FINCHforum

What seems to work best for zebbies, dehydrated pre-killed bugs or live? I'm not squirmish when it comes to live foods. I bred frogs and geckos for years Has anyone tried flightless fruit flies for their finches? Also, how about the dehydrated bugs in the bags at farm supply stores? Are those any good, as I know they are much cheaper than the 'treat' packs they sell at pet shops. What works for ya'll?

Any of those are fine for finches. You have to be careful about the size of the live meal worms because if they are too big they won't eat them. The dehydrated bugs you can grind and add to their egg food. Just be really careful about buying bugs/worms from China. I'm not familiar with flightless fruit flies, only fruit flies that are propagated on bananas, etc. for the purpose of feeding the finches.

Personally, I wouldn't bother feeding live food to any species that doesn't need it to raise babies. Zebra finches in captivity have raised thousands of babies without live food. You can provide extra protein with a good egg food for a lot less money and hassle than providing live food to them. But then, I am lazy and poor, so I always look for the easiest and cheapest methods.

My zebras don't actually care for the actual bugs very much. I've offered mealworms as more of an enrichment thing, but they just watch them crawl off the plate...

I used to give the Quiko's Goldy Insectivore Egg Food dry in a separate cup and they did love that. Now I mix it into their homemade egg food along with freeze dried blood worms. The zebras destroy this when it goes in the cage.

I don't have zebras, but I have a variety of other finches, and those that don't necessarily require the live foods do appreciate wax worms. I feed live enriched flightless flies, which are simple to culture, and all but the societies will eat those. I sprinkle dehydrated blood worms found in the fish section of the pet shop onto fresh egg food, and they love it. I haven't had as good of luck with the frozen bloodworms, however.

Having said that, I would probably offer the fresh egg food with the dehydrated bloodworms and see how the zebras like that. Sprouted seed is relished, and highly nutritious food for all finches, and I give that as well, sometimes mixed in with the egg food, sometimes in a separate dish with chopped greens, which would also be good to provide.

Colt wrote: ....I've offered mealworms as more of an enrichment thing, but they just watch them crawl off the plate...

LOL. Mine too!
They sort of nibbled at the live ones. But didn't really eat. My guys won't eat live or whole bugs for the most part.

I've never tried flightless fruit flies. I tried attracting with a pineapple, but nobody showed up for dinner!

My guys LOVE dried bugs. Daily, they get dried mealworms, crushed up into a rough powder and domestica musca larvae and pupae (sold as "Insect Treat")

I've also done those vitamin-infused flies for reptiles, which they enjoyed. Again, more of a treat for those as they're pricey.

I've tried bloodworms too. They love those, but I don't fed them regularly.

I just started on river shrimp. If I get them again, I'll get the dried variety.

I've heard a lot of people feeding blood worms with great success.