Gut loading

[Heavy Stella]

I get a sense that you folks gut load crickets just before (a day or two) feeding to your cham. I leave food for the crickets at all times so theoretically they're on permanent gut load- I imagine a cricket will eat constantly if given the opportunity. Do you think the crickets are nutritionally deficient for my cham because of this approach? Curious George (Furious Porridge) is doing excellent regardless- 16 weeks, nice size, voracious appetite- enjoys the mistings, doesn't run for the hills. Thanks! Awesome forum

 

[kinyonga]

I use the same thing to gutload that I use to feed the crickets all the time....a wide assortment of greens and veggies.

 

[Heavy Stella]

Thanks Kinyonga, Canada rules! Do you mean you somehow get the crickets to eat extra before you feed them to your critter?

 

[ColorCham427]

I keep my crickets in a huuuuge bin. I feed them orange slices and a tiny amount of grinded up dog food.

The "soon to be eaten" (gut-loaded) crickets are kept in a big tank. They are fed a dry mixture of seeds, grains, and other good stuff. And they get carrot, kale, romaine lettuce, sweet potato, orange, cooked egg yolk, and a few other things a few days of the week. I make sure the crickets have eaten and pooped quite a few times after they've been in a container of dog food.

Make sure your crickets are extra hungry prior to gut-loading them!

I feed my crickets and wait 3 hours prior to feeding my chams.

Extra hungry crickets really stuff themselves.

 

[CHAMpion]

I take the same approach. Crickets are my staple feeder so I go through them pretty quick. I say just keep stuffing their faces so they are nice and juicy for your cham. I would make sure that if the food is dried up and take it. I usually replace my crickets food every day.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Like Kinyonga, my crickets only eat "gutload" quality food.

If youre keeping and growing up thousands of crickets, maybe it is easier and cheaper to feed them cheaper food most of the time? But if you're only keeping a handful up to a hundred, its certainly easier just to feed them well all the time.

 

[laurie]

I must be doing it the hard way. I order crickets 10.000 at a time and all my crickets are feed greens and veggies every day.

 

[Heavy Stella]

thanks for all the input! My cricket population is usually less than 100 so I keep good food in there all the time- I like the idea of the sustenance routine i.e. dog food and oranges for the general pop and then the gourmet buffet for the crickets on death row - suitable to huge populations. nuts in their diet is a great idea.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I feed my crickets and wait 3 hours prior to feeding my chams.

I am inclined to say I'd switch them to the good gutload 48 hours prior to feeding off to the chameleon, to ensure they have gotten most of the dog food and any other potentially bad stuff out of their systems.