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Keeping Live foods |
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Most insects can be kept for longer and even cultivated if they are given the proper care. Crickets for example live not longer than a week or two if just left in a plastic container, but by providing food and water, they will not only live longer but will also be more beneficial to the creature you are feeding them to. Crickets and locusts require an escape-proof container which should be at least 30cm high to prevent them jumping out when you take the lid off! Adequate ventilation is also vital and a temperature of around 26-28°C (79-82°F). Water should be provided by means of a cotton wool soaked with water to prevent drowning, a product called Mealworms, King Mealworms and Buffalo Worms should be kept in a well ventilated tub and can also be 'gut loaded with supplements. They should be stored at Mealworms - 9°C (48°F), King Mealworms - 15-20°C (60-68°F), Buffalo Worms - 10-15°C (50-60°F). Waxworms and Tebos should be kept in a well ventilated tub but cannot be 'gut loaded' as they will pupate. If you keep waxworms in a cool place (around 10°C (50°F)) or even a fridge, it will slow down their metabolism and prevent starvation and pupation. Fruit flies are normally sold as starter cultures for you to breed, they should be stored at 26°C (79°F) It is vital that your live food is kept in hygienic conditions to minimize infection of your herps.
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