Basil good for a gutload?

[burnedrose]

Ok, dumb question, but I never really thought about it.

I have an entire GARDEN full of basil and lavender (roughly 20 plants of each lol). I love the smells of both herbs, but I never thought of using them as a gutload. It would cut back on the stink...but are they suitable as a gutload? Do they provide nutritional value? Do they have any toxins that could affect the crickets or Kukui?

Any help would be very welcomed! Thanks!

 

[Elizadolots]

My guinea pigs love basil stems. I only have 2 small plants so I keep the leaves for myself but I always give them the stems. They'll walk away from bell pepper to get to a basil stem.

Here's a link to the nutritional value of basil: http://quicknutritionfacts.com/nutritional-value/02044/basil-fresh

To me, it looks like it could be a valuable component in a good gutload. It might be a bit heavy on the Vitamin A, but that's why I'm not saying "sure, just use basil!".

Lavender, on the other hand, seems iffy. I can't actually find a good "nutritional analysis" on it...I find lots of things it supposedly cures and warnings not to consume the oil....so, I'd be very hesitant to use it.

 

[burnedrose]

My guinea pigs love basil stems. I only have 2 small plants so I keep the leaves for myself but I always give them the stems. They'll walk away from bell pepper to get to a basil stem.

Here's a link to the nutritional value of basil: http://quicknutritionfacts.com/nutritional-value/02044/basil-fresh

To me, it looks like it could be a valuable component in a good gutload. It might be a bit heavy on the Vitamin A, but that's why I'm not saying "sure, just use basil!".

Lavender, on the other hand, seems iffy. I can't actually find a good "nutritional analysis" on it...I find lots of things it supposedly cures and warnings not to consume the oil....so, I'd be very hesitant to use it.

That is an awesome website - totally saved it in my favorites. I was one of those kids who always read the side of the cereal boxes...and this is like a playground for adults-who-were-kids-who-read-the-side-of-cereal-boxes.

The lavender I use a lot in my cooking - I make some amazing lavender brownies and scones. I know it's generally a sweeter herb, so I figure it wouldn't be too nutritional - kind of like using a fruit gutload, but, like you said, lavender oil can have some unfortunate side effects (namely, extreme sleepiness and nausea, like drinking an entire bottle of wine to yourself while trying to pull an all nighter).

I think I'm going to try combining the basil with some romaine lettuce, some calcium supplement and maybe a smidge of mustard greens.

 

[Elizadolots]

I know lavender is used in cooking but I think it's used quite sparingly. When it comes to "gutload" food, you want something you can use freely. I mean, really, you could use anything in microscopic amounts....but why would you? Basil, Oregano, Parsley...they all seem to have major health benefits for humans, so it seems like they would be good things to include in your gutload.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Basil does not contain pre-formed vitamin A. It contains cartenes, that humans convert to vitamin A. It is not know which chameleons effectively comvert carotene to vitamin A, but it is known that you're unlikely to overdoes with carotene (like you could with preformed vitamin A) - so hold back on basil on account of vitamin A.

Basil contains Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Riboflavin and Niacin, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Copper and Manganese. It has only a moderate amount of oxalic acid. In short, a very nice addition to your gutload.

Mustard greens are also a good addition to your gutload