Coronavirus and feeding

Hi all!

With coronavirus rapidly spreading in the USA and things headed toward likely quarantine, I’m hugely concerned that shipping could come to a halt and how that would affect my ability to feed my dragon.

In preparation, I’ve placed an order for dubias that’s triple my usual order, and also ordered some adults and mixed sizes to start a colony. I’m hoping the 400 I’ve ordered will hold her over until the colony starts producing, but she eats like crazy! I will probably start counting out what I’m giving her during this time just in case.

However, I’m wondering if anyone has advise on how else I could possibly prepare for this worst-case scenario? I realize this is likely a little dramatic but I’m more concerned about being able to feed her than I am about myself! I’ve seen canned dubias online— does anyone have experience with/opinions on these?

Thanks!

You can try canned if you want; some dragons will eat them--others won't (Mine won't eat anything that isn't moving).

400 is not a lot of dubias for a growing BD. My typical order since Dec (Age 10 weeks on Dec 1) has been 1000 med (½")/month. For variety, I picked up a number of different feeders to try (BSFL, butterworms, waxworms, mealies & giant mealies)--all but the BSFL I got locally. Most recent dubia order included 500 Lg supers (which are like beardie crack).

If you're expecting/going for a long haul, I'd pick live feeders that can survive for long periods. Personally, I've never gotten BSFL to last longer than a couple weeks before they pupate (and then they don't move enough, so Z won't eat them). Dubias are IMO an excellent choice, but with only 400, you may go through them before they've had time to breed & grow. I would separate them into 2 groups: active feeders and colony. Only take from the active feeders until the colony is well-established and producing numbers equal to what you feed out of the active feeders group. It can take up to a few months to get a colony established.

Supers can last quite a while (I'm not sure exactly how long yet) when kept together. They allegedly cannot pupate unless they are solitary.

The point being, it's always a good idea to provide some variety with both insect feeders and greens/veggies.

Mealworms and superworms will last months when kept properly. Mealworms are more likely to pupate especially if there isn't an overabundance of food available. But its also not hard to breed either.

I'd buy 1000 of each. That will last you months.

The dubia colony will take months to become self sufficient. Typically you would leave a colony alone for at least 3 months before trying to feed out of it.

You can also hatch silkworms.

Keep baby food on hand. This can be readily eaten by beardies.

You can buy bulk bsfl and keep them in a wine cooler and they will last a month or two. Otherwise they last around 2 weeks at room temperature before turning into flies.

-Brandon

Claudiusx":t5x1v365 said:

Keep baby food on hand. This can be readily eaten by beardies.

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Any suggestions on how to accomplish this if--like Z--they won't eat anything that's not moving?

SO far mine won't eat anything that's not moving either. I have had limited success waving things around on tongs, but she seems to be on to that ploy....

McBeck":25so62we said:

I have had limited success waving things around on tongs, but she seems to be on to that ploy....

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Yeah, they catch on fast... :lol:
Z might take something off tongs the first time. After that, (unless it's a super) he'll back away, even if it means backing off of his tower and plummeting to the earth below. Funny, he either hasn't caught on to that, or he doesn't care. :dontknow:

Littlebuddysmama, how big and how old is your dragons ? Remember to offer greens as well, for a sub- adult or larger juvenile that can really help fill them up. Dragons kept in the U.S as pets are often over -fed and so you might be able to cut back on the live feeders depending on her size as well as the size of the insects. And definitely get a bunch of superworms. Set up n a plastic tote with no lid [ they can not escape ] with some oatmeal or bran, a sweet potato or carrot cut in to 1/4 's . Just check to see that no veggies get moldy but they rarely do. To gut load them you can offer the supers a handful of greens the day before feeding them to your dragon. Superworms kept at room temp. , around low 70's or even a bit higher will live a long time.

AHBD":4pxop1ik said:

Littlebuddysmama, how big and how old is your dragons ? Remember to offer greens as well, for a sub- adult or larger juvenile that can really help fill them up. Dragons kept in the U.S as pets are often over -fed and so you might be able to cut back on the live feeders depending on her size as well as the size of the insects. And definitely get a bunch of superworms. Set up n a plastic tote with no lid [ they can not escape ] with some oatmeal or bran, a sweet potato or carrot cut in to 1/4 's . Just check to see that no veggies get moldy but they rarely do. To gut load them you can offer the supers a handful of greens the day before feeding them to your dragon. Superworms kept at room temp. , around low 70's or even a bit higher will live a long time.

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Gotta add, just today found mold on carrot in supers that was put in Thurs. But I also have a lid with holes in it cause of cats. It's been warm the last few days with occasional light showers. I'm guessing humidity is up. After getting everything cleaned and fresh oatmeal, will replace carrot once a week instead of twice. Supers are fine and fat, just had some mold on carrot pieces, but tossed everything but the worms. Have kept supers since Dec 5 with no issues at all. They do molt, as they get fatter. But yeah, they last and easy to keep.
-Dee

DragonPete":jg71r2kc said:

But I also have a lid with holes in it cause of cats.

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I've got my supers in old plastic BSFL tubs from Symton. The supers reared up on top of the oats, and ate the plastic around the holes, enlarging them enough to crawl through (~1/32" to ~1/4").
So I put the tubs in a larger shiny plastic bin, and they're able to climb/crawl out of that.

MrSpectrum":2pcjtnm4 said:

DragonPete":2pcjtnm4 said:

But I also have a lid with holes in it cause of cats.

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I've got my supers in old plastic BSFL tubs from Symton. The supers reared up on top of the oats, and ate the plastic around the holes, enlarging them enough to crawl through (~1/32" to ~1/4").
So I put the tubs in a larger shiny plastic bin, and they're able to climb/crawl out of that.

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Mine has about 8 inches from the oats to the top so no chance of them getting close enough to get to the lid. There's about 4 inches of torn brown paper strips on the oats but they still can't stretch another 4-5 inches to the lid. Have lid off now to keep it dryer and put the whole thing in a cabinet so cats can't get to it. Checked on it a couple times to make sure they can't climb it. Been using this container the whole time. Thinking it should be ok.
-Dee

Hi everyone I was just going to ask this question..... what greens will last in the freezer? ..... I just ordered the amount of meal worms and super worms that was suggested in this conversation. I can’t believe they shut down college .

Tasnene":1sbmydhd said:

Hi everyone I was just going to ask this question..... what greens will last in the freezer?

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None that I'm aware of; freezing breaks down the cell structure. Most anything thawed out will likely be wilted/mushy. This usually won't affect nutritional value short-term, but I have no idea how a BD might react.

Care sheets & nutrition sites say fresh greens for a reason. :wink:

So If they decide to locked down everything, do I just feed her bugs? Is there anything I can replace salad with temporarily?

Tasnene":11heex1e said:

So If they decide to locked down everything, do I just feed her bugs? Is there anything I can replace salad with temporarily?

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Some feed thawed frozen vegetables (e.g. squash) & fruits--Check the list. Some feed jarred baby food. There are currently threads about using rabbit pellets.
A couple weeks without salads isn't going to be fatal; perhaps dust feeders w/ vitamins an extra time a week.
If you want to plan ahead, plant some herbs or relatively fast-growing greens you can grow inside. You don't need to grow enough for humans--just enough for a lizard.

There's also a big difference in 'home' frozen veggies and the commercial flash frozen. Less slime and wilt when thawed. I have frozen collards and turnip greens. Have used them many times over the years but not for Dragon. No idea whether he'd eat them. But then, they aren't gonna starve themselves. I hear there is lots of canned veggies too like green beans, chic peas, kidney beans. Haven't tried any but expect to make some hummus soon so will see what he thinks of bits of garbanzo.
I made sure I bought some frozen greens and veggies just because I may be going in for back surgery, before the virus issue hit. Either way I have something and he won't starve unless he's seriously stupid! Lol! ? Between all the frozen and canned veggies and plenty of supers, I'm sure he'll be ok. ?
-Dee