My (rough) vacation/out of town FF feeding idea.

[topaz017]

Take into consideration, I've only been culturing FF's for about 3 weeks now. But a thought has occurred to me, since I've seen so many people concerned with going away for a few days and leaving their animals unfed.

Take a film canister, with lid. Attach a suction cup. Drill 4 other small holes, about the size of a FF, near the top. Place in a few polymer water absorbing crystals (so the container doesn't dry out) in the bottom, and place scrapings from the side of a 10 day old culture. Scrape until about half full (I'm estimating that would be about 100-200 fly's).

Attach lid, and place in viv.

You could make as many of these as possible, maybe 1 canister per frog. Using different stages of maggot, etc.

Think it would work?

[Blort]

Probably would. I do something like this:

http://www.dendroboard.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4289

I use a 1/2 pint mason jar with the same needle point plastic in that link above. I just start it like a regular culture about a week before travel. In a pinch you can do it 4/5 days before with melanogaster, but your frogs will be eating mostly larva.

[topaz017]

Yeah that's a good idea. I was thinking this would be a way to feed FF's, not just maggots. Plus you wouldn't have all the nasty ness of the media in there. I noticed the maggots crawl on the side of the cup and turn into (I forget the correct word, Cocoon?)

They emerge a few days later, and Id think would crawl out the holes...

[Blort]

OK, I grok what you are saying now. I think 'instar' is the term (bug folks jump in). Instead of scraping them off the side which could damage them (maybe?), you could just put in some parchment paper cut to the size you wanted so that the maggots attach to them, then remove the strips in tact and place them in the film canister.

[Enlightened Rogue]

Hi, I just got back from being away 3 and a half days, before I left I just dumped about a hundred flys in my viv. My 2 Leucs. were fine when I returned John

[nburns]

It's funny this came up now as I am in the process of adding a small article on my website dealing with this same topic. I hope to have it up by the end of the week.