Had to laugh, these guys eat better than me...

[broderp]

Just sharing my first experience with making my own gutload batch...

As part of my new gut loading program for my crickets, I decided to go into small production and make a batch of gut load to freeze.

I bought a small chopper to help speed up the process and chopped orange, apples, collard greens and carrots.

As I did this I realized that these darn crickets eat better than I do. It was also very pretty is color and somewhat pleasant smelling. (The collard greens were a bit odd smelling to me)

I snapped a picture, because it made me laugh..

The final mix was equal parts of each. I kept thinking I should try it as it really looked good. LOL (but I didn't) Kind of like a vegitable and fruit stuffing...lol Maybe next time I will try pinapples instead of oranges.

I feed this with Cricket Crack, the crickets seem to love this better than the Flukers cubes. My cham has easily DOUBLED his intake of crickets since I started to feed tehm this basic gut load, almost as if he can "taste" the difference. I'm converted... anyone want to buy some slightly used Flukers cubes and food powder? LOL

 

[mrgreen22]

Yeah its a strange feeling when you realize your feeders eat healthier than most people..

 

[pigglett79]

It is also important to use a variety of items for gutloading. It is best to use different items and alternate between them. For instance next batch instead of collard greens use another type of green, maybe mango instead of orange, squash instead of apple etc.

Good choices are greens, various squash, cucumber, celery, papaya, mango, red bell pepper an so on. Each batch of my gutload has a variation in ingredients.


You can do the same if you make a dry gutload as well. variety is key.

 

[broderp]

It is also important to use a variety of items for gutloading. It is best to use different items and alternate between them. For instance next batch instead of collard greens use another type of green, maybe mango instead of orange, squash instead of apple etc.

Good choices are greens, various squash, cucumber, celery, papaya, mango, red bell pepper an so on. Each batch of my gutload has a variation in ingredients.


You can do the same if you make a dry gutload as well. variety is key.

Red bell peppers? How about chili peppers (not spicy) I have some that have seen better days, but are still good, just not crispy.

The problem with gut loading, for me, is that even with small amounts of stuff, (one orange, one apple, about 5 older carrots I had and one bunch of collards) it made so much that it will take my crickets a year to useit up. I hope they won't spoil ir get freezer burned.

I'm going have to take a closer look at how long it lasts as well. Don't want it molding the cricket keeper. I'm afraid there will be lots of waste.

 

[Bush baby]

That's why it's better to use Veggies over fruit for the 'wet gut load as fruits tend to oxidate and spoil/rot a lot faster than veggies do once exposed to room temperature or higher….

I feed this with Cricket Crack, the crickets seem to love this better than the Flukers cubes. My cham has easily DOUBLED his intake of crickets since I started to feed tehm this basic gut load, almost as if he can "taste" the difference. I'm converted... anyone want to buy some slightly used Flukers cubes and food powder? LOL

I'm quite sure they notice the difference. It's probably like noticing the different fillings and flavors inside donuts.