Help My Dragon Ate...

[Nicodemous]

Oddly enough I had Tamyas sitting in the window today and I was snacking on some fruit-loops, I dropped one on my bed and before I had time to pick it up he dove out of the window and ate it!
Hopefully it wont cause problem but wow he was fast

 

[JangoMom]

Jango has eaten an earwig once and was fine.. it was in with his crickets and I didn't know it until I knocked it out of the tube into Jango's tank and he munched it down before I could get it.. now I check first

 

[Hercules]

Jango has eaten an earwig once and was fine.. it was in with his crickets and I didn't know it until I knocked it out of the tube into Jango's tank and he munched it down before I could get it.. now I check first

The crickets I get sometimes come with these little black worms things in it, is that an earwig? I pick them out too but once time I didn't notice a little one until i droped it in his tank and he also got it before I could haha

 

[Hercules]

I don't know why I didn't look it up before I posted that but it wasn't an earwig, does anyone know what the little worms that sometimes are in with crickets are?

 

[TheWerewolf]

Hercules, maybe you could give me a picture of the worm thing? Either PM it or on this post, I'd like to see it. I may be able to tell you what it is. Or you could describe it.

 

[Hercules]

I think this is them
http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/data/38732Fuzzyworms-S.JPG
The people at the pet store told me the beardies could eat them, but we all know they usually don't know what they are talking about. I think they also tried to get me to buy mealworms for him to eat....
It's a good thing I reasearched before hand and found this site

 

[TheWerewolf]

Oh yes, I know what they are. They are larvae of the dermested beetle. Dermestes maculatus or more commenly known as the black dermested. Here is a picture of the adult.

There is also another type of dermested, the dermestes lardarius or more commonly known as the larder beetle because they eat the food in peoples larders or pantries. Here is a picture of the adult.

The larvae both look alike. So no pics of those. And beardeds won't die after one, because my Nim ate one. Just don't feed them as a staple since the beetles eat rotting animals. I have also found them with crickets. Hope this helps!

 

[Hercules]

Thanks for the reply! It's nice to finally know what they are

 

[TheWerewolf]

No problem. I love to help people with their bugs questions!

 

[bayoupig5]

Thanks werewolf here is a pic of the Dermested Beetle/Larvae

And a pic of an earwig

Got pinched by those once, dang it hurt!!

 

[NEROtheMONSTER]

Nero has eaten 2 flies once outside.I don't even know how he could even catch them because they are so fast :shock: !
He has tried to eat the leaves off of my tomato plant and my fruit tree though I caught him in time before he could eat them.When i heard that tomato plants were toxic i was so thankful :mrgreen: .I have also gotten those little fuzzy beetle larvae with my crickets :roll: .

 

[TheWerewolf]

Yeah, I think everyone does. It doesn't hurt the crickets. It should actually help them. See, dermesteds like to eat dead things. So if a cricket dies the dermesteds will eat it and keep the enclosure very clean. If their food is moving they run from it (I know that from raising some) so they won't eat the live crickets. I say, keep them with your crickets, they will only help keep the colony clean. Just make sure your dragon doesn't get them! Also, a fact about dermesteds. They are the bugs used by museum curators to clean animal bones. It is safer than boiling the bones. They are also very fun to raise. I had a colony of larder beetles and know SO much about them now. Things that I probably wouldn't get online.

Another thing, earwigs do not crawl into your ear and eat your brain. They got that name because their wings are in the shape of a human ear. So the ear thing is a stupid myth! And impossible if you know the human body.

Like I said, if anyone has questions about bugs, just ask me! You could PM me if you like. I would love to share my bug knowledge with people other than my poor annoyed family!

(I pardon the long post. I'm about to go to bed so this is the time I could just speak for hours. Sorry. )

 

[Hercules]

Thanks for all the info! I've been taking the beetle larva out as soon as I got them but now I'll leave them in the cricket keeper so they can clean for me haha. Thanks again for all the info and I'll definitely keep you in mind if I ever have any bug questions!

 

[AmberC]

I had Sasha outside yesterday and he ate a wasp and two flies (I tried to stop him). I couldn't believe it! I've had him outside all summer long and he hasn't once paid any attention to the insects. Hopefully he doesn't get sick but he also constantly goes for the ivy I have growing in my front yard. It's been a close call, I've pulled a few ivy leaves out of his mouth and that's even while I'm watching him like a hawk and he has a harness on. Crazy beardies.

 

[TheWerewolf]

I had Sasha outside yesterday and he ate a wasp and two flies (I tried to stop him). I couldn't believe it! I've had him outside all summer long and he hasn't once paid any attention to the insects. Hopefully he doesn't get sick but he also constantly goes for the ivy I have growing in my front yard. It's been a close call, I've pulled a few ivy leaves out of his mouth and that's even while I'm watching him like a hawk and he has a harness on. Crazy beardies.

Keep an eye on him. I have heard about beardies eating wasps and bees and being okay. But the flies may give him parasites, so keep an eye on that. That is all you can do for now.