# Blatta lateralis [stage #1 instars for feeding larger Dendrobates]



## batrachiophyle (May 7, 2009)

hi, everyone...

i currently breed various Blattid species for feeding the Hylids, Bufos, Rhacs, and the like which i also work with... [no _A. domestica_ (crickets) here. can't stand those bloody things!] one species in particular i work with is a small Bufonid, _Ingerophrynus parvus,_ [vernacular = "Dwarf Malaysian Forest Toad"] which are roughly the size of some of the larger animals in the _tinctorius_ taxon. the primary food source for my _I. parvus_ are _Blatta lateralis_ stage #1 instars [nymphs.] therefore, i assumed my _D. tinctorius_ could also be fed in a similar manner.

around once a month, i collect about 60% - 70% of the _B. lateralis_ egg cases from their breeding enclosure [LOL, and _still _get phenomenal population growth!], and rear them separately in a small plastic shoe box. i throw in a few scalloped pieces of cardboard, and when i need some, i simply pick up a few pieces of the cardboard, and shake them off into my feeding cup... it's a very efficient process overall [for those who don't know, _B. lateralis_ stage #1 nymphs are only slightly larger than _D. hydei_.]

while i'm certainly no stranger to anura, and most certainly no stranger to the kingdom animalia as a whole, [my primary focus was native marine invertebrate phyla] i only recently began working with various Dendrobatid species. one of the first animals i acquired was, of course, was _D. tinctorius_ [Suriname Cobalt - i was told the line recently, but forgot.] i acquired the animal at approximately 3 months OTW, and fed it primarily _Drosphilia _for the first few weeks. i then decided to try some _lateralis _instars. he did give them a shot... however, afterward he seemed even more prone to simply ignore them altogether.. 

i placed a homemade _lateralis _trap into the _tinc _enclosure, and collected the _lateralis _which were not eaten. i decided to give it another month or two, and try again. i had previously read somewhere that _D. tinctorius_ can be a bit picky, and more prone to eating smaller food items for it's relative size... than say _Phyllobates terribilis_, etc.

well, the other day i noticed him doing some serious hunting out of the corner of my eye.. which was odd, because when i fed him his morning meal, i watched him eat virtually every fly i deposited in the tank. he was definitely stalking something.. [lol, and he was doing it such vigor!] i took a peek, and he was hunting [as well as greedily devouring] the few remaining _lateralis _which i was unable to re-capture! 

 great news!! ....as this yields even more variation in his diet, and another readily available feeder for him. he now no longer favors _Drosphilia _over _B. laterlais_ so far as i can tell.

i was simply wondering how many other DB members use this method, or something relatively similar for feeding some of their larger Dendrobatids?  thanks a lot for sticking with the "longish" post!! have a great day!

*P.S:*
[FYI: _Ingerophrynus parvus_ are quite literally amazing [and _really _fun!] animals to work with, should anyone happen to be interested. these guys make great small, "dart-like" captives, and are quite similar [if not virtually identical] to some of the more terrestrial Dendrobatids in a convergent evolutionary sense... same set-up, occupy same niche, similar morphology / anatomy, active during same photo-period [diurnal,] etc... captive environmental parameters are thus also virtually identical. this animal, in my opinion, most definitely deserves a second glace / closer look by the hobby.]


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## Brock (Jun 29, 2007)

The Turkestan roaches are outstanding for darts. The egg cases just make it even easier!

I do pretty much the same thing as you, with the same results. I love the Turks because 
they're great for any animal that eat small prey, and especially baby geckos. A great
source of protein, and for their size, much easier to gutload than virtually any other feeder
we use for darts.


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## batrachiophyle (May 7, 2009)

hi, Brock!

nice to meet another frogger from the great NW! 

i couldn't agree more with your statement on gut-loading, and i'm glad that you mentioned it. my early attempts at gut-loading _Drosphilia _should have been referred to as, "How to Effectively Drown _Drosphilia _in Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice For Dummies!" 

many factors make this species an ideal feeder for anurans of various families, and of various sizes. i'll not bore people with the long list of benefits of breeding blattids as feeders, as most experienced hobbyists are already familiar with these facts. i will, however, keep making the argument for feeding larger Dendrobatids the stage 1's. they're a fantastic feeder which are mind-numbingly easy to yield in large numbers.

remember, variation in diet is paramount, and directly proportional to a captive's acute, and chronic health. there's no way we can even come close to replicating the variation in diet an animal would have in it's indigenous environment [hence the importance of supplementation, and the attempt at using numerous species as feeders when possible.]

in fact, to further my point, if there are any members here who are seriously interested in the above, i'd be happy to send some fresh oothica via snail mail to you so that you can give the species a test drive, so to speak!


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