, worms, etc) on top of each other and store them inside an EXTREMELY large tupperware container that could hold them and drill small holes on the sides and top of the tupperware? the tupperware would be dark colored. So all the containers will be in a dark humid place. Iam thinking of putting the bottom of the large tupperware in a 2-3inch layer of water. To keep humidity up. This will also keep the temp nice and warm. Ill see if theres a heat pad thats warm but not going to damage the tupperware and actually keep the containers warm. lol. 

Is this a good idea?

As for the roaches--- how many offsprings will I get weekly? and the offsprings can they be in the same container? Do i have to touch the roaches by hand? lol. not a fan of that. Will they bite? Are they nutritious?


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## dtknow (Apr 19, 2011)

You want roaches in a container that provides ventilation without large holes. So definetly not critter keepers for the species mentioned-they will escape. 

Springtails are tiny-but it doesn't matter if you can't see them the toads can. If the toadlets remain plump-chances are they are eating. As I mentioned before-your toadlets are going to be too small to eat anything but springtail sized food items for at least a little while. 

You may also want to look into fruitflies and grindal/white worms as a food to feed the toadlets when they get a little bigger.

All the other foods you listed are only suitable for juvenile-adult toads.


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## Louise E. Rothstein (Apr 19, 2011)

Dear Sand Deku,

Sitting your breedery in even a few inches of water might make a mess if stagnating organic debris accumulates in that water.

On the other hand,"soiled" waters may be used as plant fertilizer:
I fertilize my house plants with my invertebrates' assistance.

Indoor waters shouldn't smell.
If yours do they can be sprinkled upon "hungry" plants outside:but if "fertilized" waters really smell terrible you had better dilute them first.

Or you might use a moist culturing medium to maintain humidity:
I do this for all of my invertebrates.

If you decide to culture yours in this way you will still be able to incorporate their frass into "manure tea" for your own or your friends' plants.

And you won't have to risk stagnant waters,waterlogged substrate,
drowning invertebrates,and unpleasant odors.


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## SandDeku (Apr 20, 2011)

dtknow said:


> You want roaches in a container that provides ventilation without large holes. So definetly not critter keepers for the species mentioned-they will escape.
> 
> Springtails are tiny-but it doesn't matter if you can't see them the toads can. If the toadlets remain plump-chances are they are eating. As I mentioned before-your toadlets are going to be too small to eat anything but springtail sized food items for at least a little while.
> 
> ...


Fruitflies won't feed newly formed toadlets? I thought they would. Since they're a milimeter long.

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Louise E. Rothstein said:


> Dear Sand Deku,
> 
> Sitting your breedery in even a few inches of water might make a mess if stagnating organic debris accumulates in that water.
> 
> ...


What moist culturing medium do you speak of? and what will it work with?


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## Pssh (Apr 22, 2011)

My suriname nymphs can climb! 

I have some very easy to culture springs as well as mites if you are interested.


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## SandDeku (Apr 22, 2011)

Pssh said:


> My suriname nymphs can climb!
> 
> I have some very easy to culture springs as well as mites if you are interested.


ok. someone offered a few already but ill keep them in mind.


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## LeilaNami (Apr 23, 2011)

If rice weevils are safe for the frogs, I would just go buy a bag of sticky rice from an Asian market.  (I find Thai rice tends to have weevils in it more often)  We got a bag and put all the rice (and weevils) in a sterilite tub.  They bred and bred and bred to the point we started getting color morphs. :}


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## SandDeku (Apr 23, 2011)

LeilaNami said:


> If rice weevils are safe for the frogs, I would just go buy a bag of sticky rice from an Asian market.  (I find Thai rice tends to have weevils in it more often)  We got a bag and put all the rice (and weevils) in a sterilite tub.  They bred and bred and bred to the point we started getting color morphs. :}


Don't know if they are safe or not to feed. I'm sure alot of things can be found in the asian market. xD I went there once. Disgusting conditions they keep the animals.


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## LeilaNami (Apr 23, 2011)

SandDeku said:


> Don't know if they are safe or not to feed. I'm sure alot of things can be found in the asian market. xD I went there once. Disgusting conditions they keep the animals.


You gotta find a good one.  I have one near me that, while it may smell very strongly of fish, is pretty clean.  I just think any grocery store that keeps live crustaceans keeps them in nasty conditions because they're food animals.  Until I found this market, I didn't believe I could get sticky rice without weevils in it. I found some that didn't but when I put it in a tub to store it, the weevils got in it anyway.  I just eat the weevils with the rice.


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## SandDeku (Apr 23, 2011)

LeilaNami said:


> You gotta find a good one.  I have one near me that, while it may smell very strongly of fish, is pretty clean.  I just think any grocery store that keeps live crustaceans keeps them in nasty conditions because they're food animals.  Until I found this market, I didn't believe I could get sticky rice without weevils in it. I found some that didn't but when I put it in a tub to store it, the weevils got in it anyway.  I just eat the weevils with the rice.


Ehh that would gross me out. xD I'm a finicky eater-- yet voracious.  
I'm not a fan of sea food. I think of it more of as "see food", I can "see" it; but I wont eat it. xD That's actually catchy... maybe ill write that down. xD 

Anywho. Any other small inverts that can be fed to my toads that are easily acquired? I remember someone saying white worms---  how do I get them without buying them online? I rather get them locally if possible. I mean I would like to know what I COULD get locally and what I could get online. If it makes any sense. So basically I don't get confused. xD


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