Fruit Fly myth

[viper69]

Yeah I agree, He probably has seen some of them in there native habitat lucky guy

He has indeed.

 

[Jack III]

This is also not a myth. Variety in the diet is directly related to "Good health". Static diet can be as harmful as poor quality diet!

-Wade

This is the simple take away here. Well stated Wade.

 

[noxylophone]

I'm bumping this thread and crossposting some research I found in relation to my H. carolinensis slings. Thanks to Hanksa for pointing me in the right direction.

This relates to culture mediums for FFLs.

Looks like Carolina 4-24 medium (for sale here: http://www.carolina.com/drosophila-...00.pr?catId=&mCat=&sCat=&ssCat=&question=4-24 ) with crushed dry dog food (probably any quality brand will be okay) has significant advantages in survival, molt success, and overall growth.

I imagine this applies to T slings as much as true spider slings.

 

[Ellenantula]

I don't have fruit flies but I get a steady supply of seed moths from the parrot seed -- I wonder if avics could catch and eat those, or if they would cause similar problems.
No, I haven't fed the avic any.
I had a betta fish live almost 3 years and I credited that to his steady supply of seed moths I fed him. It got where I had to hunt and hunt for a seed moth because he would refuse all other food.

 

[Wadew]

I feed seed moth larvae to spiderlings.

 

[Ellenantula]

I feed seed moth larvae to spiderlings.

Good to know! If I find the larvae, I tend to flush them (moths too)
I absolutely despise seed moths.
Do you know if larvae burrow or not? They sure burrow in seed.
Hate the little creeps.

 

[cold blood]

Your slings would enjoy the moths.

 

[Ellenantula]

Wow -- I gotta try feeding a seed moth then. I guess only the avic could catch 'em or am I suppose to de-wing them or something?

 

[cold blood]

Wow -- I gotta try feeding a seed moth then. I guess only the avic could catch 'em or am I suppose to de-wing them or something?

Avic will catch them. How active are they? The moth's that is

 

[Wadew]

The larvae go up rather than down and attach to a high spot and build a cocoon in order to transform into a moth. Either way I find them a little less messy than dealing with maggots!

 

[Ellenantula]

Avic will catch them. How active are they? The moth's that is

Oh, moths are lazy. They usually land on a wall and sit for days. I used to use a handled fishnet (like for aquarium use) to catch them for the betta fish. I think moths only fly for short flits, usually they are still, in my experience. In an enclosure with a predator, that might change....

---------- Post added 02-01-2015 at 09:23 AM ----------

The larvae go up rather than down and attach to a high spot and build a cocoon in order to transform into a moth. Either way I find them a little less messy than dealing with maggots!

Yeah, I keep the woodwork near ceiling swept clean -- that's where the larvae like to wiggle up into the cracks, settle in and cocoon.