Wild Food?

[jollyroger]

I live in southeastern Oklahoma, and for several years I have been skeptical about using local wild foods on exotic breeds. I know that only soft shelled insects like caterpillars, worms, and crickets are totally digestible. We do not use pesticides or herbicides on our lawn, and I have collected whole aquariums full of what I call "field crickets" which are generally larger than store bought and are black. I have also trapped wild mice for some of my snakes. Is it bad or good that I have done this? Will it hurt my animals? May a wild diet actually help them? I have done this because of financial problems, and not having a pet store nearby. It does not seem to have hurt them, but I would like to know if it may.

 

[snowgyre]

I used to feed my geckos wild insects until I witnessed what came out of an insects rear-end when it died. Needless to say, I didn't want to have my geckos exposed to parasites.

I think domestic feeds are the best since they're parasite and disease free. That's my main reason.

 

[cwazy]

feeding wild caught anything runs a very high risk of parasites and diseases... not worth it IMO...

 

[Crasher_Insane]

I'm with the two before me - just because your immediate lawn is pesticide free doesn't mean the insects/mice haven't encountered other chemicals outside that area. Plus the parasites and bacteria they're carrying aren't good for your reptiles.

If you want to help them diet-wise, consider raising several different staple insects. Mealworms are easy, and I've heard roaches are too. It may cost more initially but in the long run it will be cheaper. Plus, you do your own gutload so you know they're nutritious.

 

[Alusdra]

It's certainly not ideal... but I've been in that position, too. I had a gecko that lived mostly on wild insects in the summers and she lived to be 10 (and died when on a captive-bred diet for unknown reasons). Best is probably to grow a colony of roaches. Either buy a starter colony or see if anyone around you has some they can give you. Being roaches, they breed rather prolifically...

 

[Dan K.]

you never know what wild bug could be caring.

 

[jollyroger]

Thanks, I know of parasites, which was one of the reasons I askd, I did not know if leos were strong enough to handle some of them or if they were too foreign and dangerous. I shall try and look into some roaches. Are there any good sites I could look at to find a breeder colony?

 

[ajveachster]

Ask Nigel. I think he sells them.