Hello,
Looking for advice on feeding a new pair of imitators...
I've kept a steady supply of springtails in their 20 inch vertical viv. Have also been alternating between hatchling crickets (black and brown) and walking fruitflies... They actively hunt both types of cricket (especially the faster brown ones!) but seem to inspect the fruitflies and then ignore them.
Is it ok to feed them on just crickets and check on springtail populations too?
The fruitfly cultures are attracting wild flies and seem like a lot of work if they don't even eat them?!
Would also appreciate advice on how many and how often to feed?
Thanks in advance,
Reading the advice on this forum has been really helpful so far.
Welcome to the forum. This is an interesting scenario. Most dart frog keepers don't use crickets because it's hard (and very expensive in the long run) to supply crickets reliably throughout the year. With fruit flies you have only yourself to worry about when it comes to running out of food.
If I were a dart frog and I had a choice between a nice hatchling cricket and a fruit fly, I might prefer the cricket too! If you want them to take the flies then I suggest you don't offer more attractive foods at the same time. Be sure to dust your feeders with vitamin and mineral supplements regularly.
If you want to, I don't see a problem with just crickets and springtails but I hope you don't have problems sourcing pinhead crickets in the winter - they are so delicate.
Founder of Frogforum.net (2008) and Caudata.org (2001)
Thank-you John, for your response and also your incredibly informative care sheet... Not quite sure what people did before the internet made finding information so accessible. Very grateful that people here share their expertise...
I suppose when you put it like that, the crickets do seem more appealing!
After four days with just fruit flies slowly clotting up the viv and dying in the humidity. I hadn't seen the frogs take one... then last night I chucked in a fresh batch of brown crickets and they went nuts chasing them. I had put it down to hunger but perhaps, as you say, it was just preference.
How do you tell your frogs are well fed enough?
And do you have a preferred dusting combo/regime?
Thanks again,
Do you know what flies you are feeding? you could try breeding stunted flies if they are still not interested in normal melanogaster. To make stunted flies just add more flies or less culture medium when you make the cultures and you get smaller flies.
I am surprised tho as the two imitator species I keep take the small fruit flies without any problem. If there is still plenty of springtails they'll be getting plenty of those. Worth adding lots of leaves litter if you haven't already as the springs love this and the frogs will love it too.
Hatchling milkweed bugs and pea aphids also good alternatives.
0.0.2 Ceratophrys cranwelli
0.0.3 Dendrobates azureus
0.0.4 Dendrobates tinctorius "Alanis" (tads)
3.3.0 Epipedobates anthonyi (+tads!)
0.0.1 Lepidobatrachus laevis
0.0.4 Pyllobates terribilis
0.0.3 Ranitomeya imitator "Chazuta"
0.0.3 Ranitomeya vanzolini
0.0.6 Xenopus laevis
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