Alfalfa Gutload
- Thread starter Albula
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pigglett79
Avid Member
I buy the alfalfa hay at the pet store, and grind it down.
fluxlizard
Avid Member
I get mine from local mill as a powder.
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
I buy blocks (about 2inch cubes) of compressed alfalfa hay
It is intended for horse, sheep, goats, rabbits, etc. I usually grind it, and the bugs eat it all if I do, but sometimes I just loosely rip it into small chunks and in that case harder stems are sometimes left untouched.
the small rabbit pellets you buy in pet shops are more expensive and usually have added vitamins etc.
Thanks for the help. Saw the Alfalfa hay at the petstore, just didn't register that I could put it in a coffee grinder. Also my crickets seem to favor the wetload(turnip,collards,mustard greens) over the dryload(bulk of wheat bran). I just moved the dryload closer to their home(eggcrates) and moved the wetload away from it. Should also adding the Alfalfa to my dryload help the crickets move towards it and eat it equally with the wetload? Thanks
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
wheat bran isn't an ideal gutload item, so adding the alfalfa and other good dry ingredients (seeds, nuts, spirulina etc) is a good idea.
but having them eat a lot of awet gutload isn't a bad thing.
though go easy on the collards and turnip greens - make sure to provide a range of vegetables, some of which are not high in goitrogens and oxalic acid
but having them eat a lot of awet gutload isn't a bad thing.
though go easy on the collards and turnip greens - make sure to provide a range of vegetables, some of which are not high in goitrogens and oxalic acid
fluxlizard
Avid Member
One thing about the powder from the mill I mentioned- it is pretty inexpensive for the amount (can't remember if the bag is 50lbs or what- but pretty heavy). And it is pure alfalfa.
Mills are more common than you might think too- you may very likely have one near you.
It would sure save a lot of "grinding" time and money by weight as well if you are buying pellets or chopped hay...
You might find other ingredients you like at your local mill too.
Mills are more common than you might think too- you may very likely have one near you.
It would sure save a lot of "grinding" time and money by weight as well if you are buying pellets or chopped hay...
You might find other ingredients you like at your local mill too.
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
If you're using large strand hay, try a food processor instead of a coffee bean grinder
depending what you are feeding it to, you may not have to grind it at all - my hissers eat it as is, big stems and all. Dubia want it smaller. Hissers are generally easier to gutload / less picky than dubia, so this is no surprise
depending what you are feeding it to, you may not have to grind it at all - my hissers eat it as is, big stems and all. Dubia want it smaller. Hissers are generally easier to gutload / less picky than dubia, so this is no surprise
fluxlizard
Avid Member
If you go looking, keep in mind that the mills are for animal feed. Might help you in your search. If you live in a big city, maybe you don't, but even just outside the city, seems like most places would need one/have one. The one I go to is only 15 minutes from a city area with a few hundred thousand people.
