# Food for Reptiles.



## Bennett93 (Jul 13, 2015)

Just curious as I breed my own dubia roach colony for my reptiles as a staple diet (with hoppers occasionally thrown in) and I also feed them mealworms on occasion. 
However I'm curious if I can feed my BD's and leopard gecko maggots that you get from a fish tackle shop?? Or earthworms? 
Obviously asking as I'm not sure if its one of they times where it's all the same but pet shops like to add the ' specially for reptiles' to it...? 

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


----------



## mudskipper (Jan 4, 2015)

Yes you can, I feed them to my firebelly toads. They love them, haven't tried them on my crestie but I am going to try feeding them to my day gecko's. Just ask for a small bag of pinkies, I get a few hundred and turn about 50 at a time. Just put them on an old locust tub and leave on top of a viv, put others in your fridge. My frogs are really funny , there ike the seagulls out of finding Nemo.


----------



## Bennett93 (Jul 13, 2015)

Pinkies? 

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


----------



## mudskipper (Jan 4, 2015)

HaHaHa trust me they won't give you bag of small dead mice. If you just ask for maggots you will get the large type you want pinkies or squats they are a bit smaller and you don't want coloured one's either, not sure what type of dyes they use these days.


----------



## Bennett93 (Jul 13, 2015)

Okaaay hahaha I'm assuming it's a lot cheaper than pet shop maggots? Do you gut load them as well incase they weren't previously?? 

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


----------



## Tarron (May 30, 2010)

I'd be a little cautious of using maggots from fishing tackle shops. Those colours are not natural, and not partcularly healthy. Maggots are also high in fat levels.

other sources of food you can use include;

Calciworm, Butterworm and Silkworm - All 3 are high in calcium, with a range of protein and fat levels etc. Silkworm are extremely healthy, with an almost perfect Ca ratio.

Earthworms are a neat little treat, especially when used in a loose substrate, where the beardie can dig for them.

Beetle grubs make a nice addition to a varied diet.

Other good additions are woodlice (another calcium loaded invert) moths, spiders, etc etc

All of which are available, at good prices, from me  :lol2:


----------



## Bennett93 (Jul 13, 2015)

He needs fattened up a wee bit haha. 
Which of they types of food are hardshelled? I don't like feeling them things such as superworms or things like that.
Also if they dig for the earthworm they'll also eat the substrate no? (both worm and lizard) 
Beatle grubs might be good though. 
As for the woodlice spiders and moths I'm assuming you're not meaning from outside?? 

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


----------



## mudskipper (Jan 4, 2015)

Didn't know you could get maggots from a pet shop. Like I said make sure you get uncoloured. Never fed them anything, just turn them and feed them. Never had any problems. Ask the shop to put a bit of bran with them. I don't know what your local tackle shop would charge but a few hundred in a bag won't cost much. Another thing about maggot dye, it used to be bad. Someone some where made them use a safer dye, don't know if its foodsafe but it is safe now for anglers. Don't know about feeding them to animal's so I only feed mine Uncoloured.


----------



## Tarron (May 30, 2010)

Bennett93 said:


> He needs fattened up a wee bit haha.
> Which of they types of food are hardshelled? I don't like feeling them things such as superworms or things like that.
> Also if they dig for the earthworm they'll also eat the substrate no? (both worm and lizard)
> Beatle grubs might be good though.
> ...


The chitin content of all the foods I mentioned is practically zero, calci worm are simliar to waxworm, butterworm and silkworm are caterpillars.

there is nothing wrong with ingesting a little substrate, provided it isnt woodchip, or artificial. natural substrates will pass through a healthy, hydrated gut easily.

Beetle grubs are great.

We sell homebred woodlice, but there is nothing wrong with collecting from outside if they are collected from areas away from pesticides and dog walkers.


----------



## Bennett93 (Jul 13, 2015)

May get some silkworm.
what are they all like to breed? I breed dubia roaches for my beardies, I buy hoppers for my gecko as it's the only thing she eats (she's blind and can't sense most others) and pick up waxworm for them all occasionally (if my gecko doesn't eat them my beardies will) 

However to breed another staple would be good. I am also getting a cwd soon so will have my set up all done then add springtails so il probably try earthworms with that as it will be on soil (beardies are on stone and sand and my gecko on reptile carpet).

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


----------



## Tarron (May 30, 2010)

Bennett93 said:


> May get some silkworm.
> what are they all like to breed? I breed dubia roaches for my beardies, I buy hoppers for my gecko as it's the only thing she eats (she's blind and can't sense most others) and pick up waxworm for them all occasionally (if my gecko doesn't eat them my beardies will)
> 
> However to breed another staple would be good. I am also getting a cwd soon so will have my set up all done then add springtails so il probably try earthworms with that as it will be on soil (beardies are on stone and sand and my gecko on reptile carpet).
> ...


Silkworm can be a pain, they require very sterile conditions to survive as they have lost al of their immune system over the illenia of domestication.

Butterworm are impossible to breed. They are sterilised on export from Chile, and so incapable to breed. But they last for months in the fridge so easy to keep.

Everything else is pretty simple to breed really.


----------



## Bennett93 (Jul 13, 2015)

Do you breed any yourself?? Just so I can pm you for pointers etc. 

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


----------



## Tarron (May 30, 2010)

Bennett93 said:


> Do you breed any yourself?? Just so I can pm you for pointers etc.
> 
> Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


No, I breed my own spingtails and woodlice, but thats it for the moment. We grow the silkworms on when they come from the breeder but thats about it.


----------



## Bennett93 (Jul 13, 2015)

May sound a bit daft but the woodlice will defo eat my wooden viv wont they? Plus quite a high chance of escape no? 

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


----------



## Tarron (May 30, 2010)

Bennett93 said:


> May sound a bit daft but the woodlice will defo eat my wooden viv wont they? Plus quite a high chance of escape no?
> 
> Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


No and No

Woodlice won't eat the viv, they generally eat decaying plant matter, leaves and branches, but won't attack the viv, especially if its sealed properly. They're also not likely to escape, again if the viv is sealed, but even if they did they wouldnt really survive in the house.

they are used extensively in bioactive setups as they are a brilliant memberof the clean up crew.


----------

