# Bean weevils



## anni (Aug 15, 2010)

What is the accepted wisdom at the moment as to the feeding of bean weevils to Dart frogs? Some do some don't ! Any ideas on their nutritional value and whether that hard outer chitinous skeleton is detrimental ? When I try them on my large tincs.they eat them with difficulty looking as though they are gagging in the process,have even been told of them constituting part of mysties diet,not for me though.I breed them for my long tails and they love them and handle them really well,but not at all sure about dart frogs especially smaller individuals
Terry


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## Meefloaf (Mar 24, 2013)

i've fed them to my leucs from time to time tho i no longer culture them, the leucs had no visible sign of struggling with them, i think most culture them as a fall back on


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## frogman955 (Feb 7, 2010)

I use them as an occasional change or as Joe says a fall back if flies are in short supply.
I only feed them to my larger frogs ie Leucs upwards.
Also I was hearing recently from a very experienced keeper that there can be benefits from that hard shell by giving the frogs some extra calcium in their diet.


Mike


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

A lot of frogs don't seem to like the taste, initially- but they get used to it.


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## frogfreak (Jul 28, 2012)

I use them on a regular basis now for Tincs. It took the frogs a bit to get used to them, but now them hammer them!


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## anni (Aug 15, 2010)

Thanks for your response seems that I am over concerned with the negative looking reaction I witness .Think I'll give them a gentle reintroduction .By the way I find the grain weevil a good and acceptable alternative
Terry


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## treefella (Dec 21, 2013)

Has anyone had problems with the weevils escaping?
I read up on them a while back with a lot of comments on American forums about bean and grain weevils infesting houses when escaped from terrariums which has put me off breeding them for my darts


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## frogman955 (Feb 7, 2010)

I keep mine in round clear plastic tubs like you can buy salads in.
To puncture the lids with air holes (about 20) I heat a small panel pin on the gas ring till it glows then gently puncture the lid with the smallest hole I can manage.
Bean weevils struggle big time to get through them and I`ve had several grain weevils that have managed to get their heads through and then get stuck.
I`m not aware of any of them managing to escape.


Mike


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## frogfreak (Jul 28, 2012)

treefella said:


> Has anyone had problems with the weevils escaping?
> I read up on them a while back with a lot of comments on American forums about bean and grain weevils infesting houses when escaped from terrariums which has put me off breeding them for my darts


They do escape my tanks if I feed to heavy. Learned that one quick! I'm getting away from leaky Exo's and Zoo-meds though becaue they're a PITA! 

Oh, here we go again with the tank building... :bash:

The only way they could infest a home is if they found more beans to lay on.


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## anni (Aug 15, 2010)

Yes agree with the last comment .they are only a real problem if they con reach a supply of their food source.the bean weevil can however fly think it is only the male though.I release agroupe of long tail lizards into my heavily planted conservatory in the spring/summer and feed them heavily on bean weevils and off they go never to be seen again.Much less of a problem than fruit fly or crickets.Did however once find my open bag of oats infested with grain weevil but more of a bonus than anything
Terry


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

Terry I think we all are concerned the first time we see the reaction the frogs have to feeding beanies. Our first attempt at feeding them,the frogs seemed so non plussed,spitting them out, coupled with the above observations meant we abandoned then. Yikes it must be two years back at baks Mike gave us another start,so we tried again and the frogs loved them. I seriously have no clue why,sure they were older,but I'd only fed to adults or near adults the first time around. Ha Shaz is still running that culture now Mike. We don't use them often and have no major problems with escapees either,just using those clear plastic crix tubs,to culture in. These wouldn't be of use for the grain weavils though. 

I think they are a seriously useful feeder to just have ticking over. Very little work to culture,well lets face it they couldn't be simpler,a great backstop. Tree fella,I've forgotten your name again:blush: be aware if you do start using these that the adult stage is short lived,I think it's 3 weeks,but will def stand corrected. This can lead to an apparent boom and bust cycle,where there is the potential to think a perfectly fine culture has crashed. It won't have though,just the adults not fed out have died off. Look closely at the beans and you'll see little whitish dots,these are eggs for the next generation. Also you'll note holes in the beans containing the larval stages,keep an eye on how many new beans to holed you have,this gives a base idea of when to top up with fresh. 

Stu


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## DrNick (Sep 20, 2012)

I find bean weevils to be a great addition to the menu for my larger frogs. As 'part of a balanced diet' they are perfectly safe and, as said, probably beneficial. I've never had a problem with escaped bean weevils, but grain weevils can be a real bugger. They can escape from a room with no doors, fly and will lay on all manner of foodstuffs - even pasta!! I keep them only as a fall back for the smaller frogs but, again, probably also contribute to the overall nutrition of the diet.

Best,

Nick


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## treefella (Dec 21, 2013)

Cheers stu I've read about the seemingly boom and bust cycle and with that in mind I would like to stagger a couple of cultures or a large culture with multiple cycles. Well that's the idea anyway.
and cheers nick it was grain weevils that I read about infesting houses apparently breeding in open bags of dry dog biscuits and treats.
definitely going to give bean weevils a try to vary my tincs diet at least once a week.
in the warmer months of the year I collect vast amounts of small flying insects in bottle traps around the garden and with a quick blast from a heat gun renders the contents of the bottle flightless free food


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## frogfreak (Jul 28, 2012)

treefella said:


> I collect vast amounts of small flying insects in bottle traps around the garden and with a quick blast from a heat gun renders the contents of the bottle flightless free food


I'd like to hear about this!! 

What is the process and how does heat render them flightless?


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## DrNick (Sep 20, 2012)

frogfreak said:


> I'd like to hear about this!!


Me too!! Just enough heat to frazzle their wings??!!

Nick


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

DrNick said:


> Me too!! Just enough heat to frazzle their wings??!!
> 
> Nick


Ha funny,erm me as well:mf_dribble: not just the heat is fascinating ,but some bottle trap pics would be cool too.

Stu


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## frogman955 (Feb 7, 2010)

Have you not heard of these before?
They're used to make a McFly frog burger :2thumb:


Mike


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## treefella (Dec 21, 2013)

Having major trouble posting pics just can't do it on my tablet.
my bottle traps are made from small pop bottles oasis are the best as they have wide necks.
Drill a 13 mm or slightly bigger hole in the lid and push a silicone nozzle in so that more than half is inside the bottle.
cut a large hole in the side near the bottom of the bottle and cover with very fine mesh.
half fill it with dandelion heads and tuck it away between flowers and leave for a day or two and you should have a good collection of beasties and some very hard shelled pollen beatles which my tincs take.
I use the same bottles in and around the trays of rain water that I keep my carnivorous in where I collect vast amounts of newly hatched mosquito with the aid of black pudding as bait and a quick blast from a heat gun makes their new soft wings useless but too much heat just cooks them so they get tipped in the nearest pitcher plant.


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