Gutloading Locust

[mightymart]

My Cameleon loves locust, but the locust dont eat the gutload as much as crickets, I have read that locust are better than crickets so is it ok for my Cham to stay on locust as a primary food even though there dont eat as much gutload ? I have also stopped putting in a wet sponge so they have to drink/eat the gutload.
(I currently using Pro reptile Gutload pro forumula but a few times a week I use fresh fruit & veg as well as the gutload.)

 

[WelshOneEmma]

I only every feed my locusts fresh fruit and veg. Whereas crickets are omnivores, locusts are herbivores and their feeding requirements will be different. Try peppars, curly kale, rocket etc. My understanding is also that they don't need the water crystals and get their hydration from fresh vegatation.

 

[Miss Lily]

I gutload my locusts with wild rocket. I've tried a few different fruit and veg, but they seem to prefer the rocket over anything else, that is apart from wheat grass!. Last year I brought some whole wheat grains and grew some wheat grass. The locusts went crazy for it! It is so easy to see how quickly a swarm of locusts could dessimate a field of crops!

I read in a cham care book that in the wild a chameleon's primary source of calcium is locusts because they feed on grass. Just think about it - cows eat grass and produce calcium rich milk! Definitely worth thinking about. Trouble is the locusts get through so much that you have to sow a fresh crop every few days and soak the grain for a couple of days before sowing.

 

[mightymart]

Hmmm....... I agree about the grass , I was told to use grass from the garden & they ate the lot when I tried it ! I was a little concerned at useing normal grass so I have only done it a few times .