# Alternative to Fruit Flies?



## intelsuit (Jul 31, 2011)

I have had two successfully reproducing cultures over the past year or more. Whenever, I feed my Fire Belly Toads, the fruit flies keep getting out of the tank. My wife decided over the weekend that she wanted the fruit flies out of the house. She flipped and threw a fit over the escaped flies. I was feeding them as a supplement to crickets and mealworms. I am looking for a good alternative to FF's that are easy to breed and possibly a little larger to prevent escapes if they are not completely eaten. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
To avoid the list of questions... Yes, my tank is closed and no many small areas to escape but, I don't want to completely seal it with silicone around the edges to allow air flow.


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## Pacblu202 (May 8, 2012)

Nothing is as easy to breed as fruit flies. You can work with crickets but they can tend to smell a bit and I believe they are harder to raise.


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

Bean beetles work well.

But..
They might be hard to find in your state
They seem a lot slower to reproduce. but when they "boom" they boom..
Lastly they seem to get out just as much as fruitflys. not as bad though.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

intelsuit said:


> I have had two successfully reproducing cultures over the past year or more. Whenever, I feed my Fire Belly Toads, the fruit flies keep getting out of the tank. My wife decided over the weekend that she wanted the fruit flies out of the house. She flipped and threw a fit over the escaped flies. I was feeding them as a supplement to crickets and mealworms. I am looking for a good alternative to FF's that are easy to breed and possibly a little larger to prevent escapes if they are not completely eaten. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
> To avoid the list of questions... Yes, my tank is closed and no many small areas to escape but, I don't want to completely seal it with silicone around the edges to allow air flow.


How small are your firebelly toads that you are feeding them fruit flies? 

Ed


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

What type of fly are you using? I stopped using Hydei years ago because as soon as I dumped them in they would crawl straight to the top and find their way out. I have very few, if any escape`s since going with Melanogaster.
Just a suggestion.

John


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

Dizzle21 said:


> Bean beetles work well.
> 
> But..
> They might be hard to find in your state
> ...


problem is bean beetles escape better than flies hahah.


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## mydumname (Dec 24, 2004)

How about roaches?

Easier than crickets, less smell, no noise, and they don't jump or climb (non climbing roaches like dubia at least).


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## ghostpilot (Dec 29, 2011)

Flour Beetles are pretty easy to culture from my experience.


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## ZookeeperDoug (Jun 5, 2011)

I can't believe nobody has suggested this but what about just getting a new wife?


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## NickJR (Jul 28, 2011)

try termites.. 

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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

remind me to come to the zoo and beat a knot on your head for THAT suggestion...


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## intelsuit (Jul 31, 2011)

Ed said:


> How small are your firebelly toads that you are feeding them fruit flies?
> 
> Ed


I feed them in between feeding crickets. They seem to eat them as much as they eat the springtails in the tank.


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## Quickness (Jul 19, 2012)

She may flip over this also, but a possibility of dubia roach nymphs.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

intelsuit said:


> I feed them in between feeding crickets. They seem to eat them as much as they eat the springtails in the tank.


 
I wasn't asking how often you are feeding them fruit fllies, I was asking how big your fire belly toads are... Fire belly toads as adults do not need fruit flies.... 

Ed


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## BrianWI (Feb 4, 2012)

I'd also say try dubia roaches. They have little downside except that in large numbers, the frass can be irritating.


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

If the fire bellies are adults you can feed them red wiggle or even night crawlers, you may have to cut the night crawlers in fourths. They will also take wax worms in fact in my experience they love wax worms but they should not be a staple because they are fattening. 

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