# field plankton from the night light



## Rain_Frog (Apr 27, 2004)

In order to find a cheap food source for my mantellas, I can't believe I've been ignoring a critical one.

I just noticed tonight that there were dozens of tiny moths, flies, leafhoppers, and beetles roughly 1/4" long. It is the perfect food size for my mantellas.

Any ideas how to capture it? Obviously, I'd want to catch food overnight and then use it in the morning.


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## moothefrog (May 16, 2008)

glass jar,buttery fly net?


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## Rain_Frog (Apr 27, 2004)

I have seen this thing called a zoomed bugnapper, but it is forty bucks.

A net could work, but that seems relatively inefficient since I need a ton of small bugs. There are a few links on the net about making a bug catching device for herps, but I can't seem to locate it. It would allow me to catch tiny food and not a bunch of large stuff like june beetles.


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## trow (Aug 25, 2005)

Get a large tupperware container and place hardware cloth over it make sure it the right size for the bug's you want they come in all differant size's(the hardware cloth).Place a small flourescent light inside of the tub to attract any and all bug's around.The big one's wont get through and the small one's will. I am sure there are better method's but like you mentioned not many that cost 12 to 15 buck's.Plus you can make any tweek's you want.
goodluck this has worked for me
ALso make sure that the light inside your tube is the only one on if you can help it.


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## Rain_Frog (Apr 27, 2004)

do you have pictures of your capturing device?


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## trow (Aug 25, 2005)

Nope but I will get some.


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## Ben E (Oct 1, 2004)

i used to do this all the time to feed baby veilds and panthers.....i had a 175 watt murcury vapor (streetlight) hooked up to a timer and it turned on every night for 4 hours. i had it hanging from a barn with a white sheet behind it. After the sheet is completely covered i would take a dustbuster that i bought just for this purpose and vacuum up all the bugs. Shake them out into a jar and feed. I did this every night through several summers and never had to pay for feeder insects and the chameleons grew like weeds!


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## Rain_Frog (Apr 27, 2004)

i have seen bug capturing devices on the 'net, but I can't locate it. Any links?


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## Dangerously (Dec 19, 2007)

Do you worry about parasites from these wild bugs? I've seen flies with parasites inside - that's why I ask. I don't know that they'd survive the digestive tract of a frog, but it makes me wonder what else might be hiding in a wild insect.


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## jejton (Sep 3, 2006)

More than parasites ( and pesticides actually too ) I'm curious as to how to avoid feeding toxic bugs to my frogs and lizards. Will they naturally avoid them?


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## Ben E (Oct 1, 2004)

yes they will avoid the ones that taste bad.... you have not seen the dart frog tongue drag yet? do you have any idea how many parasites live in the domestic cricket?


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## Rain_Frog (Apr 27, 2004)

I'm not concerned about parasites. Pesticides are a more legitimate concern.


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