Anyone ever raised....

[phaemas]

Super Worms before? And then fed the beetles or the worms to there bluey? I'm thinking about telling my mom thats what I want to do for Miles and Marvin and Serina but I'm just woundernig has anyone else every tryed it?? I was thinking about a stack of three drawers. Top one for the worms with oat meal/oats and potates. Middle would have a thin layer of Oat Meal/oats and a mesh bottom as well as the carrots or potatoes (For mosture) The mesh would be for the beetles eggs to fall through and the third to raise the eggs till I find them big enough to either feed or raise into beetles with potatoes or carrots:)

Anyone ever raised them before?

[Katrina]

Superworms are fairly easy to raise, but they aren't a great staple food. If you are looking for something to feed often then I'd recommend roaches instead of superworms. Superworms are ok on occasion, but cheap to buy - so I don't think that it would be worth breeding them for just two BTS.

[phaemas]

-.- And you forgot Miles-.-XD

I HATE roaches. So those are a BIG NO! I'm interested in raising worms only kind of thing because it's easiyer to fit into our lifestyle and breed as you controll when they turn into a beetle for the super worms.

[lemon1]

What about horn worms ?

[Fatal_S]

Superworm beetles don't make the best food. My skinks won't even touch them. When they're scared/hurt they let off a bad smell (and taste it seems, tho I've never eaten one myself). I know several people who breed them for the worms though. But for two skinks it's probably much easier to just buy them.

Hornworms are fantastic feeders, but I don't know anything about breeding them. I think they require a very special food?

Roaches are fantastic. They're nutritious, quiet, good breeders, and great for garbage disposal. Try to get over your fear and play with some (dubia, discoid, hissers), they're really awesome bugs.

[lemon1]

Do you buy snails here ? I just got 6 huge horn worms from Winnipeg Reptile . I usually buy them every 2 weeks . My middle boy loves loves loves the worms . He wants to keep them as pets . He stands at the desk counting them and watching them (LOL) . Larry and Pekoe LOVE them . I thought they would only eat 2 but they ate 3 each and wanted more . I gave them a blackberry which they LOVED but made a mess with because they attached it like it was a horn worm .
I think you should just but good worms if you only have 2 . They r less than a dollar so if you only did it once a month you wouldn't spend more than 5 dollars .

[lemon1]

but breeding the worms sounds like and interesting science project . You have some good idea going . Just not a staple food .

[Fatal_S]

Superworms make a pretty good food, they're just more work than they're worth to me. But if you have the time/inclination go for it

I've bought snails, but I've also gotten them free. I go on the Winnipeg Fish Forum or Kijiji and mention I'm looking for pest snails as feeders. You can also ask in local aquarium stores. Keep the snails in clean water for a couple weeks (feed some greens) to make sure they're all healthy. You can also keep your own colony in a fish tank and feed them whenever you want. Ideally you want the snails with the coin-shaped shells, not the pointy shells (pointy shells are very hard, my skinks have eaten both though).

[kripp_keeper]

Any non native roaches are illegal to own, import, and breed with in Canada according to the CFIA. I would prefer if people didn't suggest illegal actions to minors. While the adults are free to make what ever choices they want, please understand the parents will be responsible for the actions of minors. I feel that if something were to happen, this forum would be jeopardized over something as simple as exotic roaches.


I personally would be fairly upset if someone told my child to do something illegal, and then I was charged because of it.


I will post below a conversation from the CFIA with a hobbyist from another forum i visit.

[kripp_keeper]

"I originally posted this on reptile forum, but other members on that site had contacted me asking if they could distribute the information on other forums. I figured that it is also highly relevant to this forum, so here it is:

Okay, so for years of hearing many assorted rumors on the legality issues surrounding keeping tropical species of cockroaches, I finally e-mailed the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to clarify what many of us thought (and were right about) being true. Here are the complete and un-altered e-mails I sent and received on the subject (my e-mails are italicized, and the responses from the CFIA are in bold) :


Date (mm/dd/yy) / Date (mm/jj/aa): 5/2/2009 2:12:16 PM
Subject / Objet : Keeping of Tropical Cockroaches.
Location / Lieu : Canada, Ontario
Language / Langue: English
URL : http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/reg/rege.shtml
Purpose / But : Website comment submission / Soumettre un commentaire
concernant le site Web


Hello, to whom this may concern:

I have a question regarding the legality issues of keeping tropical species of cockroaches. I have heard several statements regarding keeping of such species, such as they are completely illegal to own in Canada, to the idea that they are not illegal to own, but illegal to import and export. I would like clarification on the subject, covering at least the following species:
-Blaberus fusca (Dwarf Cave roach)
-Blaberus craniifer (True Death's Head roach)
-Gromphadorhina portentosa (Madagascar Hissing roach)
-Eublaberus prosticus (Orange-head roach)
-Blaberus discoidales (Fake Death's Head roach)
-Blaberus giganteus (Giant Cave roach)
-Archimandrita tesselata (Peppered roach)
-Blaptica dubia (South American Dubia roach)

Thank you for your consideration, I will be awaiting your response.
Best Regards.


Dear Sir or Madam,

Exotic cockroaches are only allowed into Canada for research or display in educational facilities like insectariums, butterfly houses and museums. Presently, we do not allow import of exotic cockroaches for commercial sale and distribution. We have the same policy for exotic stick insects and mantids as well as tropical butterflies.

If you wish to set up an insectarium or educational display, you will require an approved facility. Certain Canadian citizens with approved facilities do have colonies of exotic insects but they are not permitted to move, sell or distribute them.

If you require further information, please do not hesitate in contacting us.

Regards, DJP.

Douglas J. Parker, B.Sc., M.Sc.
(613) 759-6908 / Doug.Parker@inspection.gc.ca / Facsimile/Télécopier: (613) 759-6938
Head, Entomology - Ottawa Plant Laboratories, C.F.I.A.
Chef, entomologie - laboratoires des plantes d'Ottawa, A.C.I.A.
Bldg. 18 / édif. 18
960 Carling Ave/ 960, avenue Carling/ Ottawa CANADA K1A 0C6


>>> Chanel S <***************@hotmail.com> 2009/05/05 4:53 pm >>>

Firstly I would like to thank you for your response. So, just to clarify, even if the insects in question are already in Canada, it is still illegal to sell them, or own them unless you are an approved institution? You are not allowed to be in the possession of any restricted species unless you are an approved facility? Thank you again for your time.


Dear Chanel,

As you know, there is a large underground system for the exchange and sale of exotic insects, diplopods, molluscs, reptiles, amphibians and almost anything that is prohibited. We realize this and our inspectors regularly seize these non-permitted species from pet stores and citizens --- anyone who is in possession of exotic arthropods without a permit or an approved facility is doing so against our regulations. Colonies of exotic sticks and mantids, cockroaches and millipedes that are held outside of approved facilities are illegal. And we will continue to seize these organisms until the regulations are changed. This country is plagued by exotic invasive organisms -- plants and animals. No exotic organisms should be introduced into Canada without a thorough risk assessment as to the impact on the Canadian environment and agriculture.

If you require further information, please do not hesitate in contacting us.

Regards, DJP.

Douglas J. Parker, B.Sc., M.Sc.
(613) 759-6908 / Doug.Parker@inspection.gc.ca / Facsimile/Télécopier: (613) 759-6938
Head, Entomology - Ottawa Plant Laboratories, C.F.I.A.
Chef, entomologie - laboratoires des plantes d'Ottawa, A.C.I.A.
Bldg. 18 / édif. 18
960 Carling Ave/ 960, avenue Carling/ Ottawa CANADA K1A 0C6


I know many of us knew this already, but I have never seen anyone post a direct response from the CFIA, so I thought it would be helpful to anyone wondering. So technically it is illegal in any sense to own any restricted tropical species of cockroach (all of them).. so I'll pretend I don't condone it!

However, interestingly enough, it is legal to keep (without a 'plant' permit) German/Russian Cockroaches (Blatella germanica) in Canada, according to the CFIA site as they are already a pest species established in North America: Which can be seen here"

This was not me but another person. I directly copy and pasted it from arachnoboards where it was posted.

[Katrina]

That's a good point - I forgot that Phaemas is in Winnipeg.

Roaches are still one of the best staple feeders you can get for BTS, but not a good idea for Phaemas as pointed out. Thanks for catching that!

[Fatal_S]

You bring up a good point that they may be illegal. I tend to forget that they're iffy to keep. The CFIA changes that answer depending on who you talk to. We (members of the MHS) asked the same question and got told that if we weren't importing/exporting them ourselves we're fine. We even got it in writing that we were allowed to own them.

Still, since it's possible to get in trouble for them maybe not the best idea for a young person. Thanks for bringing that up.

[kripp_keeper]

One of the biggest problems is local government. When contacting my local bylaw officer about keeping exotic arachnids, specifically if my county had bans on venomous ones, he know didn't anything. He had to look it up and call me later. So if you are asking your local bylaw officer, mostly likely their regulations won't state that they are illegal. Many things are illegal on a federal level, but not a county level, which still makes them illegal.


The only person I would suggest contacting is the CFIA. There are many strange laws in Canada. It is illegal to import meal worms and supper worms, but legal to colonize ones already owned. It is also legal to import arachnids and as far as I know reptiles with out a permit as long as your purchases do not go over 1200 dollars(I think) per year.



I know people have lost more than just their illegal colonies in CFIA confiscations. So for me I would rather not risk losing my skinks, geckos, frogs, tarantulas, scorpions, Amblypygi, and even isopod colony over keeping roaches, which are not necessary to feed any animal. While I understand they are a cheap easy to breed staple food source, the risk is to high for me personally.


I do at some point plan to take some trips to cypress hills, and try to find local, maybe at some point nonnative roaches. If I can prove they are already here and living in the wild then I can legally keep and breed them. I would suggest others to do the same if you live near wooded areas. Take multiple pictures and report your findings to the CFIA, and colonize them.



EDIT- I would like to clarify that we do not intend to introduce a species into the wild, then claim we found it there, but simply to find one. I would find it hard to believe that Canada doesn't have some form of native wood roaches already native to the land.