Wild Bugs

[STUTFL]

Sometimes I have a mite of trouble obtaining food for my gecko. It's not as if he's ever in any danger of going hungry, but I'm curious: Is it ever safe to just pick up wild insects of known species and give them to him? It's easy enough to find a large area that isn't poisoned (park, playground, etc.) - there are several nearby where Ed the tortoise gets her RDA of sun and grass. But plants can't move around like bugs do. He ate wild crickets from the lawn in his old home, but that was out in the country. I'm in more of a residential area.

Opinions? (I'm off to buy some proper food for him now, so don't worry about me tossing centipedes from under the sink at him or anything if you don't get a quick answer up :tongue3: )

 

[breanna-banana13]

I dont reccommend it. even if you find them in a non-poisoned area, you dont know where they came from. you dont know how far they have traveled, the house next door could have just sprayed something and you would never know. also you dont know what they have been munching on...dog poop perhaps? no bueno... parasites are also a concern. you could look into breeding insects if you have trouble getting a steady supply of food (whether its money, transportation, whatever) ive heard that roaches are easy, mealworms as well...there might be an initial startup cost but it'll pay off in the long run. personally i would let mine go hungry for a couple days before feeding them out of the yard.

 

[thestack510]

I dont reccommend it. even if you find them in a non-poisoned area, you dont know where they came from. you dont know how far they have traveled, the house next door could have just sprayed something and you would never know. also you dont know what they have been munching on...dog poop perhaps? no bueno... parasites are also a concern. you could look into breeding insects if you have trouble getting a steady supply of food (whether its money, transportation, whatever) ive heard that roaches are easy, mealworms as well...there might be an initial startup cost but it'll pay off in the long run. personally i would let mine go hungry for a couple days before feeding them out of the yard.

+1

 

[STUTFL]

Figured as much, just thought I'd ask.


I'm in an apartment, so I think I'd better not breed roaches just in case someone decides to take a look around the place. :laugh4: Mealworms I've considered. Mine loves them, though I'm not sure he's big enough to take on a darkling beetle. :tongue3:

 

[Pepper]

Mealworms are really easy to breed, you don't feed the beetles as they have too much shell, so it's not a lot of protein, but the beetles are really small, they aren't big.

I've thrown some in my skink tank just to see what would happen and he ate them lol.

Now superworm darkling beetles, those are big!!

 

[STUTFL]

Okay, I don't know what they gave me for my hamsters a few years back then, because when those suckers hatched out they were HUGE. :laugh4: Maybe they just seemed it compared to the hamsters....

 

[GeckoNub]

Mealies are really easy to breed and if ur pushed for space u can even do em in 1 tub.

Part of my "reptile" hobby is being able to breed and keep my own food.

It takes a bit of time to get going but always having a supply of yummies is great as its not like you can just nip out to the 7/11 if you run out of food hehe.

Also if u breed ur own bugs u know what theyve been eating and can make sure you give them lots of nice things that then go into your lizard meaning happy geckos

 

[STUTFL]

Just so they're not the sort of thing that escapes if you're not paying attention, I should be able to do that. :laugh4: