Gut Loading Crickets (only crickets specifically)

[Steve A]

I just wanted to go over what I am doing to see what people think and if I should add anything, or change anything up. I was thinking of adding fresh greens (they would be from either walmart or shoprite) to gut load my crickets. I know of course it won't hurt to simply add the greens, but I wonder if that's necessary considering the Insect fuel + flukers cricket diet. But I also wonder if it would even be preferable to not even use these, and just go with greens from the grocery store instead.

The crickets I'm using are from Josh's Frogs.

So far I've been gut loading our crickets using:
Small carrots
Arcadia EarthPro Insect Fuel
Flukers high calcium cricket diet
Flukers cricket quencher.

What I am doing is cutting the carrots into smaller pieces, dropping them in the cricket keeper, and then mixing some Insect Fuel with the Flukers , and sprinkling it on them, small pile on the floor of that container, and also some on the egg carton. I am using the blue Flukers cricket quencher as a source of hydration for the crickets.

Please keep in mind I am not ONLY feeding crickets. It's just the other bugs I am using are cared for differently and they're all set. And Spike REALLY prefers his crickets (and silkworms), so I want to get this down just to help my little guy thrive.

 

[Beman]

So it is always better to have fresh veg... Then you are providing water as well. You can get types of veg off this image below. You can blend them all down into a food processor and then put them in ice cube trays and take one out as you need a new one. Take like a lid to a sour cream container so it has a shorter edge on it and put the cube into that so it does not make your bin nasty. You could even add some of the insect fuel into this mix. Crickets I was always more on top of feeding correctly because not only can they die off easier but they will eat each other if they are not getting what they need.

 

[Steve A]

So it is always better to have fresh veg... Then you are providing water as well. You can get types of veg off this image below. You can blend them all down into a food processor and then put them in ice cube trays and take one out as you need a new one. Take like a lid to a sour cream container so it has a shorter edge on it and put the cube into that so it does not make your bin nasty. You could even add some of the insect fuel into this mix. Crickets I was always more on top of feeding correctly because not only can they die off easier but they will eat each other if they are not getting what they need.

View attachment 341257

Okay that sounds good. I was trying to keep it simple and having it frozen ready to go actually sounds super easy to deal with. I will get this going as soon as I can ty!!

 

[Steve A]

Also @Beman I apologize because I am sure we went over this already lol It's just been such a whirlwind of information and sometimes I kind of don't get to things and think about it later. But once I have it down I have it down

 

[Beman]

Also @Beman I apologize because I am sure we went over this already lol It's just been such a whirlwind of information and sometimes I kind of don't get to things and think about it later. But once I have it down I have it down

No worries at all. Like I said... I was once where you are now and I really do totally get it.

 

[Stickmatch]

@Beman Do you blanch the leafy vegetables prior to grinding and freezing or just grind, freeze and thaw when needed? Just curious on if there's any degradation of nutrients with the leafy greens if they're not blanched and then frozen?

 

[Beman]

@Beman Do you blanch the leafy vegetables prior to grinding and freezing or just grind, freeze and thaw when needed? Just curious on if there's any degradation of nutrients with the leafy greens if they're not blanched and then frozen?

Hey there. No, I take them raw and then put them in a food processor. That is the recommendation I have always heard the last 5 years of being in the hobby.

Do them in ice cube trays... Then when they are frozen you can take them out of the tray pop them in a plastic container and put that in the freezer. Then just pull a cube when you need to feed. I would recommend swapping this out at least every other day though. Raw veg can bring in gnats and fruit flies as well. And it can get a sour stench to it.

 

[Steve A]

Hey there. No, I take them raw and then put them in a food processor. That is the recommendation I have always heard the last 5 years of being in the hobby.

Do them in ice cube trays... Then when they are frozen you can take them out of the tray pop them in a plastic container and put that in the freezer. Then just pull a cube when you need to feed. I would recommend swapping this out at least every other day though. Raw veg can bring in gnats and fruit flies as well. And it can get a sour stench to it.

Or.... the cricket food can grow moldly, apparently....

 

[Beman]

Or.... the cricket food can grow moldly, apparently....

That too.

 

[Stickmatch]

Hey there. No, I take them raw and then put them in a food processor. That is the recommendation I have always heard the last 5 years of being in the hobby.

Do them in ice cube trays... Then when they are frozen you can take them out of the tray pop them in a plastic container and put that in the freezer. Then just pull a cube when you need to feed. I would recommend swapping this out at least every other day though. Raw veg can bring in gnats and fruit flies as well. And it can get a sour stench to it.

Thanks. I've been gutloading with fresh for 3 years now, cutting up every few days, so nothing new. Was looking for a more effective way to save time as it's certainly become a chore as you can imagine.

 

[Beman]

Thanks. I've been gutloading with fresh for 3 years now, cutting up every few days, so nothing new. Was looking for a more effective way to save time as it's certainly become a chore as you can imagine.

For sure! This will make it much easier... But I highly suggest a food processor for it. I started trying to use a blender and it was a disaster. lol