# Petco fruit fly



## cindygao0217 (Mar 1, 2015)

What the difference between Percocet fruit fly to healthy fruit fly


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## spinycheek (Jan 26, 2010)

Percocet fruit fly?

Healthy fruit flies are bigger and plumper than their malnourished companions. Easy to see if they're next to each other, but might be difficult if you aren't used to seeing them.


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## cindygao0217 (Mar 1, 2015)

I mean petco


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## radiata (Jul 24, 2010)

When I visit one (of three) of my local PETCOs I like to check out the fruit flies. Unfortunately, more often than not, there is nothing alive in their cultures. When they are alive, I don't think there is any difference between them and any Melanogaster flies obtained from another source. One could argue that FFs from some other sources are healthier because of what they've been fed, but anyone making that claim would be hard pressed to scientifically prove it.


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## justcoolforyou (Mar 20, 2015)

Sometimes they are good but sometimes i even open one up and all flew lol

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## spinycheek (Jan 26, 2010)

Reptile stores tend to have better flies. I've never used Petco for flies, they're expensive and half of them are always dead.


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## CharValley (Feb 29, 2016)

I'm not sure about other locations but the petco that we have here in town gets their flies in from the same vendor.

The possible problem that I identified with these fly cultures is that the fiber material is not pressed into the culture media. In the beginning of 2015 I would get a good hatch out of them but there was either a vendor change or new management. Noticed by the change of labeling. 

But what I've noticed is that the fly maggots need to be able to climb up the fiber to keep from being drown in the culture media. They will try to pupate on the sides but also on top of the media and never dry enough to hatch properly.

I found this out because I found when I bought a couple of containers from them that if I take and shake out most of the adult flies and then press the fiber clump into the media and then put the adult flies back in they culture just fine.

I don't know if this is truly the only problem with their culturing method but it does seem to help me recover a good hatching from otherwise lifeless media.

I tend to use Petco only for supplemental flies if my cultures don't do well and I need extra flies for feeding. I like using Saurian Enterprises, JL=Exotics and/or Black Jungle for my fly cultures. I'm sure there are a few other favorites that others use but I find that dollar for dollar the size of the culture and amount of flies and/or maggots that come in those cultures is far greater than in Petco's.

So if you pick up a culture that looks like the fiber media is not actually pushed into the media you might try pushing it down and see if this will help get that culture going.

Just my opinion.. hope it helps 

Charlie


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## cindygao0217 (Mar 1, 2015)

Thank you everyone for answering my question


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## tardis101 (Apr 11, 2012)

I tend to use PetCo flies as a supplement also in case I'm running low, which happens a lot during the winter. The only real issue I've noticed is that the tend to have a lot of mite issues, at least the ones I get from either of my two nearby PetCo stores. I have noticed sometimes like Charlie said, the excelsior isn't pushed all the way down. I usually just knock the flies to the bottom and use a long stick to push it down into the media. Then it seems to be fine.


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

Does it sound nuts to wonder why "you" don't learn how to culture your own ffs? It may be a slight learning curve, but it really and truly is not difficult...and probably much more reliable...and perhaps healthier...for your frogs...There are so many advantages, small investment, very little inconvenience...and so much cheaper....The forum on feeding will reveal just how easy, etc., it is.... even if you turn some of them loose...


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## cindygao0217 (Mar 1, 2015)

The problem is that I am getting tadpole and I don't need fruit right off the bat and I don't want to pay shipping for online fruit fly and the closest place I can good fruit fly is 1 hour away and my parent don't want to drive that far


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## spinycheek (Jan 26, 2010)

When the time comes, I do agree that culturing them yourself is not only the cheapest method, but also the only reliable source of flies you'll have. I started the hobby buying flies and it got expensive and the stores didn't have them all the time. Once I started culturing my own, the cost dropped to like $2 a month in supplies and I always have plenty of juicy, healthy flies. Plus, you won't ever have to leave the house to get your frogs food. I spend about 10 minutes in the kitchen once every 2 weeks to make new cultures which is less time than driving to the closest store.


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## CharValley (Feb 29, 2016)

remember too that if you want to avoid asking for the ride every week or two you will want some sort of alternative. 

You can make your own media, there are some great recipes to be found or you can use a one time shipment to get a premade media mix, the culturing cups and a cup or two of already culturing flies in one package. I know the shipping is hard to sallow the first time you have to get food but it isn't as much of a "waste" as it sounds. Depending on the size of your hobby and how many frogs you will need to be feeding, your cups will be reusable and the dry media mix can make dozens of culture cups based on how generous you are when mixing it up.

It also takes a couple weeks before you want to start feeding from your new culture cups, I try to wait at least 3 weeks before feeding from them so that a new batch of fly eggs can be laid. Otherwise you will feed off the adult flies before you get newly hatched ones and be back in the same spot.

This is something I think we all can agree on is that it might take a little discipline/practice to stick to your schedule of making new batches and not feeding from them too soon so that you have a consistent supply of fly cultures going at all times. But once you get the hang of it you won't need to worry about finding an available supply source or pay shipping fees.

It probably sounds harder than it really is and like Spinycreek said your cost per cup will turn out to be very minimal.

Good luck!


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