Gutloading Ingredients

[CamrynTheCham22]

I have been getting quite a few requests to have this list, so I am posting it here for everyone. It is a list of safe foods for chameleons (through gutload). Hope it helps some.

* = the healthiest of the list

-Dandelion leaves*
-butternut or spaghetti squash
-hibiscus leaves and flowers*
-grape leaves*
-oranges*
-papaya
-carrot
-alfalfa sprouts
-mustard greens*
-turnip greens*
-collard greens*
-romaine lettuce
-escarole lettuce*
-spearmint leaves
-arugula*
-basil*
-apple
-mulberries
-clover
-chickweed
-mulberry leaves*
-cilantro
-okra
-a few blueberries
-watercress*
-small amounts of raspberries
-very small amounts of cooked quinoa
-peas
-sunflower sprouts
-small pieces of steamed (then cooled) yam
-leek bulb Fuki
-strawberries
-papaya
-flax seeds*
-spirulina*
-sesame seeds*

These vary slightly for different chameleon species. I have collected this material from numerous websites, it is not my own. There are plenty more foods that are good for a gutload, but here are the most popular.

 

[CJ's Exotics]

I have been getting quite a few requests to have this list, so I am posting it here for everyone. It is a list of safe foods for chameleons (through gutload). Hope it helps some.

* = the healthiest of the list

-Dandelion leaves*
-butternut or spaghetti squash
-hibiscus leaves and flowers*
-grape leaves*
-oranges*
-papaya
-carrot
-alfalfa sprouts
-mustard greens*
-turnip greens*
-collard greens*
-romaine lettuce
-escarole lettuce*
-spearmint leaves
-arugula*
-basil*
-apple
-mulberries
-clover
-chickweed
-mulberry leaves*
-cilantro
-okra
-a few blueberries
-watercress*
-small amounts of raspberries
-very small amounts of cooked quinoa
-peas
-sunflower sprouts
-small pieces of steamed (then cooled) yam
-leek bulb Fuki
-strawberries
-papaya
-flax seeds*
-spirulina*
-sesame seeds*

These vary slightly for different chameleon species. I have collected this material from numerous websites, it is not my own. There are plenty more foods that are good for a gutload, but here are the most popular.

Just got some new seed packets for some of these, looks pretty cool!

 

[Flamegurl]

I think I'm piggy backing but how can we tell our bugs are eating? I'm giving fresh food like you have listed, but am not sure my feeding crickets are consuming.... I can start a new thread if needed, new to these forum communications.

 

[CJ's Exotics]

I think I'm piggy backing but how can we tell our bugs are eating? I'm giving fresh food like you have listed, but am not sure my feeding crickets are consuming.... I can start a new thread if needed, new to these forum communications.

You can see bits of gutload missing, for vegetables and fruit, at least.

 

[nightanole]

I always go with the iguana staples approved diet.

http://www.greenigsociety.org/foodchart.htm

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

I think I'm piggy backing but how can we tell our bugs are eating? I'm giving fresh food like you have listed, but am not sure my feeding crickets are consuming.... I can start a new thread if needed, new to these forum communications.

When I give the food to m roaches and crickets they usually immediately start munching on the food. You just have to sit there and wait for a few seconds an then they will start to eat it.

 

[skoram]

Dandelion leaves seem to be highly recommended on many gutloading lists. However, according to this site:

https://www.botanical-online.com/english/dandelion_toxicity.htm

they are very high in oxalates and can cause poisoning in high amounts. Can anyone confirm that the information on this site is incorrect?

 

[Bush baby]

I always go with the iguana staples approved diet.

http://www.greenigsociety.org/foodchart.htm

Nice.

 

[Andee]

Oxalates are an issues with dandelions and especially older leaves but it's why I never recommend any specific greens or veggies much anymore. I will give a list to avoid due to toxicity but I strongly encourage just massive variety.

 

[Andee]

Don't cook the yam or sweet potatoes you use, there is no need to and I use mine raw with all my animals and inverts. The one I would limit largely is the leeks since I have never used them and from what I know they are part of the onion/garlic family and I never feed that except 1/2 teaspoon of granulated garlic in my dry chow (too much is known to cause bleed issues). If you haven't started a dry chow I would and just switch the quinoa to a ground ingredient in it. I would avoid using okra too much because of the slime and laxative issues with it, but I do not know of any toxicities off the top of my head to strike it completely. And then if you plan to do grape leaves be super careful where you source them, if they aren't fresh don't buy them. Anything canned or jarred definitely avoid. If you could get half of this variety plus probably some of the simple stuff you have lying around the house for yourself like bananas or apples, and carrots and celery tops that also adds things. I cut up strawberries and feed the tops (greens and all) to my insects.

 

[kinyonga]

@skoram ... I've fed dandelions as a fairly big part of the salad for my turtles/tortoises, water dragons, beardies, prehensile tailed anoles, etc and as feed/gutload for crickets and other insects for years and never seen any signs of poisoning in any of them...that's all I can say about that.

 

[Amanda.lynn]

Awesome. My mom has mulberry leaves in her yard. Do hornworms eat them?

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

Awesome. My mom has mulberry leaves in her yard. Do hornworms eat them?

No, but silkworms so.

 

[JoeDigiorgio]

BEE POLLEN