Cheap solution for staple food

[Jesse103]

Hello,
I am wondering if there is a cheap solution for staple food for my bearded dragon. Right now I'm spending about 50 dollars per 2 weeks on food for my lizard. I'm using dubia roaches and 400 of them are basically 50 dollars. I tried breeding them in the past, but the babies thay they made took too long to grow up to feed to my dragon. He is almost one year old. I occasionally feed him greens, but I know they need insects as well. Basically I am running out of money to feed him, and the amount I am spending is more than the cost of food and necessities for my dog. I just really need some advice.
Thank you
Jesse

 

[Drache613]

Hello Jesse,

It can get expensive! Where are you purchasing the roaches, online?
Are you looking for another insect to supplement him with instead? A lot of people use the
black soldier fly larvae, since it is less expensive, but they are not real big. Superworms are a
good feeder, as long as you are able to supplement with another insect too.

Tracie

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Feeding

 

[kingofnobbys]

Buy in bulk by mailorder / online ( two or three sizes) of the insects of choice every 3 or 4 weeks. Works out a lot cheaper than paying through the nose to buy small tubs of insects of dubious quality from the local pet shop.

Breed / farm your own insects where possible - crickets , roaches and silkworms are relatively easy .
Silkworms are my favorate at home breed insects - I've been self sufficient for over 3 years , only need to buy fresh mulberry leaves (I buy in bulk) and out of season silkworm chow.
200 silkworms are happy in a 4L clearVue tub in their last month. I hatch silkworms in batches of 300 eggs in a 600ml food tub (like what is used by Chinese takeaways).

Blow flies are easy to start a colony - a contents of a tin of wet dog food outside on a pan will soon be colonized , then just place it in a tub with a lid and leave the maggots to grow.
Harvest by picking maggots out and dumping in some bran to dry and clean and then they are good to go and perfect size for little hatchlings (even in their first week).

 

[Jesse103]

Well right now I am buying the roaches online. I can get about 400 for 50 dollars. This usually lasts me about a month. If I were to buy black soldier flies, how long do you think they would last me? I saw online a cup of 1000 large black soldier flies for i think 30 dollars, but I don't want to get them if they would only last me a few weeks. My besrded is about 9-12months old. I bought him as a baby in September so I'm guessing hos birthday is soon. Anyway, I am running out of money, and I do have roaches, and I have tried to breed black soldier flies and roaches in the past. I got nothing out of the flies, but I got many babies from the roaches, they just grew up too slow to feed to my dragon. Thank you again! I'm just looking for a cheaper solution.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Well right now I am buying the roaches online. I can get about 400 for 50 dollars. This usually lasts me about a month. If I were to buy black soldier flies, how long do you think they would last me? I saw online a cup of 1000 large black soldier flies for i think 30 dollars, but I don't want to get them if they would only last me a few weeks. My besrded is about 9-12months old. I bought him as a baby in September so I'm guessing hos birthday is soon. Anyway, I am running out of money, and I do have roaches, and I have tried to breed black soldier flies and roaches in the past. I got nothing out of the flies, but I got many babies from the roaches, they just grew up too slow to feed to my dragon. Thank you again! I'm just looking for a cheaper solution.

BSFL can be kept in a cooled esky (50-60 degF) …. this will slow down their metabolisms very greatly.
Do not refrigerate BSFL , it will kill them.

I buy BSFL every month or so and I feed the flies as they emerge as well as the lavae to my water skink ….. my adult bluetongues and beardies aren't keen on the BSFL , will eat them as hand treats but wont take them from a dish.
I keep my BSFL at room temperature (24 - 28 degC).

 

[AHBD]

Hi there, I order 500 large superworms and and 500 3/4" crickets from Great Lake hornworm and they last a month feeding 3 dragons and a young clown agama. Price is less than $40 shipped.