Unwillingly parting with my tank....

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i keep my mealies at room temp all the time. when they pupate, i move the 'aliens' to a little bowl until they turn into beetles, then the beetles go into critter keepers (i may start keeping them in a 10 gal though, my colony's outgrowing it's containers!) I only use a few hundred a month. It's not ventilated, but i never really snap the lid on. If you want it sealed tight, you'll want to poke holes in the top. I store mine in a drawer when i have animals roaming around.

I personally like the rubbermaid bin better for crickets... i think i paid $8 for the bin and $2 or 3 for the screen... vs. paying $8 for the 10 gal and $8 for the 10 gal screen... plus having them chew through the silicone of the tank. With the bin you can put as many or as few crickets as you want and if someday you need to store more than 500 crickets, you've already got the space! (see, thinking ahead! not to be confused with encouraging you to get more reptiles *grin*)

Here's a picture of where the mealworm beetles go... they're two critter keepers sitting in a 20 gallon long, if that gives you some perspective:

 

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Do you use the same oatmeal or gutload for the adult beetles as the mealworms? Which is pictured in your photos? Thanks for the advice about the crickets and the tub....and the explanation for the larger tub was awesome!!! I will use it for my hubbie so he doesn't worry about me getting more leos! Although I like your thinking....grin!

curiousKathy

 

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i'm just using oats for my beetles and mealworms. trying to save up some money to get cf wormbedding. Once I do that, i've got two small critter keepers i'll keep 50-100 mealies in at a time with gutload. That way i'm not wasting gutload on mealies that are just going to turn into beetles.

I alternate between carrots and greens for moisture.

 

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if you start a small container for just breeding mealies then you probably will never have to buy anymore ever again...small amount-o-math...say you get ohhhh...100 mealies for breeding only (thats a drop in the bucket for me,lol) say half of those are females...so 50 females...ok, guestimate each one lays between 100-500 eggs each! thats 5000-25000 eggs to hatch into new mealies...most of which you can use and the rest..well...more mealies ..I can actually give you a few big cupfulls of my colony if you want...beetles, eggs, pupae, worms and all, that should get you started.

I keep all of mine together, COMPLETELY gave up on separating in stages, I have 9 geckos and am STILL swimming in mealworms. Would you like a bit of a starter kit? I have bran bedding i can give you a baggie of also(i buy that by the 50lb bags) just get your own fresh veggies and a container.

sarae: are those mealworms or superworms? they look HUGE! just wondering

CuriousKathy: Im working on seeing whether my neighbor is going to the show also, if she is she can drive her SUV...which will have MUCH more room for a 55 gallon tank and people..i PROMISE I WILL get back to you as soon as I can. things are so up in the air right now I dont know what I will get hit in the head with next! I will be there saturday unless the sky dumps another 8 inches on us generally i get there early...what time did you say you'd be there around?

 

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Hawsegal,

I would LOVE a starter kit for mealworms!

<VBG> I was waiting to hear what time you were going to get there! I would prefer early as I have an award banquet to attend in the afternoon. You mentioned you like to get there early...how about 9 to 9:30am? As long as I am out of there by noon I should be fine....like you mentioned the weather can contribute, but I don't think we are supposed to get a bunch more snow are we?

I am looking forward to meeting you! I am hoping that I may be able to pick up my new leo and tank on the way home from the reptile show. She is owned by a college student that lives near campus...

Let me know what time works for you when you can! <VBG>

curiousKathy

 

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they're mealworms. i've only got 3 superworm beetles and about 50 supers right now.. i gave up on breeding them until it's warmer outside (and thus warmer in my house).. right now they take forever to pupate and then the beetles only live about a week before they die.

they're not that big either, it must just be an illusion i got most of them at the show last month when they were tiny and it's been so cool lately that probably less than half of them have pupated thus far. normally 3/4ths have turned by now.

 

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I will bing a baggie-o-worms and bedding for you then. I hope you dont mind if i go ahead and put them in with the new bedding..less containers that way

So far my neighbor with the suv cant get anyone to switch her time slots at work, however she should give me a DEFINITE yes or no tomorrow, when I hear from her I will tell you.

I think I saw what was throwing me off with your colony sarae, theyre in critter keepers,LOL. I keep mine in 16qt sterilite containers so all i saw was...container..HUUUGE worms! I cant get mine to stop breeding and pupating and all of that...it hapens year round in my herp room i cant seem to give them away fast enough!

 

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Nope I don't mind if you put them together! <grin> I will look forward to hearing from you tomorrow, then! Did YippeeSkippee (sp?) decide not to go?

curiousKathy

 

im still going! dont count me out! i dont hang around the forums much lol hawsegal's neighbor has a bunch of lizards too. i dont think shes been to the show before, has she hawsegal? we all just thought that it she is able to go and drive her SUV it will be easier on our backs if we load the tank in there along with the rest of us. if she cant get off work however, i will be drivin. =)

ps to curiousKathy, hawsegal is a great friend who has basically provided my lizard population with mealworms for the past i dunno... 7 or more months. she gut loads em really well so you are getting a grrrrrrrreat starting kit. i tried breeding before, but shes got the formula goin for her that i cant master. it's nice to have a friend with thousands of mealworms. LOL

and i agree that going to the show is addicting... the advice i have is to only bring enough cash for what you are wanting to spend (say enough for some feeders and a leo) in order to curb your impulse buying!

Pps i thought i would throw it out there... curiousKathy i have some lighting fixtures (clamp lamp, flourescent holders, etc) not in use. i dont know if youve got other lizards, but if you want em ill bring em to the show. also, im going to be trying to sell my two leos so once theyre off my hands i have two useless UTH's. they are exo terra heatwaves one 8x8 and one 11x17 ive peeled them off before and restuck em and they continued to work. if you want i can take em off the leo's tanks before i go to the show and bring em. lol, overwhelmed by free stuff yet?

 

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Shes going, I think that maybe she has a few of her babies(geckos) she may be selling, I'm not too sure on that so dont quote me. I wish things would run more smoothly as far as the whole show goes.. I do know that we will get there early. I typically leave here around ohhhh...7:30 and get to the show before it opens that way we can all grab breakfast and stretch. So you may even see us there before the doors open. At this point I doubt my neighbor can go unless she does some serious wagering with another employee. If she doesnt say for sure shes going tomorrow Im just assuming that either myself or YippieSkippie is driving...All I DO know is that I hope my income taxes come in before saturday so I have some money to play !!!

Its been a few months since Ive actually gotten upearly enough to go to the show. Im excited

Sarae: how much does your vendor typically sell 1,000 crickets for those of us who dont get discounts, I really dont think I will be buying from the people up front this time...and does your vendor have 1/4-1/2" crickets or just small and large?...And does Chirp-n-time do business for feeders outside of shows? if so whats their address if you dont mind?

 

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LOL i guess i didnt post fast enough for ya hawsegal. and yeah i am hoping to find my babes some new homes. =) i just sent in my tax stuff so i know i wont be having my refund! (dang it!)

 

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i don't get a discount it's either $14 or 15 for a box of 1000. They have 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4 and 1" crickets. They do business outside of shows on Ebay. Just do a search for chirp-n-time and it has their email address and phone number. I'm sure they've got a little local business set up too, but i don't live down there anymore, so i've never asked about it.

i'll probably get there around 10, 11 if i have to motivate my boyfriend.. i may just go without him again

 

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Thats the spirit! Leave their dopey butts home in bed! I cant get my boyfriend up and motivated when I want him to be...and the whole car ride there is spent watching the road and his head lolling around while he drools/sleeps on the way,lol.

YippieSkippie: I will let you know tomorrow for sure, I hate to keep putting it off day after day but I cant tell what I don't know...*sighs* well tomorrow its either yes or no. Im hoping to be out of Goshen by 7:30, is that ok with you? (uuuugh, getting up early on a day off..Im crazy!) I'll text message you when I get the word and then I will get on here and let CuriousKathy know whats going on as well.

Sarae: I just wonder if its the supplier I used to get the crickets from, I know that the guy I used to get them from was there 3-4 shows in a row then suddenly didnt show...maybe hes back? does he set up towards the back of the building in the far left isle in the center? (I wish I could have been more clear describing that,lol)

CuriousKathy: I'll get it to you one way or another! Even if i have to carry it there!...although I think if I have to carry it I may show up a bit late

 

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maybe... he's been there the last 5 or 6 months consistently.

 

Yippeeskippee wrote:

Are you kidding! I LOVE FREE STUFF!! I would be happy to take it off your hands! I am looking forward to meeting all of you!!! Cours if my hubbie knew what waas in store for him he would probably be a little nervous!!! Oh well!!!

Thanks!

curiousKathy

 

eh, he'll get over it..my live-in boyfriend survived me getting 3 beardeds, 9 leopards, who knows how many chameleons, three geese and 7 chickens. Your guy will be absolutely ok!lol Why dont you see if your husband can come also? it would help as far as maneuvering the tank and plus, youd have someone to carry everything you buy and get

 

Hawsegal! You are too funny!!!! My daughter is coming and possibly my son; neither of which will be able to help with the tank (they are 9 and 5 yrs old), but will certainly help keep things exciting. Oh! And they are VERY good at spending my money!

I have a Jeep Cherokee, so I am hoping we can get it in the cargo area in the back...if not we can put the back seat down, but that will mean only one kid can (legally) come with me...I will have to measure the width of the back of the Jeep...or the tears will flow....AHHHHH!!! Kids!

Any idea on time yet? I would like to be there to meet with you, but it would be fun to meet some of the other folks too...guess we will do what we can with what we've got!!!!

Oh...we already have 2 dogs, 2 cats, a goldfish, a horse (boarded at a stable) and Jackie (our first leo). This weekend I am supposed to pick up a female leo and her tank and I have bought a female from Marcia at Golden Gate Geckos, but the weather has been too cold to ship her. I have been waiting about 4 or 5 weeks now...I am really looking forward to spring or getting out of this cold snap, whichever comes first!

Well...I better go feed Jackie Chan!

Thanks...I am REALLY looking forward to Saturday!!!

curiousKathy

 

OK, so heres the scoop, from what I know we will be there around 9-930....10 as an absolute latest!!! however I believe that 9-930 is more ideal. I have no idea what you look like..only that Im going to be looking for someone with two younger children, I will let you know what I plan to wear later so you know what to be looking for..and we can try to keep an eye out for eachother around the door that leads to the restrooms (its in the left hand corner after you walk into the show area), tonight all news, travel,and times will be finalized. I still wish I could give you more news but thats all that I know,lol.

 

LOL!!

I was thinking that we have no idea what each other looks like! I am 5'5", a little chubby (VBG), with brown hair with kinda reddish highlights. I wear silver wire rimmed glasses and I will be driving a dark green jeep cherokee. I am going to try to leave one child at home, but will probably have two; a tall 9 yr old girl with long brown hair and glasses, and her brother who is average height for an almost 6 yr old short brown hair and no glasses. Plus I will give you my cell number (I'll "PM" you with it) so you can call me. I will plan on being there by 9:30; that will give me some time to find where I am going/parking etc. Do we have to pay to park? Plus is the admission the same regardless of age? $4 admission? We will look for you by the door that leads to the restrooms! I figured that at whatever point we decided to load up that maybe I could just drive the jeep to where your vehicle is so we wouldn't have to carry stuff far. I guess that will depend on the circumstances....vbg!

Okay I will wait to hear from you later tonight!

Thanks! This is so exciting!

Kathy

 

I think if we both get there early enough we'll be able to find eachother just fine..but come 11-12 it gets INSANE with people there, I have mild claustrophobia in a room crammed with people so I usually dont stick around crowded areas long, i move to the open pockets or leave early

Im 5'5", not the stick figure of today so(think size 10-11 pants) with short..ish brown blonde hair.20 yrs old. I'll probably be wearing my Black/grey sleeved UAW jacket with jeans. I will also have YippieSkippie with me, she has short red hair and is...for lack of better words..untan she also wears glasses, I believe with a darker frame. I will ALSO have my boyfriend with me, a 5'9" hispanic with a big mouth,LOL. so if you cant see if you'll probably HEAR him. Since he'll probably tower above the rest of us, hes got short dark brown hair, groucho marx eyebrows and looks too tan too be in Ohio in the winter. (its sad but true!)

I cant recall what type of vehicle YippieSkippie drives..I do know its a silver car GEE that helps a lot right? I dont know how well we can pull off getting the vehicles as close together as possible because the parking lot isnt huge we'll work something out though...

At this point i have to get to bed because I have to get up at 6:00am! I will see you tomorrow. Im excited too !!!!!