gutloading

spenner112 · 22nd March 2010, 09:46 AM

hey guys

how do i gut load crickets using food i can find around the house
hope to hear soon

Jordan

LizardlinksUK · 22nd March 2010, 10:19 AM

I transfer the crickets into a plastic container or R U B put plenty of ventilation in it & add some cardboard. Then simply add a bowl of food of your choice, for water I put cotton wool in a bowl and soak it, this way the crickets don't sink.

Horndog · 22nd March 2010, 10:22 AM

whatever food object you put in the tub with the crickets you will find they will eat
thus giving you gut loaded crickets.
try to use food objects that you feed to you Animal then inturn feed the crickets
to the Animal.
hope this helps

LizardlinksUK · 22nd March 2010, 10:43 AM

I use fish food, dogs biscuits, cornflakes as a staple which are in there all the time, then each night I put enough wet food in there to last the night this is either dinner scraps or veg\salad. That way nothing goes bad and smelly.

Tom · 22nd March 2010, 11:41 AM

i know this sounds funny, but when your coking, carrots, etc, give them the skins, also the cabbage ends, or leafs, or when cutting potato's, give them the skin etc..
they live off left over food, anthing with water will help them, and also to shed there skin.

EmeraldSapphirez · 22nd March 2010, 12:02 PM

Sorry Tom but i'm going to have to disagree with the 'cabbage ends'. Cabbage contains oxalates that bind calcium, preventing the reptile from being able to absorb it. Given enough cabbage, the oxalates can actually start withdrawing calcium from the reptile's own supplies (bones etc...). It is a very poor quality foodstuff to feed and believe it or not the same information applies to human nutrition as well. Cabbage and spinach are the biggest offenders. They can and will lead to metabolic bone disease.

The very best possible veggies you can feed to your bugs and then in turn to your reptile are actually watercress and parsley. These have a high calcium to phosporus ratio with no oxalates.

EmeraldSapphirez · 22nd March 2010, 12:04 PM

This list is copied from TeguTalk and shows a comprehensive list of foodstuffs for your reptiles be it veggies for Beardies and bugs or whole prey for monitors etc...

Whole prey
Captive raised insects
Crickets
Roaches
Mealworms
Super worms
Wax worms
Silk worms
Horn worms
Earth worms
Snails
Crayfish
Pinkie mice
Quail hatchlings
Baby chickens
Mice
Rats
Hamster
Gerbil
Feeder frogs/toads/lizards

Meat
Soft-boiled or scrambled eggs
Raw meats: turkey, lamb, venison, fowl, beef
Fresh fish filets
Organ meats: liver, hearts, gizzards
Sea food: Crab, Scallops, Shrimp

Fruits
Tropical fruits: Mango, Papaya
Melons: cantaloupe, honeydew, casaba, watermelon
Bananas- in moderation, peels can be fed if grown organic
Apples- in moderation
Cherries
Grapes- Thompson seedless; green and red
Concord grapes higher in oxalates
Tomatoes- high in oxalates**
Berries:
Strawberries- high in oxalates** and goitrogens* so in moderation
blueberries, raspberries, & blackberries
Figs -fresh or dried
Dates
Kiwi
Peaches- high in goitrogens*
Pears- high in oxalates**
Pumpkin

Veggies
Acorn squash, butternut squash
Kabocha squash
Parsnip
Alfalfa
Okra
Green beans
Green peas, snap peas
Leeks
Prickly pear cactus

Dark leafy greens like:
Chicory greens (Escarole)
Collard greens
Dandelion greens
Endive
Mustard greens
Turnip greens

Spaghetti squash
Bell peppers
Rapini
Zucchini
Yellow squash
Radish
Yucca root- cassava- tough, should be shredded
Asparagus
Broccoli in moderation, high in oxalates**
Beets and Beet greens in moderation, high in oxalates**
Carrots and tops in moderation, high in oxalates**
Bok choy - in moderation, high in goitrogens*
Brussels sprouts- high in goitrogens*
Parsley- good source of calcium
Cabbage- in moderation, high in goitrogens* and oxalates*
Cauliflower- in moderation, high in goitrogens*
Coriander- in moderation, high in oxalates**
Rutabaga
Sweet potato- feed rarely
Corn- feed rarely or never, low in Ca and high in Phosphorus
Spinach- feed rarely or never, high in oxalates and goitrogens
Swiss chard- feed rarely or never, high in oxalates**
Lettuces -low in nutrition
Celery- low in nutrition
Cucumber- low in nutrition
Flowering plants like- Nasturtiums, Dahlia or hibiscus, just be careful of pesticides and herbicides
Lentils-cooked
Cooked pasta or rice
Whole wheat bread

Tom · 22nd March 2010, 02:50 PM

i know as a food item, but to gut load crickets, its such a small amount, its not a problem, i know this from talking to top breeders, who also do the same.
i would not suggest feeding direct to reptiles, but what you state is only a problem if feed via a large amount, bugs tend to take a week to actually digest, and hold any nutrition when gut loaded, and i do believe 8/10 will buy tubs of crickets, meaning that 9/10 wil only add food to keep there crickets hydrated, and not dryed out.

i would personaly recommened the "gutload" pro formula for anyone wanting to gut load there crickets.
it contains all the insects require, and of couse, is stored buy the insects, thus the reptile gets the diet also.

Sugar · 22nd March 2010, 07:33 PM

i normally put in things like carrots and lettuce or leaves - also we have bug grub which is just powder mixed with water to form a paste - you can also get some gel like water which you can put in so that they don't drown

Horndog · 22nd March 2010, 07:58 PM

best thing to do bud is keep it simple what ever you feed to your lizard feed
to your crickets simple as that(they dont need much so lob the odd bit in at
the same time as you feed your lizard is cool.)