Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[Peter Parrot]

Just thought I would give these a mention incase anybody hasn`t yet heard of them. I bought a few cultures from a friend in the dart frog side of the hobby.

At first the cultures seem pretty empty but two weeks on and they are buzzing with Weevils and I have made another eight cultures up from the originals also. They are the simplest of insects to culture, a plastic pint glass with an inch and a half of black eyed beans in the bottom, a square of kitchen towel held in place with an elastic band as a ventilated lid to the container, a few "inhabited" beans from the original culture and you are away.

The larvae live in the beans themselves and turn into adult weevils within about a fortnight or so. They are small and relatively soft bodied. I must admit I thought at first that they may be too big for my dart frogs but I fed off the cultures for the first time today and all the tincs wolfed them down as did the P. terribillis and even the smaller leucs. Once they had become accustomed to the different texture of the weevils they crammed them down. A few shudders after they had gone down as the weevil`s were still moving inside no doubt and then they were all busily hunting for more.

I should say that they will be a useful standby for other smaller herps also. Whilst staying with Rick last week , we fed some to a group of young Panther chameleons which eagerly polished them all off. The beans themselves are a good source of protein so although obviously I would not reccomend feeding any herp solely on the weevils, It would appear to be another easily culturable alternative. The adult weevils don`t live for long and hardly feed as adults. A tiny amount of clear runny honey mixed with a little watr is all they need. Allow them to lay some eggs on some fresh beans to start a new culture and then feed.

I`ll post some pics up soon, they are 2-3 times the size of a fruit fly.

The man to contact if interested further is Darryl, at Frognut_d@hotmail.com mention my name if it helps
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YSBRYDOLI POBL, GWELLA LLEOEDD
INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES
www.btcv.org
Visit our website - Gwelwch ein Gwefan
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[Jan O]

This makes good reading indeed as I am hoping to get these going for my Pygmy Chams and by all accounts they sound as if they will be a most welcome addittion to the diet. Thanks for the info.
love Jan

[Pollywog]

These have been around for quite some time. A friend of mine cultured them a few years back after using them in a science experiment at college.
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Andrew Tillson-Willis
Pollywog
www.pollywog.co.uk
sales@pollywog.co.uk

[Rickeezee]

I can vouch for them I bought three cultures that did nowt, then after about two to three weeks they exploded and I have made loads of new cultures. Easier than fruit fly and the baby chams, frogs etc love em!
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www.rickslivefood.co.uk

[Peter Parrot]

No probs Jan. One more tip, I found that health food shops are very pricey for the beans. There is a street in the city by me with a lot of "Ethnic cuisine" suppliers. I went to an indian food shop and got a huge bag of black eyed beans for less than a tiny one at the health food shop. So if you have any such shops in the area, that`s where to look
_________________
YSBRYDOLI POBL, GWELLA LLEOEDD
INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES
www.btcv.org
Visit our website - Gwelwch ein Gwefan
www.btcvcymru.org
Llinell Gymorth / Helpline: 08702 40 48 41

[Rickeezee]

Might have to ask you to pick me up a couple of big bags of beans b4 you come down next please Pete!
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www.rickslivefood.co.uk

[Peter Parrot]

[Peter Parrot]

[Rickeezee]

[Pollywog]