have been thinking seriously about getting a chameleon

[waterfaller1]

Those roaches are illegal here..lol. When I speak of gutloading, I like to see more of a powder used, with things like spirulina, some kind of protein source-like fish-ground nuts,healthy cereal etc. There used to be a guy right near me, and I used to go right to his home and pick up his wonderful gutload. Cricketfood . com. Sadly he closed his doors many years ago. The gutload smelled so good you would consider eating it yourself. There is one other I had found after I could not get his, that was fairly equal. I can look and see if I can find it for you if you like. I have been out of the loop as far as herps for many years now, so I have no idea what's out there. I kept my cricket container very very clean, because they get smelly, and after a few years of experimenting I finally got good at keeping them alive. I have found the brown easier to keep than the black ones.
I am not a water cube fan either. I used spring water, and used a bio-ball type plastic ball in it to keep them from drowning.
Your new baby is adorable. Good luck with him. Name yet?

 

[expressmailtome]

Congratulations! He/she is beautiful!

Matt

 

[Leza]

Gideon We have a friend from school who has one he calls her Ramona, so he is one of her evil ex's(homage to Scott Pilgrim )

So, what is the best way to water the crickets? They do get a little moisture from cat food, veggie "mash" and such, but I put a sponge bit soaked in water for now until I figure out something better.

 

[expressmailtome]

That is a great name!

Matt

 

[waterfaller1]

Love the name. Here is what you want to look for. Get a cheap package of these~{you might even find that a marine shop might have buckets of them, and they would probably just give you one}
Marineland® Bio-Filter Balls - Filter Media - Fish - PetSmart
Place the bio ball in a small water dish. The cricket can crawl around on the ball to get to the water. Keep these clean, and the water clean. If you use water pillows or cotton balls, or gel, they just get nasty, and will kill the crickets.

 

[Leza]

Carole best find ever!! I got a light timer/plug outlet duo, and it has a battery backup!! Jumping for joy here!

 

[waterfaller1]

Is it a Coralife?

 

[Leza]

no a zilla.... has night and day plugs, that turn on/off auto if the other is on/off.

 

[Leza]

ok a picture is easier than words! lol

 

[Sunnyside]

Congrats!!! What a cutie pie!!!!

I have a leopard gecko, I have had him 11 years next month. I just wanted to let you know to be careful with the crickets. Scoobie was having terrible eye problems and was back and forth to the Vet many times. It was the crickets , those little buggers can and will be nasty and they were biting my Scoobies' eyes. The Vet that finally figured it out was in Florida and he told me it is very common and often goes misdiagnosed. I had owned Scoobie 3 years before I finally got the answer I needed. After stopping the crickets, his eyes cleared up within a month. Just watch those crickets, I was so shocked.

 

[waterfaller1]

I always held the crickets and insured he ate each one. No crix roaming around the viv! If they got away, I hunted them down..lol. Great find on the power center Leza!

 

[Sunnyside]

I kept my crickets in one of those containers and then they would be put in a dish that was cricket-escape proof. The crickets never escaped, the bowl did work. But, when Scoobie was going to eat one that is when they would get him. Since they were free-hand fed I was never there. So I guess holding each cricket would be effective, if they bite atleast you will know what happened and he/she could be treated properly. I never knew why his eyes were cloudy and neither did my Vet in Md.

 

[waterfaller1]

I never had one bite!
This was mr smiley and his viv. He was trained to 'go' in a vase.

 

[Karighan]

Oh wow, Carole. He's BEAUTIFUL.

 

[waterfaller1]

Thank you. He was the most laid back coolest guy ever. He would be out in the day, and sleep at night. Totally opposite of the norm for them. I loved him.

 

[Sunnyside]

Carole, how long did he live? I have read they live 10 yrs or so but then I read 30 yrs on other sites. Scoobs' will be 11 and I am worried, I hope the 30 yrs that I read is correct.

He was beautiful

Leza, sorry to do a semi hijack

 

[waterfaller1]

30 years is pretty optimistic. I believe he was about 12-13.

 

[Leza]

Its ok Janice

oh and with the crix biting, I was told on another forum to just make sure the crix have a food source on the bottom of my chams cage, so there are meal worms down there for them to chow on, But Gideon eats the crix so fast, usually there is only one left over to roam. I have seen no evidence of them biting him, but they do chow on the worms.