Is this gutload sufficient??

[FSchams]

Hi everyone i just want to know if my homemade gutload is sufficient for my chameleon's needs. I used sandrachameleon's blog as a rough guideline. The stuff i have in there are basically all i can find in the stores near me

It consists of (everything is dry)
-spirulina
-almond
-sunflower seed
-pumpkin seed
-sesame seed
-coconut
-ginger powder
Is this sufficient or are there something essential that i need to ad?

As a wet gutload i mainly use endive and from time to time apple, carrot and orange

 

[pigglett79]

You might want to add a bulk ingredient like wheat or rice bran and/or alfalfa to increase the volume and content. You can get alfalfa pretty cheap and grind it up.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I'd suggest you concentrate a bit more on your wet gutload. using largely Endive alone is a kinda limited.

 

[pigglett79]

Yes, almost any grocery store will sell mustard greens, romaine lettuce, kale, sometimes turnip greens. If you go to a whole foods or sun harvest you can find dandelion greens, escarole and pretty much any of the others. I also add in a rotation of butternut squash, sweet potato, cucumber, papaya, oranges, carrot, etc. Its not hard to find a variety of great gutload ingredients.

Also what I do to make the wet gutload easier is I blend up several ingredients and put them in mini ice cube trays and freeze them, that way you just put the cubes in each feeder bin. I alternate the ingredients each time to add variety.

edit: I also will make two varieties of the wet gutload and freeze two trays, that way each week I can alternate between them.

 

[tkilgour]

That is a great start! I would also recommend, dandelion, hemp seeds, clover, and bee pollen.

 

[FSchams]

Thanks for your reply's guys i really appreciate it.
I've been searching for dandelion, mustard greens and collard ect for
a long time, i can't find them anywhere ( remember i live in South Africa we do not have sun harvest or hole foods)the best veggie place we have around are probably 'Fruit and veg city' but they do not have those kind of greens

But i think i maybe able to get alfalfa, rocket and romaine lettuce

I forgot to say in my previous post i also throw in the occasional sweet potato

I really struggled to get the spirulina for my dry gutload, ended up paying top dollar for it. I can't even imagine were to begin looking for stuff like bee pollen and kelp powder, but i'll try

 

[Andee]

In my opinion you don't desperately need kelp powder if you have spirulina as spirulina is a type of super food algae. Bee pollen should be able to be found in health food stores in the vitamin section in the fridge. At least that's where I found mine, you can also find it at local farmer's markets usually.

 

[sandrachameleon]

But i think i maybe able to get alfalfa, rocket and romaine lettuce

those are good choices.
maybe you can also get basil and mint

Have you tried a Fruit and Veg City, food lovers market? Woolworths? www.faithfultonature.co.za?

It’s worth visiting an Asian or uk expat supermarket in SA, as you may find other options than at the standard SA store

 

[FSchams]

aaa i forgot about mint and basil i know our local nursery sell some herbs so i guess it is time to make a herb garden, also the mint will make the cricket tub smell beter.. Simply brilliant!!!

 

[FSchams]

Havent tried this place www.faithfultonature.co.za. But i have tried fruit and veg, food lovers market, woolworths, veggie town, pic and pay.... List goes on and on

 

[sandrachameleon]

Havent tried this place www.faithfultonature.co.za. But i have tried fruit and veg, food lovers market, woolworths, veggie town, pic and pay.... List goes on and on

I thought you probably had
are there items sold in your country that we may not see in North America or in the UK? Id be interested to hear about other options you use for gutoading there. I know when I visited I saw a few things I didn't recognize.

 

[FSchams]

Ok so i've managed to get basil, mint and rocket. Does someone know 'Amaranthus' known to us south african's as marog?

 

[sandrachameleon]

you mean the grain/seed or the leaves?

the grain is high in phosphorous, like most grains. but also has calcium, magnesium, iron and Manganese, and some Selenium and folate, as well as Lysine.
The leaves contain carotene, iron, calcium, protein, vitamin C - but amaranth contains oxalic acid, like spinach, which may bind with / prevent absorption of calcium. Ive also heard (not confirmed) its contains goitrogens.

 

[kplatvoet]

Do you have Teff ?- As a grain - it's high in calcium - I've used it when I was missing a couple of sandrachameleons ingredients -( I cook a lot of Ethiopian food) Here it's become easier to get as it is gulten free- and grows well in Idaho -

 

[sandrachameleon]

Teff has way more phosphorous than it does calcium. like most grains.
which is the opposite of what you need, if you are feeding standard prey like crickets and roaches

 

[kplatvoet]

That's good to know - I did know that it has less phosphorous than amaranth-and might be available - dry gut loading has been a challenge for me - wet has become easier since my daughter got a bearded dragon- I enjoy buying him different things much more than buying stuff for the bugs - even if they both get much of the same-