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 #2092476


Birdfever69
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 Feeding tips and tricks

ok i think ive asked this question before, but ive started having some serious memory problems. docs wanting me to keep a book of everything i forget. ugh

but i offered someone my 64 adult roaches, my 200+ babies, and my box for 75$ tonight. i got some silkworms from a lady who breeds them. and when i get to work, i will start ordering and possible breeding them myself. simon is so stuck on the roaches though. i put her in her feeding box, and put a silky in there with her and she ignored it. so i took it and rubed it on her lips until she opened her mouth then i put them in there. she ate 2 of them tonight. one she bit in half, and i got her to lick the guts willingly, but she still wasnt apt to eating it. should i just keep offering them to her like this until she eats them or what can i do. cuz the roaches are going. no more. i may pick her up a small batch of them at the reptile shows, but thats all. lol.

so how can i get her to switch without force feeding or starving her?



11/05/09  10:37pm

 #2092553


Minya
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   Message To: Birdfever69   In reference to Message Id: 2092476


 Feeding tips and tricks

why are you getting rid of the roaches? have you tried supers?



11/06/09  07:15am

 #2092595


Birdfever69
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   Message To: Minya   In reference to Message Id: 2092553


 Feeding tips and tricks

we are living in a house now, and we dont want the landlord to find them. plus their gross and i want them gone.

yea she used to be stuck on the supers, then she went to the roaches. but i would love to get her switched over. but i think she likes the cockroaches cuz they are fast and they scurry.



11/06/09  11:10am

 #2092639


Tempestborn
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   Message To: Birdfever69   In reference to Message Id: 2092595


 Feeding tips and tricks

how can you keep a list of everything you forget? you forgot, didn’t you? tap her on the nose. when she opens her little mouth, pop a silkie into it. it works w/stewie.
jesse
11/06/09  01:18pm

 #2092763


Birdfever69
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   Message To: Tempestborn   In reference to Message Id: 2092639


 Feeding tips and tricks

for some reason simon doesnt open her mouth when i tap her. she just looks at me like im stupid. haha.

but i guess she will eventually get hungry enough to eat them...hope the silkies live that long. it sucks they only eat mullberry leaves. ugh
11/06/09  07:17pm

 #2092801


Rocker18
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   Message To: Birdfever69   In reference to Message Id: 2092763


 Feeding tips and tricks

water dragons can be so stubborn sometimes... im guessing she’s to big for crickets yes.. and too small for mice right. yeah mine dont open their mouths either. silkworms arent the best for water dragons ive heard
11/06/09  08:57pm

 #2092814


Birdfever69
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   Message To: Rocker18   In reference to Message Id: 2092801


 Feeding tips and tricks

no shes big enough to eat hoppers if she wanted. shes at her 2 ft mark and shes chunky. lol. i just dont like feeding crickets unless i have to, or its a treat.

silkworms are ok, as long as you treat your dragon for parasites once or twice a year with parazap. but the silks are a new thing im trying.



11/06/09  09:31pm

 #2092865


Treehugger
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   Message To: Birdfever69   In reference to Message Id: 2092814


 Feeding tips and tricks

Hey guys!
Is there anything else I can feed my 4 month old.
He seems to like baby crickets and mealies.
Hes not responding well to greens or fruits though.
I have some soft gel for my iguanas that i’ve offered and notice
some missing. The crickets seem to be fatting him up.
Any other suggestions or personal favs as far as plants go?
11/07/09  12:15am

 #2092983


Birdfever69
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   Message To: Treehugger   In reference to Message Id: 2092865


 Feeding tips and tricks

you might want to start a new thread so everyone will see it.

you could try cutting up earth worms/red wigglers. organic chicken baby food is a good treat.

try ordering some small phoenix worms and butter worms. their small enough for him
11/07/09  11:51am

 #2093120


Cphill58
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   Message To: Birdfever69   In reference to Message Id: 2092983


 Feeding tips and tricks

Bird ...you will probably run into this eventually...the silk worms are very susseptible to a virus called
GRASSERIE ...it has stopped us from even trying to raise them ...we are fed up and have tried numerous attempts...I hope it never happens to you ...

Here is a web site that explains about it...they all die from our experience and then the contamination takes months to go away on it’s own...but there may be hope yet.
Silk Worms
11/07/09  07:11pm

 #2093136


Birdfever69
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   Message To: Cphill58   In reference to Message Id: 2093120


 Feeding tips and tricks

hmm thats kind of interesting. ive had a few of the worms die (having a hard time finding the mullberry leaves this season) but they dont go like that.

is this diease only hurting the silks, or is it possible it can hurt simon? i know the silkies are known to carry parasitesm but i treat with parazap. and the silkies are new to simon. shes only ever had 2. lol
11/07/09  08:05pm

 #2093207


Cphill58
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   Message To: Birdfever69   In reference to Message Id: 2093136


 Feeding tips and tricks

Edel has had them shipped in from various on line places ....like Mulberry farms...coastal silkworms, etc.

Sometimes entire orders would die and get all gross and black and oozing. More than once they were not even available from the on line sources due to the virus having wiped them out. The web site that describes the virus even explains that the food ,usually shipped with the worms, can be infected. I am no expert here but I think having heard from Nancy and Edel a few times, I have heard enough to repeat this to you accurately.

Mulberry farms (Brian)went over and above the norm replacing the worms to those that requested ...Edel was one of those. IMO Mulberry farms are stand up folks and do the right thing by their customers. I often wondered how the silk industry survives this whole issue...I think there is a difference between wild silks and farm raised...it makes me wonder.

Edel says ...after I asked her , that all the research she has done never pointed to the worms carrying parasites....where did you get this info. I do know that the virus only affects 2 or 3 species of moths/ worms in the USA...silkies being the only one I care about at the moment.

The virus will not affect the reptile ...just the worm / caterpillar.

I just can’t see the issue you are having with the roaches ... which one were you using? We raise the Discoids ...I know you are so done with them ...but I wish I could convince you to not be. They are a very good food source. Discoids and Dubias are the kind that can not fly, climb, or breed outside of their temperature zone of 90-94 F

Anyway I hope to hear good reports on your attempts to raise silks ...they are also very good for the dragons / reptiles /omnivores. Let me know about the evidence you have regarding parasites please.

Cp
11/07/09  11:31pm

 #2093221


Birdfever69
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   Message To: Cphill58   In reference to Message Id: 2093207


 Feeding tips and tricks

yea i have the dubias. their great and all, but we all want them gone and out of the house. i hate having this big colony, and only feeding one dragon with them. silkies seem easier and cleaner to breed. its something new as well. i like trying new things. lol

i was looking online, and i wish i could find a place to get cheap chow. the lady i get them from out here gets her eggs from coastal. when she has large/medium worms, ima get 100 from her. 25 cents each. might get a bulk discount to. so that saved on buying them online and paying outrageous shipping costs. lol. and its fall so no mulberry leaves anymore. ugh

but like i said, i may pick up a container of 30 for 10$ at the reptile shows sometimes as a treat. im not getting rid of them from her diet.



11/08/09  12:08am

 #2093226


Cphill58
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   Message To: Birdfever69   In reference to Message Id: 2093221


 Feeding tips and tricks

Did you compare prices at Mulberry farms... they are less than .25 ...but the shipping makes it more. Like 20.00 more ...geez

Cp
11/08/09  12:16am

 #2093310


Birdfever69
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   Message To: Cphill58   In reference to Message Id: 2093226


 Feeding tips and tricks

yea they are cheaper to order online, but shipping nips ya in the butt. plus its getting cold here, and i dont want to bother with the heat packs when i can go down the street and get the worms. lol.

but i was looking at the herbal stuff. they have mulberry powder (cut up mulberry leaves, dry, then pound) and i was wondering if i could pick some of that up from our local holistic store and use that. mix some water then micro it. anyone know?
11/08/09  10:44am

 #2093326


Cphill58
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   Message To: Birdfever69   In reference to Message Id: 2093310


 Feeding tips and tricks

I wonder too, if that might work...be interesting to find out..but I do not know personally.

Cp
11/08/09  11:42am


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