Suggestions for odd/unique inverts to breed?

[Jimbobtom]

Just interested in hearing anyone's ideas for something different to breed that could also be used as an occasional feeder. I have roaches(obviously lol), d gigantea(green bean sticks), snails, superworms, 8 isopod species including the large spanish p sevilla, and lastly not an invert, but working on a mourning gecko project. 

I have 2 panther chameleons and 1 yellow lip p parsonii, and plan to get some more once we buy a house. I try to feed my animals a huge variety and love raising different critters at the same time so I'm always looking for new ideas!

 

[Marlon]

I have ~200 grasshopper eggs in peat from wild caught parents.  It was enjoyable to get this far.  Was more work than roaches IMHO, and I suspect babies will need even more attention, which I am not ready to give yet... hope they are ok though.

 

[Jimbobtom]

I have ~200 grasshopper eggs in peat from wild caught parents.  It was enjoyable to get this far.  Was more work than roaches IMHO, and I suspect babies will need even more attention, which I am not ready to give yet... hope they are ok though.

Non toxic species of grasshoppers would be pretty cool. I'm in PA, but near the city so it's hard to find a lot. I've seen several large katydids over the summer, was trying to get some of them to breed, but no luck.

 

[Longhorn1234]

I second grasshoppers or katydids. I think they are cool looking and can be used as feeders, and as you know chams love them. Mantids would be another cool option but do seem to require more work and space.

 

[All About Arthropods]

Just interested in hearing anyone's ideas for something different to breed that could also be used as an occasional feeder. I have roaches(obviously lol), d gigantea(green bean sticks), snails, superworms, 8 isopod species including the large spanish p sevilla, and lastly not an invert, but working on a mourning gecko project. 

I have 2 panther chameleons and 1 yellow lip p parsonii, and plan to get some more once we buy a house. I try to feed my animals a huge variety and love raising different critters at the same time so I'm always looking for new ideas!

Darkling beetles and spider beetles might be good options.  

There are a bunch of neat darkling beetle species that are easy to keep and breed (mostly the smaller ones). Although the adults can't really be used as feeders due to the very hard exoskeletons and defensive chemicals they have a lot of the time, the larvae certainly can.

Spider beetles such as Mezium affine are very odd, quirky, little guys and both the adults and larvae should be able to be used as feeders. The larvae are very small and you'd probably need sort of a sifting contraption to collect them out of the enclosure, but the adults are easily collected. I will mention that only about 1/4 of the adults' abdomens are filled with meat though, so I don't how nutritious they would be and they also like to play dead, which might take some getting used to for whatever insectivore they're getting fed to. 

 

[Marlon]

I wanted to try the differential grasshopper, but in my area the two striped is much more common.  Its nearly nationwide and seems to prefer areas with tall wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa) and sunflowers.  They are supposed to be in PA.  Once together they bred readily in captivity, in a butterfly tent, with regular fresh foods including wild lettuce flowers.  A study back in the 50's or 60's found the nymphs could be taught to eat a commercial style feed to avoid the hassles of fresh greens.  I have some references somewhere if anyones needs them.

egg cases in peat

 

[Jimbobtom]

Darkling beetles and spider beetles might be good options.  

There are a bunch of neat darkling beetle species that are easy to keep and breed (mostly the smaller ones). Although the adults can't really be used as feeders due to the very hard exoskeletons and defensive chemicals they have a lot of the time, the larvae certainly can.

Spider beetles such as Mezium affine are very odd, quirky, little guys and both the adults and larvae should be able to be used as feeders. The larvae are very small and you'd probably need sort of a sifting contraption to collect them out of the enclosure, but the adults are easily collected. I will mention that only about 1/4 of the adults' abdomens are filled with meat though, so I don't how nutritious they would be and they also like to play dead, which might take some getting used to for whatever insectivore they're getting fed to. 

Thank you for the suggestion, but I'm thinking the darkling/spider beetles would be too small? I'm feeding large chameleons atm, not sure what I'll end up getting in the future though. Usually the smallest I go for feeders now are large isopods and banana roaches.

 

[Jimbobtom]

I wanted to try the differential grasshopper, but in my area the two striped is much more common.  Its nearly nationwide and seems to prefer areas with tall wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa) and sunflowers.  They are supposed to be in PA.  Once together they bred readily in captivity, in a butterfly tent, with regular fresh foods including wild lettuce flowers.  A study back in the 50's or 60's found the nymphs could be taught to eat a commercial style feed to avoid the hassles of fresh greens.  I have some references somewhere if anyones needs them.



egg cases in peat

Very cool! I will definitely give it a try if I can get my hands on some. Maybe when it warms up in a few months ill scout some areas out. 

 

[All About Arthropods]

Thank you for the suggestion, but I'm thinking the darkling/spider beetles would be too small? I'm feeding large chameleons atm, not sure what I'll end up getting in the future though. Usually the smallest I go for feeders now are large isopods and banana roaches.

The larvae of most easily bred darkling beetles are about the same size as mealworms, so right around the smallest of the stuff you're offering. The spider beetles would definitely be too small for large chameleons though; they're only about 3 mm in length.