Flukers Orange Cubes as Gutload?

[AZJ0SH]

I recently switched to only using the flukers orange cubes, compared to using the dry food and water crystals separately. I noticed my crix stay alive a lot longer with the flukers orange cubes compared to the other.

What else do I need to be gutloading with, if anything? Seems like these orange cubes have it all, water, food, vitamins, and spiruluna which I read is good for feeders?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Those orange cubes are good for hydration and that's about it as far as gutloading goes. The cubes are designed to keep crickets alive, not to be a wholesome gutload for your reptile's sake or they would be much more expensive. While it does have some nutrients, they are a very low ratio to the gelatin part (or whatever they're made of) of the cube, so you're only getting a tiny bit of what you need. They are not a complete diet and should definitely be supplemented with fresh fruits and veggies as well as a regular dusting schedule.

Good Wet Gutloading Ingredients: dandelion leaves, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, escarole lettuce, butternut squash, carrots, mango, alfalfa sprouts, oranges, blueberries, raspberries, sweet potato, strawberries, hibiscus leaves and flowers, papaya

Good Dry Gutload Ingredients: bee pollen, alfalfa powder, kelp powder, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, raw uncooked sunflower seeds, raw uncooked pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, small amounts of whole grain cereals, spirulina algae, tortoise pellets

Foods to AVOID: Broccoli, spinach, beets, and parsley, have large amounts of oxalic acids which bind calcium absorption. Lettuces and cabbage do not have any significant nutritional value. Also, avoid things like dog food, cat food, and fish flakes which are high in animal protein.

This site has nutritional info on many commonly available fruits and veggies to help guide you in choosing good gut loading ingredients: http://www.greenigsociety.org/foodchart.htm. Gutloading ingredients should be chosen that are higher in calcium than phosphorus. High phosphorus levels in the food impedes calcium absorption, as do oxalates and goitrogens.
Sandrachameleon has many more blog entries on gut loading and nutrition.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I recently switched to only using the flukers orange cubes, compared to using the dry food and water crystals separately. I noticed my crix stay alive a lot longer with the flukers orange cubes compared to the other.
What else do I need to be gutloading with, if anything? Seems like these orange cubes have it all, water, food, vitamins, and spiruluna which I read is good for feeders?

I agree with ferret that these do not provide sufficient variety of nutrients to be a good gutload.

Info on gutloading:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...just-crickets-roaches-gutload-everything.html

If you dont want to make your own gutload, or from time to time need sometime in addition to making your own, repashy bug burger and cricket crack come recommended by others on this forum. The fluckers cubes do not come well recommended. Personally, I think making your own allows you to know exactly what your animal is receiving and to tailor it as desired.

 

[KatiLemons]

If you want to buy really good gutload, I reccommend chamalotchameleons.com and thier kricket fest!

 

[ChameleonsInMyHouse]

If you want to buy really good gutload, I reccommend chamalotchameleons.com and thier kricket fest!

and why do you recommend this? not to trying to give off a rude vibe whatsoever, its just always good that we broaden our answers for better understanding and reasoning.

i am also curious myself, what does chamalot's dry gutload have that works so well for the chameleon? (name some main ingredients)

 

[gerhartrx]

and why do you recommend this? not to trying to give off a rude vibe whatsoever, its just always good that we broaden our answers for better understanding and reasoning.

i am also curious myself, what does chamalot's dry gutload have that works so well for the chameleon? (name some main ingredients)

Seems pretty good.
I looked it up and here's what is in this gutload:
Spirulina - which enhances color while providing beta carotene, Iron, Vitamin B 12.


Brewers Yeast - contains trace amino acids and nutrients such as B vitamins.


Folic Acid - is essential in the production of new red blood cells. It promotes healthy skin and helps to protect against intestinal parasites.


Bee Pollen - contains the richest known source of vitamins, minerals, proteins amino acids, hormones, enzymes and fats, as well as significant quantities of natural antibiotics.

Calcium - is required for muscle contraction and essential for strong and healthy bones as well as strong and healthy eggs in laying females.

Plus a large variety of dried fruits and veggies! - Not sure what

Packed full of Vitamins and Minerals! - Not sure what

ps this is the ingrediants explanation not mine

 

[AZJ0SH]

Those orange cubes are good for hydration and that's about it as far as gutloading goes. The cubes are designed to keep crickets alive, not to be a wholesome gutload for your reptile's sake or they would be much more expensive. While it does have some nutrients, they are a very low ratio to the gelatin part (or whatever they're made of) of the cube, so you're only getting a tiny bit of what you need. They are not a complete diet and should definitely be supplemented with fresh fruits and veggies as well as a regular dusting schedule.

Good Wet Gutloading Ingredients: dandelion leaves, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, escarole lettuce, butternut squash, carrots, mango, alfalfa sprouts, oranges, blueberries, raspberries, sweet potato, strawberries, hibiscus leaves and flowers, papaya

Good Dry Gutload Ingredients: bee pollen, alfalfa powder, kelp powder, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, raw uncooked sunflower seeds, raw uncooked pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, small amounts of whole grain cereals, spirulina algae, tortoise pellets

Foods to AVOID: Broccoli, spinach, beets, and parsley, have large amounts of oxalic acids which bind calcium absorption. Lettuces and cabbage do not have any significant nutritional value. Also, avoid things like dog food, cat food, and fish flakes which are high in animal protein.

This site has nutritional info on many commonly available fruits and veggies to help guide you in choosing good gut loading ingredients: http://www.greenigsociety.org/foodchart.htm. Gutloading ingredients should be chosen that are higher in calcium than phosphorus. High phosphorus levels in the food impedes calcium absorption, as do oxalates and goitrogens.
Sandrachameleon has many more blog entries on gut loading and nutrition.

I have put veggies/fruit in the keeper and they never get touched by the crix, and they end up stinking up my apartment with a rotting vegetable smell.

What about this cricket crack stuff I keep reading about, is that enough of a gutload?

I don't see how Flukers can make false claims about their products legally?

 

[Elizadolots]

Fluckers is good cricket food...

Alas, your goal is to stuff your cricket's tummy with food your chameleon needs (think that Snickers ad where the sharks talk about eating the swimmers).

My suggestion is to cull out feeder crickets and let them live the high life of "kale and orange and spirulina!" for 24 to 48 hours before introducing them to the chameleon's cage.

 

[AZJ0SH]

I didn't really understand that last post, but I decided to start adding in some orange slices and carrots for now. I am already spending $15+ a week on crickets, so I can't really afford to just get veggies just for them only.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Share some of your salad with them. You don't have to get stuff just for them. Just cut little slices of any fruits or veggies you get for yourself and toss them in with the crickets. Surely you eat some produce...

Go outside and find some dandelions and give them the leaves. Those are free and great for gutloading! Just make sure they're pesticide free. Also a head of dark leafy greens is usually $.99, they're not expensive. A head of mustard greens, collard greens or turnip greens with a little bit of water at the bottom of the bag will last a few weeks.

 

[Elizadolots]

I was trying to say there's a distinction between feeding your crickets to keep them alive and gut loading your crickets before giving them to your chameleon. The Fluckers food does fine for keeping crickets alive. You want to step it up a notch, though, for "gut loading".

You can grow your own greens for practically free if you get right down to it.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I am already spending $15+ a week on crickets, so I can't really afford to just get veggies just for them only.

Carrots, dandelion, mustard greens, yam, butternut squash, raw sunflower seeds, sesame seeds - these are all quite inexpensive. If you are unable to feed the prey well, you perhaps should reconsider whether or not you can afford to have a chameleon. I am not trying to be offensive, just realistic. A chameleon that doesnt eat well will develop health issues, and vet visits are far more expensive than produce.

 

[Elizadolots]

A lot of people make up a mash of greens and fruits, then freeze it in ice cube trays. That way you get a variety of foods in every "feeding" and you aren't having to constantly buy a whole bunch of produce. Just be sure to thaw the cubes on a paper towel before using them because the freezing process pulls out a lot of water--from the greens, especially--and if you let it thaw in with your crickets there will probably be drowning deaths.

 

[AZJ0SH]

Share some of your salad with them. You don't have to get stuff just for them. Just cut little slices of any fruits or veggies you get for yourself and toss them in with the crickets. Surely you eat some produce...

Go outside and find some dandelions and give them the leaves. Those are free and great for gutloading! Just make sure they're pesticide free. Also a head of dark leafy greens is usually $.99, they're not expensive. A head of mustard greens, collard greens or turnip greens with a little bit of water at the bottom of the bag will last a few weeks.

I grabbed some collard greens today, it was about $1.50 for a large bundle of it. I put a handful in the morning and it's all gone now. I also added in some carrot slices and orange slices today.

 

[AZJ0SH]

A lot of people make up a mash of greens and fruits, then freeze it in ice cube trays. That way you get a variety of foods in every "feeding" and you aren't having to constantly buy a whole bunch of produce. Just be sure to thaw the cubes on a paper towel before using them because the freezing process pulls out a lot of water--from the greens, especially--and if you let it thaw in with your crickets there will probably be drowning deaths.

I might give this a whirl, gather a bunch of the right gutloads, use my food processer and make a mash and freeze it.

 

[Elizadolots]

I might give this a whirl, gather a bunch of the right gutloads, use my food processer and make a mash and freeze it.

It really does work and you get a LOAD of cubes for not much money this way. You might want to buy special ice cube trays because smaller is better...but if the ones that came with your fridge are small, they'll be fine. I suggest spraying the tray with PAM or another similar product. You need to wash the tray thoroughly in soapy water before using it for ice.

 

[CammieBaby]

I really like Fluker's Orange Cubes... They're made out of soy, my initial feelings which weren't good was that it doesn't seem part of a natural diet. It is one of the sustainable veg products here. So then I changed my mind and decided it's not a problem as long as I keep gut loading w/ the dry cricket foods and vegitables. But mostly because it is super hot here it's essential for her to have an excellent source of energy producing nutrient. So now I spray mine with water and in they go!

 

[millerman6401]

I might give this a whirl, gather a bunch of the right gutloads, use my food processer and make a mash and freeze it.

just make sure its room temp when in the crix cage because they wil not eat cold things because it slows bugs down, like if u put them in the fridge

 

[LittleLindsay]

A lot of people make up a mash of greens and fruits, then freeze it in ice cube trays. That way you get a variety of foods in every "feeding" and you aren't having to constantly buy a whole bunch of produce. Just be sure to thaw the cubes on a paper towel before using them because the freezing process pulls out a lot of water--from the greens, especially--and if you let it thaw in with your crickets there will probably be drowning deaths.

This sounds like a good way to save money. Im definitely going to try this

 

[snitz427]

I started with orange cubes and switched to fresh foods plus repashy’s bug burger. When I place an orange cube, a bug burger, and fresh food the crickets swarm the bug burger first... some on the fresh food and NONE on the orange cube. After seeing that a few times I have decided not to use the orange cubes anymore.

My crickets will devour a small orange wedge. They also seem to like carrots and broccoli (didnt realize broccoli was bad until this thread). I also offer grapes, berries, lettuces/greens and celery but those aren’t nearly as popular as bug burger and oranges.

A bag of carrots are like $1 and will last you a long time. I’d start there and just save a little scrap here and there when you are cooking.