# Alternative feeders?



## snowgoose (May 5, 2009)

Hi all,

Just trying to do a little research into the possibility of alternative feeder insects and what their potential is / would be.

So which of the following would you be willing to use / try.

Firebrats (Thermobius domestica)
Indian mealmoth (Plodia interpunctella)
Milkweedbug (Oncopeltus fasciatus)
Pea Aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum)
Grain weevil (Sitophilus granarius)
Confused flour beetle (Triboleum confusum)
Buffaloworms (Alphitobius diaperinus)


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## Stelios (Aug 28, 2009)

Buffaloworms and Indian mealmoth would be the only practical ones for me.


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

Whichever gets to the same size as an adult cricket, costs the same and has a better nutritional value.

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## snowgoose (May 5, 2009)

Thanks, I'm possibly looking at culturing another feeder roach which would be about the size of adult crickets.

Any other comments?


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

snowgoose said:


> Thanks, I'm possibly looking at culturing another feeder roach which would be about the size of adult crickets.
> 
> Any other comments?


Just culture Turkistan roaches, they're a great cricket alternative.
According to a nutrition stat thread i've just read June beetles are a good size and have decent nutrition.


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## snowgoose (May 5, 2009)

mrhoyo said:


> Just culture Turkistan roaches, they're a great cricket alternative.
> According to a nutrition stat thread i've just read June beetles are a good size and have decent nutrition.


Turkistans are annoying little ***** IMO so I won't be culturing them 

I did read that part about the June beetles, but they take about 1 year to get from larvae to adult and then only last a few weeks as adult, so sadly, these would not be viable.


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

snowgoose said:


> Turkistans are annoying little ***** IMO so I won't be culturing them
> 
> I did read that part about the June beetles, but they take about 1 year to get from larvae to adult and then only last a few weeks as adult, so sadly, these would not be viable.


What's your problem with Turks? Mine are great!
I don't think you're going to find a more productive and nutritional replacement for roaches and morios.


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## snowgoose (May 5, 2009)

I know what your saying.

I'm not trying to replace any livefood currently being cultured, just trying to introduce new options for keepers.

I also breed morios but find these take ages to go from "alien" to beetle.


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

> I know what your saying.
> 
> I'm not trying to replace any livefood currently being cultured, just trying to introduce new options for keepers.
> 
> I also breed morios but find these take ages to go from "alien" to beetle.


They should only take a couple of weeks.
What about snails and worms?

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## snowgoose (May 5, 2009)

mrhoyo said:


> They should only take a couple of weeks.
> What about snails and worms?
> 
> Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk


Theres lots of snail babies usually available so that is no problem.

Worms are also available.


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## Whosthedaddy (Nov 29, 2009)

Buffalo worms or any other large bodied feeders.


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

Ah ok, no idea then. I'll happily have a go with something new if you find anything though.

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## snowgoose (May 5, 2009)

mrhoyo said:


> Ah ok, no idea then. I'll happily have a go with something new if you find anything though.
> 
> Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk


I can "find" everything I have mentioned in this thread, it's just trying to judge whether or not it would be worth culturing.


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

Firebrats are a really good "variety" culture, we keep ours at 40C+ and we have far more than we can use really!

They're quite fragile once collected from the colony, can't be dusted really and almost disintegrate when bashed about! We included them in a nutrition study (unpublished yet so can't share the exact details) as we were worried they were made of nothing but scales and air!!! They seem to be quite well balanced actually.


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## snowgoose (May 5, 2009)

Saedcantas said:


> Firebrats are a really good "variety" culture, we keep ours at 40C+ and we have far more than we can use really!
> 
> They're quite fragile once collected from the colony, can't be dusted really and almost disintegrate when bashed about! We included them in a nutrition study (unpublished yet so can't share the exact details) as we were worried they were made of nothing but scales and air!!! They seem to be quite well balanced actually.


Thanks for that.

Any chance you could PM a little more about your nutrition study, like publish date etc?

Also, is there any livefood you don't have? :lol2:


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

snowgoose said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Just trying to do a little research into the possibility of alternative feeder insects and what their potential is / would be.
> 
> ...


The problem with asking this question you asked, is that I suspect, the vast majority of people on this forum will either never heard of the majority of the above, or will have little knowledge/ pratical experience of them.

I would guess most keepers would try something once. They might think twice though if they knew they were likely to find mealmoth caterpillars in their cocopops a few weeks later !

When you say "potential", you mean to plan to sell them ? If so maybe breed them, put them up for sale, and let the public vote with their cash !


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

snowgoose said:


> Thanks for that.
> 
> Any chance you could PM a little more about your nutrition study, like publish date etc?
> 
> Also, is there any livefood you don't have? :lol2:


Good luck in getting an answer.


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

snowgoose said:


> Thanks, I'm possibly looking at culturing another feeder roach which would be about the size of adult crickets.
> 
> Any other comments?


Out of curiosity, which roach are you thinking of ?


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## snowgoose (May 5, 2009)

Blaptica said:


> Out of curiosity, which roach are you thinking of ?


I am planning on breeding some of the mentioned anyway and shoving on here to sell.

I have 5 different species of cockroach I am going to try and breed. As for species, you will have to wait and see


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