Not Digesting BSFL

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JLynn87

Hatchling Member
I have a sim month old female named Lady Mufasa. I feed her BSFL and hornworms, I noticed her bowel movements have whole BSFL, dies this mean she is not digesting or are their outer bodies not meant to be digested? I do not feed her Dubai’s due to gout and I do not use crickets because they escaped one too many times and my sister does not want them in her house (I also do not like them). She loves hornworms, but they are pricey and I am not sure if they are okay as a staple. Is there perhaps something I can do so she does properly digest BSFL? Are hornworms okay as a staple? Could it be the amount she eats? The reason I ask is I am worried she is overeating, she can eat up to 120 medium BSFL in ONE meal! I watch her weight and she last weighed 172grams and is roughly 12” head to tip of tail. Of BSFL are not wise for her to eat, is there another staple other than crickets or Dubias?

Her set up:

40 gallons glass terrarium with mesh top. I do not keep much in her tank anymore as she is getting too big, I am building her a homemade oak enclosure about 110 gallons.

22” ReptiSun T5ho 10.0 tube mounted inside her tank with a reflector.

Temps are difficult right now due to significant weather variations, -30 to 40 degrees F. I try to keep basking between 105-110, warm side mid 90’s to low 100’s, cool side 80’s. No night lights and she kept 65-70’s at night.

I use reptile carpet topped with paper towels for flooring.

She is on 0.05 ml of Allopurinol since late Dec 2017.

I let her run around twice daily on my work days, even more on my days off. She is alert, bright and curious (greatly enjoys climbing and jumping)

She does not eat vegetables, but hoping she will soon notice they are there.

Most hydration comes from food, this is what led me to feeding her hornworms.

94265-3222411061.jpg

94265-6471141758.jpg
 

Taterbug

BD.org Addict
What a cutie!

BSFL sometimes come out whole if they aren’t chewed well, they are maggots after all and pretty hardy. Maybe feed them slower so she might chew more of them. Feeding larger ones may also encourage a chomp or two before swallowing them too.

Unrelated but how close is your UV lamp to her? Is it mounted over head? That is a strong lamp to be inside a shorter enclosure like that.
 

JLynn87

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Thank you tater bug, I actually just had larger ones delivered today. She does eat awfully fast and I tell her to chew, but of course she does not listen lol! I will feed her slower and monitor how she digests.

It is good that you ask about the uvb, I literally just PM another member for feedback on my lighting. I have the uvb about 11-12” from her basking platform. I thought I was understanding uvb lighting, but with further research I fear I was sorely mistaken! Should I move the tube so it is on top of the the mesh screen? I thought I would have her in her bigger home by now, but it looks like she will not be there until end of March. The height of her future home is 26-1/2” (maybe a smidge higher), the top is oak so I cannot mount on top in her future home.
 

Taterbug

BD.org Addict
12” should be fine. Sometimes people follow the advice for the T8 lamps and put the HO bulbs way too close wich is pretty easy in shorter tanks.

Hope she digests her bigger worms better :)
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
JLynn87":6rtzz4zc said:
I have a sim month old female named Lady Mufasa. I feed her BSFL and hornworms, I noticed her bowel movements have whole BSFL, dies this mean she is not digesting or are their outer bodies not meant to be digested? I do not feed her Dubai’s due to gout and I do not use crickets because they escaped one too many times and my sister does not want them in her house (I also do not like them). She loves hornworms, but they are pricey and I am not sure if they are okay as a staple. Is there perhaps something I can do so she does properly digest BSFL? Are hornworms okay as a staple? Could it be the amount she eats? The reason I ask is I am worried she is overeating, she can eat up to 120 medium BSFL in ONE meal! I watch her weight and she last weighed 172grams and is roughly 12” head to tip of tail. Of BSFL are not wise for her to eat, is there another staple other than crickets or Dubias?

Her set up:

40 gallons glass terrarium with mesh top. I do not keep much in her tank anymore as she is getting too big, I am building her a homemade oak enclosure about 110 gallons.

22” ReptiSun T5ho 10.0 tube mounted inside her tank with a reflector.

Temps are difficult right now due to significant weather variations, -30 to 40 degrees F. I try to keep basking between 105-110, warm side mid 90’s to low 100’s, cool side 80’s. No night lights and she kept 65-70’s at night.

Anything over 105F is TOO HOT. See this viewtopic.php?f=5&t=233516

I use reptile carpet topped with paper towels for flooring.

She is on 0.05 ml of Allopurinol since late Dec 2017.

I let her run around twice daily on my work days, even more on my days off. She is alert, bright and curious (greatly enjoys climbing and jumping)

She does not eat vegetables, but hoping she will soon notice they are there.

Most hydration comes from food, this is what led me to feeding her hornworms.

94265-3222411061.jpg

94265-6471141758.jpg

Try snipping the heads off the BSFL ... might help her digest them.
 
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