Quote Originally Posted by demon amphibians View Post
And DVirginia, I spoke the to largest cricket breeder in the area. this guy sells to all major pet stores in the area. I was asking tips on breeding them and he said he feeds them veggies that a local farmer gives him that aren't up to standards to sell for human consumption. Not saying all breeders do this just saying the largest one in my area does. I even asked him if he has had issues with pesticides and he said he has had problems in the past.

Sounds like you have a quality cricket breeder in your area then. Honestly, his product is probably overall healthier for feeding the veggies. Most of the feeders , crickets and roaches, I have ordered from breeders have been fed (and even come with sometimes) the processed-cardboard-nutrient-meal stuff. That's also what they feed them in every petstore in my area except one very small private one that is pricey, but they keep their animals in such good conditions that I'd consider buying a pet from there instead of a breeder. idk for sure what they feed them there, but the crickets have the darker look I associate with natural foods. I mean, lighting is even changed for albinos and nocturnal critters in their place-- who cares if you want a closer look the animal is asleep! lol

I'll be honest, I've had to feed w/c prey to rescues before. When I have to rehab a slug-eating snake, I have no choice. I don't know how they are as a frog food-source, but I've had one experiment slug for almost a year now (happiest slug in the country...), so I try to keep a small veggie-fed colony since they live long enough to detox. Actually got to use it last winter when I got a call about a redbelly snake that had been attacked by a cat.

My general opinion about w/c feeders is that "If you have to ask, you should avoid it". Kind of like, if you don't have the resources and experience to feel confident in feeding stuff from your yard, it's probably not worth the risk. Haha, can't tell you how many times I've felt guilty for coming in from a fall herping trip and my garters going nuts because they smell salamanders but can't eat them. The runoff in our area is so contaminated it's made the cats sick before (and we live in the middle of nowhere, but it's mountainous sooo...) so no way I'm feeding anything from there to my cold-blooded babies.