Conservationist and wildlife advocate Ben Dessen is Reptiles Department Manager at Kellyville Pets and is passionate about educating newcomers to the reptile hobby . In this article , he discusses the merits of the large variety of live foods now available to hobbyists .
Live Foods for Reptiles .
Live invertebrates are an important part of the natural diet for many native Australian reptiles and amphibians . Captive reptiles require a varied and nutritious diet to grow , reproduce and thrive , and many of the species commonly kept in captivity should be fed on a range of live insect foods . We are fortunate to be at a stage in the Australian reptile hobby where an abundance of commerciallybred invertebrate foods are readily available to keepers . With so much variety it is important to understand the nutritional values of the various feeder insects , as well as how to source and maintain a steady supply of delicious bugs for your reptiles .
Know your species . Successful reptile and amphibian keepers develop a real understanding of the species they are working with , in order to cater for the specific needs of the animals in their care . Knowing what a reptile ’ s natural diet consists of can help us to replicate this as closely as possible in captivity . Australian native reptiles vary considerably in their feeding habits with some being insectivorous , some being omnivorous and others being carnivorous . Whether it ’ s a species of dragon , skink , gecko , monitor , turtle or frog , ensure that you thoroughly research which types of live insects they require and how often they should be fed .
Sourcing live food . Specialist reptile stores generally have a wide variety of fresh live insects for sale . Small tubs of insects are convenient and affordable for first-time reptile keepers and those with a small number of pet reptiles at home . For keepers with larger collections and many more mouths to feed , some specialist stores and online businesses will also offer bulk packs of insects . These can be much more economical in the long run , however , the insects must be properly maintained in order to keep them alive and in good condition .
A number of feeder insects can also be bred and produced at home , including ‘ woodies ’, silkworms and mealworms . Woodies , or Wood Cockroaches , are perhaps one of the easiest feeder insects to breed and can be housed in a 60-litre plastic storage container stacked with egg cartons for the cockroaches to hide amongst . They can be fed a range of dry pelleted foods , fresh vegetables and specific insect supplement mixes . Woodies are great climbers , but a product called Fluon can be painted around the rim of their container to ensure they can ’ t get out . Parts of the plastic lid should also be replaced with flyscreen mesh to ensure adequate ventilation .
Supplementation . Whilst some feeder insects have much better nutritional value than others , it is often necessary , and in some cases essential , to supplement or ‘ dust ’ insects before feeding them to your reptiles . There are a number of balanced , all-in-one calcium and multivitamin supplements available , most commonly in the form of powders but also as liquids .
A breakdown of the most essential vitamins and minerals includes :
Calcium . Reptiles require dietary calcium for proper bone growth , nerve and organ function , and reproduction . Some of the most commonly used live insect foods , including crickets , have a very poor calcium to phosphorus ratio . Whenever a reptile ingests phosphorus ( which is found in many feeder insects ), it needs an equal amount of calcium to process the
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