Recommend a unique colony that can also be used for feeders

[Jimbob]

Hey everyone, was bored just thinking of something unusual to start a colony of. I enjoy having different critters in the bug room that can also be used as the occasional snack for my yellow lip calumma parsonii chameleon. Right now I have like 17 roach species, d gigantea sticks, snails, several isopods(working on some large Spanish species), and superworms. Might do black soldier fly larvae outside one of these summers as well.

I was thinking of trying some katydids or something similar that can be collected locally. We have tons of stink bugs(would have to look up the exact species name) around here too. Not sure if they're safe in large amounts or if they can be bred easily.

I'm open to any ideas/thoughts, doesn't have to be anything close to those two I just mentioned.

 

[Ajohnson5263]

how about spider beetles? they're a little small but they're certainly interesting.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

Katydids could work, although they don't appreciate crowding and often have a ridiculously long life cycle with eggs that can lay dormant for a year or more. I think I have heard of people using them as feeders before, though.

Not really something that can be kept as a continous colony, but saturniid moths are fascinating insects to keep. I wouldn't have the heart to use healthy individuals as feeders (although I feed disfigured moths to my tarantulas), but some species such as A. luna are quite easy to breed and would likely make exciting feeders for your chameleon.

 

[Sarkhan42]

You could raise hornworms? Both the larvae and moths make great feeders. I always enjoy watching arboreals take them down midair.

 

[squidkid]

What about silverfish? idk just a thought, never kept them myself

 

[Introvertebrate]

Painted Lady caterpillars/butterflies might be a viable option since their medium is cheap and easy to produce. Basically cookie dough.

 

[Vanisher]

There are some very beutiful cochroach speicies that you can use as both pets and feeders

 

[Jimbob]

Thank you for the replies everyone! Appreciate it. I was under the impression hornworms were a bit of a pain to breed, can't remember exactly why. He doesn't really touch the worms, but he'd love the moths, maybe I'll look more into them. Which larger flyers would you recommend as the easiest to breed?

I love the colonies for what they are, but I like to be able to occasionally use some to keep my cham's diet mixed up. About the smallest feeder he goes for is p. Nivea/gyna lurida/surinam/large isopod range. It's growing season so he'll probably surpass those soon(largest species of chameleon).

 

[mantisfan101]

If I’m not mistaken you mentioned D. Gigantea stick insects which are illegal in the US.

 

[Jimbob]

If I’m not mistaken you mentioned D. Gigantea stick insects which are illegal in the US.

Really? I had no idea... there's people that openly sell them. Never crossed my kind. I don't have a colony going just 5 of them that I got as nymphs.

 

[mantisfan101]

Really? I had no idea... there's people that openly sell them. Never crossed my kind. I don't have a colony going just 5 of them that I got as nymphs.

Yeah I’ve seen them for sale quite often and out in the open lately. Sinilarly to exotic mantids and roaches they’re out in the open but still illegal nonetheless.

 

[Jimbob]

Yeah I’ve seen them for sale quite often and out in the open lately. Sinilarly to exotic mantids and roaches they’re out in the open but still illegal nonetheless.

Oh well I apologize for that then, I had no idea. So should I get rid of them? Is there an easy way to find out what is illegal? Not sure which roaches aren't allowed as well. Like mentioned before, I just bought critters that I saw openly available figuring it was no problem.

 

[dord]

I've looked into large insects native to my state to breed as potential feeders but unfortunately many of their life cycles are annual so it would probably take a while to get a good colony going.

As for the D. gigantea, I think the only phasmids you can legally keep are any native to your state. Sticks got blanket banned due to invasive species. If you want to keep yours, the government likely has bigger concerns than underground phasmid keeping, but I personally wouldn't risk it. Would be nice if natives could be sold across state lines like beetles.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

As long as there isn't a risk of them escaping into a warm climate like south Florida, don't condemn people for keeping phasmids if you don't think all of the mantids and roaches in the US hobby should be incinerated as well.

 

[mantisfan101]

I've looked into large insects native to my state to breed as potential feeders but unfortunately many of their life cycles are annual so it would probably take a while to get a good colony going.

As for the D. gigantea, I think the only phasmids you can legally keep are any native to your state. Sticks got blanket banned due to invasive species. If you want to keep yours, the government likely has bigger concerns than underground phasmid keeping, but I personally wouldn't risk it. Would be nice if natives could be sold across state lines like beetles.

What type of beetles are you taling about? Ifnyou mean stag, rhino, flower, rtc, then they’re still illegal even if they’re US native.

 

[dord]

What type of beetles are you taling about? Ifnyou mean stag, rhino, flower, rtc, then they’re still illegal even if they’re US native.

Ah... I was under the impression natives were fine.

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

Oh well I apologize for that then, I had no idea. So should I get rid of them? Is there an easy way to find out what is illegal? Not sure which roaches aren't allowed as well. Like mentioned before, I just bought critters that I saw openly available figuring it was no problem.

I would try and find a museum (one that is not going to report you the instant you talk to them) with an insectarium that has the proper permits. You could give the insects to them and hopefully visit them. If this is impossible, then it would be best to freeze them for a week.
There is no easy way to find out what is illegal. I have spent hours on the phone with USDA officials trying to understand the regulations.
All roaches, except Gromphadorhina portentosa, are regulated for interstate transport.

As for the D. gigantea, I think the only phasmids you can legally keep are any native to your state. Sticks got blanket banned due to invasive species. If you want to keep yours, the government likely has bigger concerns than underground phasmid keeping, but I personally wouldn't risk it. Would be nice if natives could be sold across state lines like beetles.

I have seen threads about this. I have not heard of the USDA confiscating mantids or roaches, but phasmids are a touchy subject. There is more risk with keeping phasmids than with keeping most of the other technically illegal insects in the hobby.

As long as there isn't a risk of them escaping into a warm climate like south Florida, don't condemn people for keeping phasmids if you don't think all of the mantids and roaches in the US hobby should be incinerated as well.

I do not think the mantids and roaches in the hobby pose and environmental or agricultural risk, but phasmids could. Some species bury their eggs, which could give greater cold-tolerance. All species are herbivores, and they might cause damage to agriculture. I do not think most species pose much of a risk, but I think there is more risk than with mantids and roaches.

 

[Jayvicularia]

Would it be acceptable to harvest T. Sinensis ootheeca and raise them to feeder size for your cham jimbob? They r not native here in pa but they r well established and not going anywhere. I wouldn't see why putting a dent in a non native species would be a bad thing. Out of curiosity i offered my G pulchripes a spotted lantern fly last year. It ate it.

 

[Bob Lee]

Termites, definitely termites. They are amazing feeders.
I'm trying to get a colony started right now.

 

[mantisfan101]

Termites, definitely termites. They are amazing feeders.
I'm trying to get a colony started right now.

Just make sure you don’t transport them scross state lines or amything like that. Also only the workers would be suitsble unless you manage to incapacitate the soldiers since they have the chemical defenses and the jws.