Rate my monitor's diet!

[TheBloodyIrish]

I usually give them whatever I have on hand that I know isn't going to depopulate the colonies I have set up. Their choices are:

Death's Head Roaches (Balberus craniifer)
False Death's Head (Discoid) Roaches (Blaberus discoidales)
Orange-Spotted (Dubia) Roaches (Blaptica dubia)
Turkistan Roaches (Blatta lateralis)
Cuban Burrowing Roaches (Byrsotria Fumigata)
European Nightcrawlers (Dendrabena veneta)
Field Slugs (Deroceras reticulatum)
Redworms (Eisenia foetida)
Migratory Locust (Locusta migratoria)

Right now, I am looking for snails to breed that are not considered as pests.

Yes... I am nuts... keeping 5 species of roaches -- well, not compared to some of the guys that have 24+ species of feeder roaches.

 

[davo]

You never feed rodents? Out of interest, which is your favourite roach, or have you not become attached to any? I'm sure Alex will have a look at this thread and leave some feedback.

 

[TheBloodyIrish]

I have to say the Byrsotria fumigata out of all those. They have interesting behaviours, however I am not really attached to them... haven't found a speices that fancy me yet.

The thought of feeding mice to my Ackies? I haven't tried it yet, partly because it is more practical to use my own roach colony than to go out and buy a rodent for them.

Mine never show any interest in crickets, mealworms or silkworms for some reason. Oh well.

 

[odalisay]

It wouldn't hurt to offer them rodents. I have a buddy of mine who has a colony of red ackies, a colony of kimberly rocks, and a big ol colony of knobbies. He mainly feeds insects(crickets and roaches) but from time to time he does rodents(pinks,fuzzies, and hoppers) to supplement their diet. He just makes sure everything gets dusted. Good job on their varied diet though. Keep up the good work.

 

[cichla1004]

You should be feeding canned dog food and rodents! Whats wrong with you!
:j/k:
Ok, now that I've made every monitor lovers heart skip a beat I'd just like to say good job. That is an awesome diet for those little guys. I applaud your efforts I bet those are some fat happy lizards.

 

[TheBloodyIrish]

Yeah, they are very happy indeed. If I were to buy the inverts from a store, it would probably cost about $30 an Ackie every week.

I am always looking new additions to expand my feeder farm.

 

[CTU2fan]

Agreed with cichla. I rate your monitors' diet A++.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Sounds like a nice varied diet. Do you try to catch insects outside in the summer? Obviously from a safe, non spayed field. I do that as soon as the wild crickets and grasshoppers are a good size.

 

[TheBloodyIrish]

Sounds like a nice varied diet. Do you try to catch insects outside in the summer? Obviously from a safe, non spayed field. I do that as soon as the wild crickets and grasshoppers are a good size.

Would you count the occasional dragonflies and damselflies found their way indoor and into the enclosures?

Most of the yards and fields around here are sprayed, so the only non-farmed food that the lizards see are the ones that venture indoors and fall into one of the death-traps.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Most of the yards and fields around here are sprayed, so the only non-farmed food that the lizards see are the ones that venture indoors and fall into one of the death-traps.

Yeah I hear you on that one! Anytime I find aspider or house centipede, into my Jaguar cichlids tank it goes!