Dubia Roaches (Blaptica dubia) As Feeder Insects

September 18, 2017 ~ BackwaterReptiles

Introduction to Dubia Roaches

Many reptile, amphibian and invertebrate owners commonly feed their pet(s) crickets. It’s a very common husbandry practice and crickets are most certainly an acceptable, affordable, and convenient feeding option. But did you know that exotic pets need a varied diet just like human beings and shouldn’t subsist solely on a diet of crickets?

So, what other insects should you should feed your reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate besides crickets? At Backwater Reptiles, often times when we don’t feed our animals crickets, mealworms, or commercially prepared food, we turn to dubia roaches (Blaptica dubia).

In this article, we’ll answer some very commonly asked questions about dubia roaches and their usefulness as feeder insects such as:

-What are dubia roaches and do they make good feeder insects?
-What types of exotic pets eat dubia roaches?
-Why should I feed my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate dubia roaches? What are the benefits?
-How do I breed and raise my own feeder dubia roaches for my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate?
-What is “gut loading” and how does it affect my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate?
-Where can I get dubia roaches to feed my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate?
-I’ve received my order of dubia roaches. What do I do with them now?
-Are there any downsides to feeding my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate dubia roaches?

Dubia Roaches as Feeder Insects

What are dubia roaches and do they make good feeder insects?

Dubia roaches (Blaptica dubia), which are also referred to as Guyana spotted roaches, Orange spotted roaches, and Argentine roaches, are a species of cockroach that are commonly used as feeder insects in the exotic pet industry.

Dubias range in size from one eight of an inch in length as nymphs to two inches long as mature adults. Interestingly enough, if they are not eaten by another animal, they typically have a life span of between one and a half to two years. They are also edible during their entire life span.

Although they might come with a slightly higher price point than traditional feeder insects like crickets and mealworms, dubias are also much higher in nutritional value. This means that YES, dubia roaches do indeed make excellent feeder insects!

What types of exotic pets eat Dubia Roaches?

The answer to this question is short and simple. Virtually all types of exotic pets, including reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates, will eat dubia roaches.

Because dubias are available in so many sizes, they can be eaten by pretty much all sizes of carnivorous or omnivorous animals.

Reptiles that are particularly fond of dubia roaches include: bearded dragons, chameleons, and many species of gecko. Amphibians that eat dubias include mainly frogs and toads, although larger species of salamanders with hearty appetites (a la tiger salamanders) will readily consume dubias too. Finally, scorpions and arachnids are known to have a hunger for dubias as well.

Why should I feed my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate Dubia Roaches? What are the benefits?

Although crickets, mealworms, reptiworms, wax worms, and other similar feeder invertebrates all make great feeder options for various reasons, dubias are known for their highly nutritious nature.

Dubia roaches have very high protein levels compared to many other chitinous feeder insects. They pack a whopping thirty six percent protein percentage and also contain a lower fat content than many of the “worm” insects such as wax worms, reptiworms, and silk worms.

The calcium level present in dubias is also slightly higher than that of crickets and considerably higher than that of mealworms. This means that although we do still recommend dusting your feeder insects, there is a better chance that your pet will need vitamin supplements less frequently.

Finally, dubia roaches are 61 percent moisture, which is a reasonable amount. While most reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates do acquire moisture through other means, it is good to feed them an insect that contains a good moisture balance.

These nutritional ratios make dubia roaches quite possibly one of the most well-rounded nutritious options when it comes to herp health.

Aside from the obvious health benefits, dubia roaches are also relatively easy to maintain and keep. They are far less noisy, messy, and for lack of a better word, stinky, than crickets. Plus, as we’ve already established, they are edible to herps at all their life stages.

Unlike crickets, which are the most common feeder insect, dubias are not known escape artists. Crickets can and will jump out of holding containers, whereas dubias aren’t inclined to fly and they cannot climb on slick surfaces such as glass or plastic tubs. This means that temporary holding pens as well as long term housing for dubia breeding projects are easy to come by and you’ll never have to worry about a dubia “infestation” in your home from escaping roaches.

Another benefit that most herp owners probably haven’t even considered is the safety of their animal. Crickets are known “nibblers” and can actually injure your pet by gnawing on it if you leave them unattended with your herp. Dubia roaches, on the other hand, are not aggressive and won’t harm your pet if you leave them unattended in the animal’s cage.
How do I breed and raise my own feeder Dubia Roaches for my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate?

While dubias are an excellent nutritional option for feeding your reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate, they are not as readily available via pet stores and they are also a bit costlier than traditional crickets. Luckily, dubias are actually relatively simple to breed and maintain. All you’ll need to raise your own dubias at home is a ventilated enclosure, heat source, food, water, and hiding space(s).

dubia roach breeding — Luckily, dubia roaches are very easy to maintain in captivity. They are edible at all life stages and breeding them is a breeze. You won’t need many supplies, just an enclosure, food, water, hiding spaces, and a heat source. You don’t even have to clean their enclosure frequently!

The first thing you’ll need to start your own breeding colony is of course the dubia roaches themselves. Luckily, Backwater Reptiles does sell starter breeding colonies! Each colony also comes with the supplies you’ll need to begin keeping your dubias including: instructions, roach food, water crystals, and egg crates.

The good news about keeping dubias is that they do best if you just leave them alone. You should regularly check to make sure that they have fresh food and water, but other than that, maintenance is very simple. In fact, dubia roach enclosures only need to be cleaned two to three times per year! Leaving the droppings and other accumulated detritus in the bottom of the enclosure is actually beneficial to the roaches for many reasons.

Once your colony has been established, you should remove feeder roaches at regular intervals and keep them housed separately from your growing roaches and breeding roaches.

Naturally, dubias are scavengers like all cockroaches and the good news for breeders is that this means you can feed them a variety of things. We recommend a food that is dry and doesn’t encourage rot, mold, or fungus to grow inside the roaches’ enclosure. Cereal, dry pet food, and chicken feed are all acceptable options, but you can also give them house scraps such as bread.

When it comes to roach feeding, it’s also recommended that you provide a “fresh” food source at least once or twice per week. Fresh food includes everything from leftover greens, citrus fruits, potatoes, and even fruit such as apples or grapes.

Just be very mindful when feeding your dubias fresh food items. You’ll want to make sure that the food you’re giving them is not harmful or toxic in any way to the species that will be ingesting the dubias. You’ll also want to remove any uneaten fresh food remnants from the enclosure to avoid bacteria, rot, and mold from forming.

What is “gut loading” and how does it affect my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate?

Gut loading is the process of giving your feeder insects highly nutritious food in order to pass that nutrition on to your pet that will be consuming the roach. Keep in mind that your pet is essentially eating whatever your feeder insect eats, so gut loaded insects of all varieties, whether crickets, roaches, reptiworms, or any other type of invertebrate, are directly transferring the nutritional value of what they’ve eaten on to your pet. Ever heard that common saying that you are what you eat? Well, in the case of gut loaded feeder insects, this is literally true!

One thing to keep in mind when gut loading your dubias is that this species of roach has a slower digestion process. Unlike crickets and some other species of feeders which produce a lot of waste in very short amounts of time, the food given to a dubia will stay in the roach’s system for much longer, thereby providing more residual nutrition to your pet.

The bottom line is that you should feed your dubias well because their health is directly correlated to the health of your pet.

Where can I get Dubia Roaches to feed my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate?

As we’ve already mentioned, dubia roaches are not readily available in most commercial pet stores.

However, the good news is that even if you are not lucky enough to have a store in your area where you can buy dubias, you can purchase them online.

bearded dragon adult — Bearded dragons are one species of lizard that will virtually never turn down a dubia roach. They love eating them and have quite large appetites!

Did you know that Backwater Reptiles sells feeder dubia roaches of all sizes and ages? And shipping is absolutely one hundred percent free!

I’ve received my order of Dubia Roaches. What do I do with them now?

If you have no intention of starting your own breeding colony of dubias, maintaining the dubias you ordered online is still just as easy.

The growth rate of dubias compared to crickets is much slower, so the good news is that whatever size roach you order should stay the same size for the duration that you have it before it gets fed to your pet.

We recommend providing the same elements you’d provide for your breeding colony – food, water, enclosure, heat element, and hiding space – only on a smaller scale.
Are there any downsides to feeding my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate dubia roaches?

In reality, dubia roaches are one of the most nutritious and “healthy” options for your pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate. There are not many downsides to mention in terms of nutritional worth.

Virtually the only cons we can think of when it comes to feeding your herp dubia roaches are the costliness of the roach and the availability of the roach.

As we’ve mentioned already, dubias are not commonly sold in stores, nor are they the cheapest insect you can feed your herp. However, if you can offset cost and availability by either breeding your own colony or making your roach orders last you for a while by practicing good husbandry habits, then feeding your pet dubia roaches is well worth the extra effort!

Conclusion

Dubia roaches are excellent choices as far as feeder insects are concerned.

Dubias are a very healthy and nutritious option for exotic pets and herps of all types! Scorpions, lizards, frogs, and even tarantulas all love to eat them. And the good news is that because dubias pack such a nutritional punch, you ultimately end up having to feed your pet fewer of them than you would if you chose another species of feeder insect.

Do you have any special tips or tricks to offer readers when it comes to dubia roach husbandry? List them in the comments! We’d love to hear your experiences!

Should I Feed My Snake Rats or Mice?

August 13, 2017 ~ BackwaterReptiles

Did you know that most pet snakes eat rodents in captivity? Depending on the size and species of snake, it could be eating mice, rats, or even rabbits!

Because there are several options when it comes to feeding your own pet snake, you might be wondering which option works best nutritionally for your own snake. Well, look no further! This blog article is dedicated to discussing the benefits and drawbacks to each type of feeder rodent and will help you make an educated and informed decision when it comes to making sure your own precious slithering snake friend receives the best diet.

In this blog article, we’ll answer questions such as:

What is the difference between feeding your snake mice or rats?
What size feeder rodent should I be giving my pet snake?
Should I feed my snake frozen or live feeder rodents?
Can I feed my pet snake food other than rodents?
Where can I buy feeder rodents for my pet snake?

pearl island boa eating — This Pearl Island boa is eating a live mouse rather than a frozen/thawed one because it is a picky eater. Not all snakes will accept frozen mice or rats as food.

Rats Versus Mice as Feeders

What is the difference between feeding your snake mice or rats?

There is much debate as to whether or not your pet snake should eat mice or rats. And honestly, there are nutritional differences, but the bottom line is that is comes down to personal preference of the snake’s owner as well as what species of snake you are feeding.

First of all, the most significant difference in nutritional value between rats and mice is that mice contain more fat than rats. Rats are leaner and higher in protein value. Both rodents are overall pretty comparable in terms of vitamins and minerals.

Keep in mind that different species of snake will also fare better on different types of feeders. The general consensus amongst reptile enthusiasts is that heftier bodied snakes such as pythons and boas benefit greatly from consuming rats on a regular basis. More slender species of snakes that are commonly kept as pets such as king snakes, corn snakes, and milk snakes are usually better off eating mice.

Because rats are higher in protein, this tends to mean that larger snakes with slower metabolisms (i.e. pythons and boas) can digest them more efficiently. They will overall receive more nutrients from any given meal and will ultimately require fewer feeding sessions.

Mice are great options for snakes that are more active such as the “slim” species we listed above. Due to their fat content, mice provide more immediate fuel that snakes with quick acting metabolisms can utilize and put to good use.

That isn’t to say that various species of snakes are unable to eat both types of rodent. Whether you opt for mice or rats, your snake should be getting everything it needs nutritionally, provided you feed it on a proper schedule.

What size feeder rodent should I be giving my pet snake?

Obviously, the size mouse or rat you feed your snake should change depending on the size of the snake being fed. You wouldn’t want to feed a hatchling corn snake a full-grown rat, nor would it make sense to give a full-grown ball python pinkie mice!

So then, what is the appropriate size rodent to give a snake?

The general rule of thumb that most snake owners follow is that you should feed your snake a rodent that is approximately the size of the thickest or most girthy part of your snake. Anything larger and you risk impaction or choking. Anything smaller and you risk underfeeding.

We’d like to point out that although you can certainly feed your snake rodents that are smaller than the thickest portion of the snake’s body, if you are doing so, you should probably be feeding the snake more than one rodent at a time. So, you can choose to feed several smaller rodents or one larger rodent in a single feeding session. Most snake owners would opt for a single larger rodent just for the sake of convenience, although both methods will ensure your snake doesn’t go hungry.

The only species of snakes that might need to eat feeder animals larger than adult rats would be Burmese pythons, anacondas, and/or reticulated pythons. These species of snakes can actually get large enough to eat rabbits!

leucistic ball python — Ball pythons are a hefty bodied snake. This means that they do very well digesting rats which contain more protein and less fat than mice.

Should I feed my snake frozen or live feeder rodents?

For the sake of safety and convenience, if you can feed your snake frozen/thawed rodents, we highly recommend doing so. Picky eaters excluded, all the snakes at the Backwater Reptiles facility that eat rodents are fed a diet of frozen/thawed mice.

Frozen rodents are easier to store. Rather than make a trip to the pet store to pick up a live mouse or rat every week or every other week, depending on the age of your snake, you can keep a supply of frozen rodents in your freezer at all times. Snake hungry? Thaw your rodent and you’re ready to go.

Because frozen rodents aren’t alive, it also means that you don’t have to worry about your snake being injured or bitten by the rodent during the feeding process. Not all snakes have the greatest aim and often times live rodents that can move out of striking range can be missed or awkwardly grabbed, resulting in the rodent being able to bite and claw your snake.

But again, we’d like to stress that some snakes are picky eaters and won’t even eat rodents that have been previously frozen. So, if your snake denies frozen rodents, it does become necessary to feed it using living rodents and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. We just recommend sticking around for the entire feeding process and making sure that your snake isn’t in any danger.

Can I feed my pet snake food other than rodents?

Not all snakes eat rodents. In fact, many species eat other small vertebrates. There are even some very, very small species of snake that eat invertebrates!

Feeder fish such as minnows and goldfish are an option for certain snake species. Amphibians such as frogs and toads are also often consumed by species such as garter snakes, ribbon snakes, and water snakes.

Some species of snake, like this red bellied water snake, don’t generally eat rodents in the wild. This means that they will have a different diet in captivity.

Very small snake species such as ringnecks and Bimini blind snakes are too tiny to eat even normal sized invertebrates. In captivity, they often eat earthworms and other appropriately sized prey.

However, most species of snake that are kept as pets do eat rodents, so in general, it’s safe to assume that you won’t have to feed your own pet snake anything other than mice or rats.

Where can I buy feeder rodents for my pet snake?

Luckily, most commercial pet stores do sell both frozen feeder rodents and living feeder rodents.

Ultimately, the best place to buy your feeder rodents if you own just a single snake is probably your local pet store. Purchasing one live rodent at a time or several frozen ones to keep in your freezer is usually sufficient for most normal herp hobbyists.

If you own many snakes or if you breed them or plan on starting a breeding project, it could definitely be beneficial to buy frozen rodents online in bulk. Backwater Reptiles does sell frozen feeder rats and mice in various sizes, however they are sold in large quantities rather than being available to purchase individually like they are in most pet stores.

Conclusion

As we’ve already mentioned before, it is very much a personal preference as to what type of rodent you feed your own pet snake. Many snakes thrive on feeder mice their entire lives and there are no negative consequences to feeding one over the other.

There is no “right” diet for any given snake. In fact, some snakes are such picky eaters that as an owner, you might have no choice but to feed your snake a single prey item its entire life. The information provided in this article is simply meant to serve as a guideline, answer some commonly asked questions, and hopefully inform potential snake owners what to expect in terms of feeding their new herp friend.

How to Care for Your Red Eared Slider Turtle

July 14, 2017 ~ BackwaterReptiles

Did you know that red eared sliders are one of the most popular species of turtles kept as pets? They are great aquatic reptiles that can be kept in either a tank or an outdoor pond environment, are hardy and versatile, and also quite cute which makes them appealing to both seasoned herp enthusiasts and those just getting introduced to the hobby as well.

Because red eared sliders are so common, we’re dedicating this blog article to discussing how to care for these fantastic turtles. We’ll answer some commonly asked questions such as:

Do red eared sliders make good pets?
What do red eared sliders eat?
What kind of habitat will my red eared slider need?
Can I keep my red eared slider outdoors in a pond?
Are red eared sliders good classroom pets?

So if you’re contemplating getting a pet red eared slider or you already have one and you want to make sure you’re giving it the best care possible, read on!

How to Care for your Red Eared Slider Turtle (Trachemys s. elegans)

Do red eared sliders make good pets?

To sum it up – yes! Red eared sliders make excellent pets, which explains why they are so popular!

baby sliders — Red eared sliders are communal and often stack on top of one another when basking. It’s quite humorous to watch them slide into the water when they’re hanging out in groups like this.

Red eared sliders get their common name from the distinctive red mark or stripe behind their eyes where typically an external ear would be found. They range in color and can have shells that are greenish brown, olive green, or even just brown. They always have yellow bellies with irregular markings on their belly scales or scutes.

Red eared sliders can be longer than sixteen inches, however it is far more common to see turtles that range in size from six to ten inches. They are relatively long-lived animals and typically live between twenty and thirty years.

Not only are sliders appealing to look at, they are great outdoor and indoor pets. Many people build fancy ponds in their yards and enjoy watching the sliders thrive in a very natural outdoor environment, while others are content to create aquatic enclosures within their homes. No matter where your slider lives, they are communal creatures and it is entertaining for young and old alike to watch them stack on top of each other while basking, only to scuttle into the water when startled. Funny enough, this habit is actually where the “slider” portion of this turtle’s common name originated.

What do red eared sliders eat?

In the wild, red eared sliders are omnivorous. They eat both protein (meat) and vegetation. Ideally, this omnivorous diet should be replicated in captivity as well, with a good balance being struck between the amount of protein your turtle eats and the amount of plant matter.

Aquatic vegetation and plants that occur naturally in pond environments coupled with dead fish, frogs, and invertebrates are all food items consumed by red eared sliders in the wild. In captivity, in order to ensure a proper diet with all the correct nutrients, many slider owners feed their turtles commercial pellets. But like people, sliders shouldn’t necessarily eat the same thing all the time, so it’s a good idea to offer leafy greens, crickets, roaches, worms, krill, and even pinky mice as treats from time to time. Most sliders aren’t picky eaters and will pretty much enjoy eating anything you feed them.

We recommend that vegetable matter always be available for your turtle to consume when it’s hungry. Protein items can be offered daily, but don’t be alarmed if your slider doesn’t eat them right away. Reptiles have much slower metabolisms than mammals and actually don’t need to eat as frequently.

What kind of habitat will my red eared slider need?

Because red eared sliders are semi-aquatic turtles, you will need to provide them with an aquatic set up, whether you choose to house your turtle(s) indoors in an aquarium environment or outdoors in a contained pond.

Creating an Indoor Habitat

We always recommend keeping hatchlings and juvenile turtles under four inches long indoors. This way you can monitor their diet more closely, keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t escape your yard, and also make sure that no predators manage to capture them.

Indoor aquatic set ups for red eared sliders aren’t very complicated, although because sliders are a messy species of turtle that produce a lot of waste, you will be required to clean the tank fairly often, even with a very good filtration system.

baby red ear slider — Baby red eared sliders are best kept indoors in small tanks. They are more vulnerable to weather, predators, and other threats than their older counterparts.

When it comes to setting up a tank for your red eared slider(s), the general rule of thumb is that the enclosure should be able to comfortably hold ten gallons of water for every inch of the turtle’s shell. So, for example, if you have a hatchling slider that is three inches long, your tank should hold at least thirty gallons of water. This might seem like a lot of space for such a small reptile, but keep in mind that red eared sliders are a particularly active species of turtle and they do quite a bit of swimming and spend a lot of time in the water. For this reason, we do recommend making sure that you can provide a home large enough for your adult turtle before you purchase. Considering that at maturity, although rare, very large sliders can be around sixteen inches long, you’ll want to make sure that you are prepared to provide an aquatic enclosure that holds at least 160 gallons of water.

In addition to making sure your tank is the proper size, your turtle’s aquatic set up will require several other elements.

We recommend a good filtration system to help keep the tank clean since we’ve already established that sliders are messy. While a filter is certainly not a replacement for regular cleaning of the tank, it will certainly help keep things as clean as possible between cleanings.

Your red eared sliders will also require a UV lamp. Both UVB and UVA rays are essential to your slider’s health, so make sure your bulbs are full spectrum and mimic the rays of the sun. The temperature of the basking area beneath the lights should be between eighty-five and ninety degrees Fahrenheit.

In addition to a basking light set up, your red eared slider will need what’s referred to as a basking dock. This is essentially an area or platform completely out of the water where the turtles can emerge to dry off and soak up the UV lights. Basking docks can be hand made or purchased at commercial pet stores.

While we have seen aquatic turtle set ups without a water heater, we do still highly recommend purchasing one. Turtles of all species will thrive when the water temperature is consistent. If you keep the water temperature from fluctuating too much, your slider’s metabolism will stay active, making for an overall healthier reptile. Our recommendation for the ideal water temperature is between seventy-five and eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit.

Creating an Outdoor Pond Environment

We highly recommend keeping larger red eared sliders outdoors in contained pond environments, provided the temperatures and weather are appropriate. It is better for the health of the turtle(s) and it is also far less hassle to maintain since large turtles require large bodies of water.

Read on to find out more about how to create an outdoor pond set up for red eared sliders.

Can I keep my red eared slider outdoors in a pond?

As we’ve already touched upon, yes, you can most certainly keep your red eared sliders outdoors in a pond environment! However, please keep these things in mind when you choose to use this housing method:

Your pond needs to be large enough to accommodate the number and size of sliders that you own. Most turtle pond set ups don’t just have a single turtle living in them, so you’ll want to be sure that your pond is large enough to comfortably contain all your sliders.
The outdoor temperatures and weather in your area need to be red eared slider friendly. This means that if you love somewhere extremely cold or conversely, extremely hot, you might want to reconsider having a turtle pond.
Your outdoor pond should be contained. Red eared sliders are active reptiles and they might want to go exploring. You’ll want to be sure that they are unable to go far if they leave the safety of the pond, so backyards with fences are ideal.

When building a turtle pond, you’ll want to protect it from local wildlife, namely any potential predators. Racoons, foxes, and coyotes are often quite threatening to turtles, believe it or not. You can protect your enclosure and help prevent escaping turtles too by setting up a fence or other similar border around the pond.

Another consideration when you build your pond is to make sure that the water is not always in direct sunlight. You will want some form of shade present so that the turtles can thermoregulate and the temperatures don’t get too hot. Essentially, just like you want a hot and cool side for your indoor tank, you will want to fulfill the same requirement for your outdoor pond.

You can go as big or as simple as you want when building your pond. There are so many different options available for budgets and yards of all sizes. You can even include fish and aquatic plants as natural sources of food for your red eared sliders.

group of turtles — Because Backwater Reptiles also re-homes and rescues reptiles, we get so many sliders brought in from the side of the road. Good Samaritans often save them from being run over but then don’t know where to safely return the turtles to the wild.
The turtles in this photo are all rescues being temporarily housed in a kiddie pool until they are re-homed.

One thing we’d like to stress when it comes to creating an outdoor pond environment is that you need to make sure your pond is secure. Red eared sliders are so hardy and versatile that they have actually become an invasive species in many areas. They can escape yards and wind up interfering with natural ecosystems if you’re not very careful. Please plan your pond’s “security” accordingly. Ideally, no predators should be able to get in and no turtles should be able to get out.

Are red eared sliders good classroom pets?

Red eared sliders can make excellent classroom pets, however please make sure that you are not keeping small turtles in a classroom with children who still like to put small things in their mouth. For this reason, we’d recommend only turtles with shells over four inches long for any classroom.

Sliders are great animals to teach kids responsibility. Not only do they need to be fed a balanced diet, they need to be cleaned up after frequently. Red eared sliders provide a good way to teach children the responsibilities of cleaning up their pet’s waste.

No matter what age group your classroom happens to be, it is important that all children wash their hands after handling the sliders. While most people with healthy immune systems are fine being exposed to the natural bacteria sliders carry, it is always best to be safe. We recommend that any time the sliders are handled by anyone, that person wash their hands with antibacterial soap to kill any potential bacteria such as Salmonella.

Conclusion

Whether you keep a single red eared slider in a tank inside your home or build a fancy outdoor pond habitat for many red eared sliders, know that these turtles are popular pets for a reason.

Red eared sliders are very versatile, hardy, and beautiful reptiles and we guarantee that you and your family will get hours of enjoyment and entertainment from watching them and interacting with them.

Ready for a red eared slider of your own? Backwater Reptiles has sliders of all sizes available for sale.

Are Crickets Good Feeder Insects?

June 23, 2017 ~ BackwaterReptiles

If you’ve ever had a pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate, you’re likely aware that many of these animals eat insects such as meal worms, crickets, and roaches at meal time.

Crickets are actually a very common insect that are eaten by virtually all types of insectivorous exotic animals. We’d even go so far as to say that they are a “staple food” when it comes to reptile feeding.

In this article, we’ll touch upon some commonly asked questions about feeder crickets such as:

-Do crickets make good feeder insects?
-What types of exotic pets eat crickets?
-Why should I feed my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate crickets? What are the benefits?
-How do I breed and raise my own feeder crickets for my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate?
-What is “gut loading” and how does it affect my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate?
-Where can I get crickets to feed my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate?
-I’ve received my order of feeder crickets. What do I do with them now?
-Are there any downsides to feeding my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate crickets?

Crickets as Feeder Insects

Do crickets make good feeder insects?

The short, sweet, simple answer to this question is YES! They make great feeder insects and we highly recommend them for feeding virtually all types of animals.

crickets as feeder insects — As you can see, we keep a lot of crickets at Backwater Reptiles because we have many mouths to feed! All crickets need in order to thrive is a container to live in, a food source, and some egg crates or other similar “furniture.”

Crickets are probably the most popular option when it comes to feeding insectivorous and omnivorous reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates and for good reason. We’ll go into more detail as to why they make such nutritious meals later on in this article.

What types of exotic pets eat crickets?

As we’ve already mentioned, virtually all insectivorous reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates consume crickets.

Omnivorous lizards such as bearded dragons, some skinks, and even iguanas will all happily eat crickets. Carnivorous lizards such as young monitors, chameleons, geckos, and many species of agama also love to eat crickets on a daily basis.

Amphibians such as frogs, toads, and salamanders are also insectivores and will therefore gladly eat crickets for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner.

Believe it or not, even other invertebrates such as scorpions and tarantulas eat crickets.

Why should I feed my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate crickets? What are the benefits to using crickets as feeder insects?

Crickets are extremely nutritious food for pet herps. They possess a ton of protein and a fairly decent water content as well. However, we will say that because they are both smaller and less dense than other feeder insects, like dubia roaches for example, your pet will need to consume more in a single sitting to get the same nutritional value.

We do highly recommend crickets as feeder insects due to their ubiquitous nature. Not only can you order feeder crickets in bulk online from many sellers, you can also pick up as many as you need from virtually any big box, commercial pet store in your area. Crickets are very, very commonly fed to exotic animals of all types, so they are very easy to purchase at a physical store front when necessary. This is a huge benefit in our book because if you accidentally run out of crickets and your pet is hungry, food for them is usually very easy to come by on that same day. No need to wait for them to arrive in the mail while your pet goes without food for a day or more.

Another added bonus to feeding your pet crickets that has nothing to do with nutritional value is that crickets are inexpensive. While other species of feeder insects most certainly are beneficial to your pet’s health, crickets are generally the cheapest option. This tends to be true whether you purchase them in bulk or on a case by case individual need basis. Because crickets are everywhere as a food source, the market for them is fairly inexpensive and this appeals to many exotic pet owners.

Not only are feeder crickets nutritious, ubiquitous, and inexpensive, they also come in a variety of sizes. You can purchase pinhead crickets to feed smaller reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates such as dart frogs, baby chameleons, and anoles, but you can also purchase full-grown adult crickets to feed to large pets such as mature bearded dragons, adult frogs of many species, and large scorpions and tarantulas.

How do I breed and raise my own feeder crickets for my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate?

We’re going to be up front and state right off the bat that breeding and raising crickets to save money on purchasing them as feeders is quite a pain in the rear end! In most cases, it is actually more cost efficient and time efficient to just order your crickets online or purchase them locally from a pet store.

Raising and breeding crickets requires space, time, effort, and a tolerance for the cricket’s smell, noise level, and propensity to escape.

For these reasons, we don’t even breed and raise our own crickets at the Backwater Reptiles facility, and we feed hundreds of reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates on a daily basis.

However, if your mind is set on breeding feeder crickets of your own, there are some very handy tutorials online. A quick Google search will reveal a multitude of videos and written instructions on how to do so, but we’re going to steer clear of this topic for the purposes of this blog article.

What is “gut loading” and how does it affect my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate?

Gut loading is a term used to refer to what the feeder crickets are themselves eating at meal time. It essentially means that the crickets are being fed a specific diet that ensures that they are as nutritionally dense as possible for the animals that will be eating them.

Feeder crickets are essentially an empty vessel. Whatever the crickets eat is basically what your pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate will be eating. The process of gut loading feeder crickets ensures that your pet gets the most out of meal time.

Gut loaded crickets are fed a variety of foods that are healthy for exotic animals. Most will eat a commercial cricket chow that is specially formulated to deliver nutrition, but often times this staple food is supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s not uncommon to give feeder crickets items such as: carrots, dark leafy greens (kale, collard greens, romaine lettuce, mustard greens, etc.), squash, sweet potatoes, wheat germ, prepackaged reptile foods, fish flakes, and regular potatoes (peel included). Your pet should have a varied and balanced diet, and because gut loaded feeder crickets usually do, the nutritional benefits are passed along.

Where can I get crickets to feed my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate?

As we’ve already mentioned, feeder crickets are very, very easy to come by both online and in physical store fronts.

In our opinion, where you buy your feeder crickets depends upon how many you require at a time, how many animals you’ll be feeding, and what’s most cost effective for your budget.

If you are a serious herp hobbyist with many pets to feed, we highly recommend ordering in bulk from an online retailer. It is not only more cost efficient, but it saves you time because you don’t have to trek to the store to purchase what you need. The crickets will be shipped direct to your doorstep, just like with any other type of online purchase.

scorpion eating a cricket — As you can see, crickets make excellent food items for invertebrates as well as reptiles and amphibians.

If you only need to buy a small amount of crickets because you’re just feeding a single animal, we don’t recommend ordering in bulk. This is because not only will your single animal probably not be able to eat all the crickets you order, but the crickets will likely grow and end up being too large for your pet to eat, especially if you buy juvenile crickets. There’s also the possibility that your crickets will die before they even get the chance to become your pet’s dinner.

If you’re looking for a reliable feeder cricket bulk supplier, Backwater Reptiles has certainly got you covered! Simply click here and select a quantity of either 500 or 1,000 from the drop down menu. Your feeder crickets will be shipped overnight for free direct to your doorstep. So convenient!

Smaller quantities of feeder crickets can be purchased from chain pet stores such as PetCo or PetSmart. Many smaller mom and pop feed stores and pet stores also sell feeder crickets in manageable quantities.

I’ve received my order of feeder crickets. What do I do with them now?

You can expect your feeder crickets to live about a few weeks, depending on the age and relative size that you purchase. Obviously, younger crickets will live for a bit longer as they are farther from the end of their life cycle.

Because your pet will probably not be eating all of the crickets you purchase in a single setting, there are things you should do in order to keep your remaining feeder crickets alive and healthy for your pet’s next meal time.

First of all, you will need a holding container for the crickets. Depending on the number of crickets you purchased, a bucket or tall tub should work just fine.

Next, make sure there is some sort of hiding space/crawling space that your crickets can call home for the brief remainder of their life cycle. Generally, when you purchase crickets from the store, you will get a piece of cardboard egg crate. This will usually suffice for the few days that you keep the remaining uneaten crickets.

Lastly, you’ll need to provide a food source for your feeder crickets. If you only have a few crickets to care for, you can just toss a carrot or a piece of potato into the container where your crickets are being held. There’s no need to provide a water dish as crickets get all the water they need from the food they consume.

Now that you’ve provided them with food and some “furniture,” your crickets have everything they need to survive for the next few days while you continue to feed them to your critter.

Are there any downsides to feeding my pet reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate crickets?

Although crickets are excellent food for many exotic pets, they are certainly not perfect. There are definitely some downsides to feeding them to your pet, although these are not because they are not nutritionally poor or lacking.

First of all, crickets can be quite smelly. This is one of the main reasons many people prefer to simply order and/or purchase crickets as needed rather than breed and raise them on their own. The digestive tract of crickets is rather short and simple, so they process their meals in twenty-four to forty-eight hours, and therefore create and eliminate waste rather quickly, which is what causes the distinctive odor that usually accompanies their housing arrangement.

newborn parsons chameleon — Because feeder crickets are available in multiple sizes, you can even find crickets small enough to feed to tiny animals like baby chameleons.

Secondly, crickets are actually rather mean insects. This doesn’t mean that they will bite you and you certainly have no need to fear your feeder crickets, but they can be quite nasty to your pet if left unattended. This essentially means that when you feed any reptile, amphibian, or even invertebrate crickets, you will need to stick around for the duration of the feeding and make sure that any crickets that are not consumed are removed from the enclosure. Otherwise, crickets can actually bite and injure many animals, no matter how unlikely it seems.

Crickets are also known for being escape artists. It’s pretty much inevitable that some will escape from their enclosure, especially if you keep large quantities.

And one final thing we’d like to mention about crickets as feeder insects is the noise they make. As you’re likely aware, crickets are known to chirp and this behavior stays with them even in captivity. So if noisiness bothers you, you might want to think twice about trying to maintain your own personal feeder cricket colony and just purchase feeders as needed.

Conclusion

We hope this blog article has been helpful in laying out the pros and cons of crickets as feeder insects.

While there are certain drawbacks to breeding and maintaining your own colony, we personally think it’s more cost efficient and less time-consuming to just purchase your feeder crickets as needed.

Overall, crickets make excellent meals for all sorts of reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates!

How to Set Up a Scorpion Enclosure

June 4, 2017March 2, 2023 ~ BackwaterReptiles

One of the first things to consider when purchasing a non-traditional pet of any sort is where the animal will live. What type of cage or enclosure does it require to stay happy and healthy? How can you make sure your pet’s housing needs are met?

Because scorpions are pretty popular in the reptile hobbyist world (despite the fact that they’re obviously not reptiles!), we get asked a lot about scorpion care, housing, and husbandry. In this blog article we’ll answer the following questions:

Do scorpions make good pets?
What do you need to set up a scorpion enclosure?
How do I set up a scorpion enclosure?
What types of scorpions is this set up appropriate for?
Where can I buy a scorpion enclosure kit?

How to set up a scorpion enclosure

Do scorpions make good pets?

We certainly think that scorpions make great pets! However, they are certainly not for everyone.

Keep in mind that scorpions obviously have venomous, stinging tails and pinchers, so they can be dangerous if you don’t know how to handle one. Most people report that the sting of a scorpion feels similar to a bee sting and the effects of the venom vary from species to species, but usually, they don’t cause too much harm unless you happen to be allergic.

So, because scorpions require careful handling and a knowledge of how to handle a venomous invertebrate, we’d say make sure that you are not squeamish, afraid, or allergic before you decide to purchase a pet scorpion.

We’d also like to mention that scorpions are not meant to be interactive, social pets. They thrive when left alone to their own devices, so please don’t purchase a pet scorpion with the intent of handling it all the time. Scorpions are relatively secretive and will get stressed with too much human interaction.

So, the bottom line is if you are not allergic to scorpion venom, if you are okay with a mostly “look don’t touch” pet, and you aren’t squeamish around invertebrates, then a scorpion would make a great pet!

What will I need to set up a scorpion enclosure?

Believe it or not, scorpions cages are very simple. You don’t need a lot of room, decorations, or other accessories in order for your pet scorpion to thrive.

Listed below are the items needed to set up your pet scorpion’s home:

Cage/Enclosure/Home – This is a pretty obvious requirement. Clearly your scorpion will need an enclosed space of some sort to call its home. We recommend a clear plastic or glass box or tank so that you are able to view your scorpion when it emerges from hiding.

Ideally, your enclosure will be longer rather than it is taller and possess more horizontal space than it does vertical as scorpions are not arboreal invertebrates and won’t be doing any climbing.

We also highly recommend that your tank or cage have a lid. While it’s true that scorpions can’t really climb, especially up the walls of a glass tank, we do recommend it for safety purposes. A lid can help prevent many types of accidents and will also prevent your scorpion from getting out of its tank on the off chance that it is an escape artist.

Substrate – All scorpion cages should be lined with some sort of substrate. Scorpions can be burrowers, so make sure to choose a substrate that supports this habit. At Backwater Reptiles, we usually use coconut husk mixed with sand because it holds tunnels well and is very safe for the scorpion. However, depending on the species, you can use other types of substrates too.

Forest species will require some moisture, so substrates such as peat moss, coconut husk, and even orchid bark mixed with organic potting soil are all good options. Desert species such as the desert hairy scorpion, will require a much drier substrate. Sand is generally the best option for a desert species.

Pictured is the Backwater Reptiles scorpion kit. It includes all that you see – a plastic faunarium complete with lid, a brick of plantation soil substrate, a faux plant, a water dish, and a rock hide space. This set up works great with nearly all species of scorpions.

Hide Space – Scorpions are by nature pretty shy and secretive, so a hide space is essential. They require an area where they can feel secure and invisible from predators.

There are any number of hides you can make or purchase. We prefer something simple with a bit of weight to it so that the scorpion can’t accidentally displace or dislodge it.

Water Dish – Although you’ll likely never ever see your pet scorpion drinking water, it is still in the best interests of your scorpion to provide a sturdy water dish.

A water dish helps maintain proper humidity levels and is also important for hydration should your scorpion become thirsty.

We highly recommend a dish that is heavy enough to stay put. You don’t want a light weight dish that will tip over or spill water everywhere within the scorpion’s cage as this could lead to the growth of mold or fungus.

Foliage/Plant – Scorpions don’t need a lot of cage accessories to do well in captivity. Because they usually do best in relatively small enclosures, we recommend a small plastic plant that doesn’t spread out or stick up too high. This gives a natural look to the cage and also provides a bit of decoration.

Heating Pad/Heating Mat – If you maintain decent temperatures and don’t allow your room to grow too cold or too warm, most scorpions don’t absolutely require a heating element, although we do recommend it to at least give them the option to thermoregulate.

If you do choose to provide a heating element, we don’t recommend heat lights or lamps as scorpions tend to avoid light and will simply hide from it all day. Rather, we recommend investing in a heat mat that you secure to the side of the enclosure. Because scorpions are known for burrowing, sticking the mat to the bottom of the tank might actually create temperatures that are too warm and you could inadvertently “cook” your scorpion!

Springtails – Believe it or not, springtails are actually something living that you can add to your scorpion’s set up in order to promote a healthy cage ecosystem. They are however not a necessary addition to your scorpion’s set up and are completely optional.

Springtails are actually tiny little bugs that are helpful in breaking down waste elements in the scorpion’s environment. This is beneficial to all parties because this means you have to clean your scorpion’s enclosure less frequently and your scorpion is not walking around in its own waste.

Remember how we mentioned that you want to be careful when choosing a water dish as you don’t want to create excess moisture that could lead to fungus and mold growing within the scorpion’s enclosure? Well, springtails can actually help alleviate mold and fungus, so they are also beneficial when it comes to keeping harmful and invasive elements out of your scorpion’s environment.

How do I set up a scorpion enclosure?

Once you’ve obtained the items on the list above (read more on where to purchase these items later on in this article), it’s a very straight forward, simple process to prepare your scorpion’s enclosure.

The first step is to line your enclosure with your chosen substrate. Make sure that it is at the proper moisture level. Desert scorpions should have dry substrate, while tropical species should have more moisture. Usually you want the substrate to be damp but certainly not dripping.

arizona bark scorpion — Pictured is a young Arizona bark scorpion (Centruroides sculpturatus). This species is actually the most venomous in the entire United States, so be wary when purchasing one. You can follow the set up we describe in this blog article when keeping an Arizona bark scorpion, just make sure to choose an appropriate substrate. As its name suggests, this particular species prefers dry bark, wood, or leaf litter.

If you have a heating pad, secure it to one side of the enclosure, preferably on a side wall and not on the bottom of the tank.

All of the other elements of the set up – the water dish, the hide space, and the faux foliage – can be placed however you desire within the cage. We usually like to keep the water dish on the same side as the heat because the evaporation helps to maintain moisture levels. Just be aware that if you choose this option, you’ll likely need to refill the water dish more frequently.

As you can see, setting up the enclosure for a scorpion is really not rocket science. You basically just place the objects listed above in the cage as you choose and – voila – your scorpion’s home is ready to go!

What types of scorpions is this set up appropriate for?

This type of set up will work excellent for just about every type of scorpion available to keep as a pet.

We’d like to point out that the only real difference in cage set ups to be aware of is that desert scorpion species will require a dry substrate, whereas tropical species will require a moist substrate.

Otherwise, you can follow our instructions for setting up this type of scorpion enclosure for any species!

Where can I buy a scorpion enclosure kit?

If you’re wondering where to get all of the items listed above, it’s really actually very simple. Backwater Reptiles not only sells pet scorpions, we also sell scorpion kits!

Contained within the kit is the actual cage/terrarium itself, substrate, a plastic plant, and a water dish. The only items not included would be a heating pad and the springtails, although as we’ve mentioned, both are optional.

Pictured is a burrowing scorpion which is a species known for being able to dig burrows nearly five feet deep in the wild. In captivity, you’ll want to be sure to provide as much burrowing area as possible, which means securing a substrate that can hold tunnels and burrows. Coconut husk mixed with sand is great option.

All you need to do to find our scorpion kits is visit any “scorpion for sale” page and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There you will find listed two different sized scorpion kits. You can select from small/medium and medium/large depending on the size of your pet scorpion.

If you do wish to buy a heating element, you can go to any commercial pet store and obtain a reptile heating mat for relatively low cost.

You can also go to a commercial pet store to purchase all the elements included in the Backwater Reptiles scorpion kit, however it does save you time, energy, effort, and money to purchase a kit/bundle.

Unfortunately, springtails are not sold by Backwater Reptiles. They are also not commercially available in pet stores. If you wish to add springtails to your scorpion’s little ecosystem, then your best bet is to purchase them online.

How to set up a scorpion enclosure video tutorial

Although we’ve written out how to set up a scorpion’s enclosure and detailed the supplies needed to do so, we’ve also included a brief video tutorial that walks you through the same process. You can view it below.

Conclusion

We hope this article has shown you how simple and easy it is to set up a scorpion’s enclosure.

Scorpions can make awesome pets for the right owner. If you want a very low maintenance pet that is mostly “for looks,” then a scorpion would be a good fit.

Although they’re not a very hands on or interactive pet, they can be very rewarding to keep and show off to friends and family.

But please, be smart when buying a scorpion. Make sure that if you do handle it, you do so with extreme caution. Although scorpions are not lethal (unless you have an allergy), their sting is still painful.

Don’t miss our other scorpion-related articles including:

The most popular pet scorpions

What do scorpions eat?

How to pick up a scorpion

How to care for baby scorpions