Breeding them is actually possible small scale, but they are available quite cheeply in South Africa at the moment (20c a worm at the moment, minimum 2500 worms).
We are partnered with Agriprotein, who produces maggots and phoenix larva out of recycled waste nutrients. They won the UN prize for innovation yesterday. (
http://mobi.iafrica.com/cooltech-news/2 ... -un-prize/)
We market phoenix worms/gaga grubs/bsf by the litre because they are such versatile feeds - capable of being fed to arachnids, birds, fish, mammals and rats and have a shelf life of up to 2 weeks.
Different life stages of the larvae are better for different animals based on their digestive capabilities. Ideally, you want the white (instar 3-5) ones to start reptiles out because it is an entirely new feed and you want your pet to get used to the idea of eating them. Once he gets the hang of it though he will eat the bigger darker ones (Instar 7+). These are rich in chitin and an excellent source of fibre. When they are in this stage of development they wriggle much less though.
We can also post or courier orders to your nearest post-office if you live in South Africa.
If you would like more information feel free to drop me an email at
phoenixbugz@gmail.com.