# Gutloading.



## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Just out of interest really, I am interested to hear what people are gutloading their insects, why, and how often inspired by a convo I had earlier. 

: victory:


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## popitgoes (Oct 24, 2010)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> Just out of interest really, I am interested to hear what people are gutloading their insects, why, and how often inspired by a convo I had earlier.
> 
> : victory:


hey dixon you still up for this sunday at the stoke reptile meeting?

also i feed my roaches on everything such as alphalpha sugar puffs biscuits nuts poultry feed and more then before i feed them away i throw fruit in apples oranges cherrys melons pineapple etc


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## vgorst (Sep 27, 2011)

I feed mine every 2-3 days (depending on when they're being fed off) with orange, basil, mint, rocket, dandelion leaves. When they're not being used for a while/if they're breeders they get any kitchen scraps/leftover dry cat food.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

popitgoes said:


> hey dixon you still up for this sunday at the stoke reptile meeting?
> 
> also i feed my roaches on everything such as alphalpha sugar puffs biscuits nuts poultry feed and more then before i feed them away i throw fruit in apples oranges cherrys melons pineapple etc


Hey mate yeah I should be  I still have your spider here? you okay to pick me up and drop me back off mate? should be an ace night  thanks for your reply too.



vgorst said:


> I feed mine every 2-3 days (depending on when they're being fed off) with orange, basil, mint, rocket, dandelion leaves. When they're not being used for a while/if they're breeders they get any kitchen scraps/leftover dry cat food.


I follow a similar routine mate, al the scraps from my iggys my tea, and cheap cat food from aldi lol, I strive to offer a variety of food items, less chance of bumping into nutritional problems that way. etc :2thumb:


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## Bradleybradleyc (May 7, 2012)

I feed mine everyday what ever my beardies eat the live food gets it usually don't take long for them to demolish it and I like it being fresh for them, and little bottle lids of bug gel to keep the hydrated :2thumb:


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## popitgoes (Oct 24, 2010)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> Hey mate yeah I should be  I still have your spider here? you okay to pick me up and drop me back off mate? should be an ace night  thanks for your reply too.


yea no problem mate i cant see why not as your on the way there and on the way back lol well out the way by 1minute but that aint gonna hurt lol


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

popitgoes said:


> yea no problem mate i cant see why not as your on the way there and on the way back lol well out the way by 1minute but that aint gonna hurt lol


Cheers dude, should be a great night, yeah just let me know what time you will be here  il be ready.: victory:


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## popitgoes (Oct 24, 2010)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> Cheers dude, should be a great night, yeah just let me know what time you will be here  il be ready.: victory:


il prob get there early mate bout half 6ish as all that 1 way system in stoke pisses me off and i always get lost ahhaah lol

you need to get a phone mate and give me your number so its easier to get intouch with you then on here lol


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## Panthraz (Feb 20, 2011)

I gutload my feeder roaches butternut squash as apparently it has an excellent Ca ratio (1.5:1), 
it normally makes up the veg component of my skinks diet too.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

popitgoes said:


> il prob get there early mate bout half 6ish as all that 1 way system in stoke pisses me off and i always get lost ahhaah lol
> 
> you need to get a phone mate and give me your number so its easier to get intouch with you then on here lol


Tell me about it lol, and yeah mate no problem. 



Panthraz said:


> I gutload my feeder roaches butternut squash as apparently it has an excellent Ca ratio (1.5:1),
> it normally makes up the veg component of my skinks diet too.


It does  

I feed high calcium greens, scraps of spring greens, dandilion leaves, that sort of thing, I feed squash too, the main bulk of my insect diets consist mainly of carrot, potato, turnip/swede, squash and other items rotated into it depending on how I plan out my lizard diets alot of root veggys but I am not convinced some of it gets eaten, bug gel, dry cerial, bran, oats etc.

Orange, scraps from my own tee, and cheap cat food. :2thumb:
But I try to recycle as much as I can, try not to waste anything where possible, what the lizards leave, the insects get, and then the insects go back to the lizards.

When actually feeding the bugs if they have a veggy dish in there already omnivores I just let the bugs roam, but for the likes of geckos I will leave a lump of a root veggy in there. calcium isn't the only thing we need to worry about, I strive for a variety of gutloading just like I do with the animals foods, less chance of bumping into nutritional problems that way.
:2thumb:


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## Spreebok (Jul 4, 2012)

My bugs are always given carrot and a few leaves for fresh greens. Funnily enough, it's the mealworms that absolutely decimate the greens, as opposed to the roaches or locusts.
Dubia Roaches also get bug water.
They also get squash when we've got it in for the beardie and before it gets eaten by the rest of us lol.

I also keep the locusts and mealies on cheap ownbrand weetabix and porridge oats. Not sure they eat it, but gives them something to crawl in.


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## king chameleon (Dec 7, 2011)

Bug burger!!


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## Dee_Williams (Aug 15, 2010)

Mine get james wellbeloved cat food as it was reduced in the small pouches (posh eh) oats, fish food, weetabix (the cheap ones) layers mash (organic stuff) as well as whatever veg/fruit I have. I have pet roaches and snails too so I do buy specific veg/fruit for them. Also check out the reduced section and see what's what in there and they get any salad that is not going to get used by us.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Thanks for your input peeps.
You know I rarely ever check the reduced sections, might start doing that, could save some pennies up


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## Dee_Williams (Aug 15, 2010)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> Thanks for your input peeps.
> You know I rarely ever check the reduced sections, might start doing that, could save some pennies up


I'm just a skinflint. :blush:


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Dee_Williams said:


> I'm just a skinflint. :blush:


HAHAHA lol.
I could start following that example! just forked out a load on vivs, nearly had a heart attack when I checked my online statement and totalled it all up, every penny counts!


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

pretty much what ever is in the fridge fruit and veggy wise like Carrots, swede, squash, apples, spring greens, broccoli, watercress, rocket etc 

Dandelions 

cereals, powdered milk and dry cat or dog biscuits

I did used to dust veggies with calcium or mix it into there dry foods but since i got my T's ive stopped adding it.


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## Kuja (Dec 14, 2011)

What ever the beardie does not eat, and what ever is going to either get thrown out or has perished slightly, also oats, and funny bearded dragon pellets i bought expecting something else shopping via mobile phone is a no go, high in protein apparently though, female dubia have certainly bulked up with it lol.


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## Dee_Williams (Aug 15, 2010)

Just to add to this:

poundland are doing a 3 for 2 on go cat biscuits if it's any use to anyone.


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## jonodrama (May 7, 2009)

I use dandelion leaves/ spring greens/ apple/ sweet potato.


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## StephanieC (Nov 12, 2012)

*Brittle Crickets! Arghhh!!! lol*

I read that it is not good to gut load your crickets with too much calcium because they dont have a skeleton as such - only an exoskeleton so too much calcium makes them very brittle which means they wont be able to shed and not being able to shed means they will die! also brittle crickets are not good for your lizards digestive system.  :whistling2:


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

StephanieC said:


> I read that it is not good to gut load your crickets with too much calcium because they dont have a skeleton as such - only an exoskeleton so too much calcium makes them very brittle which means they wont be able to shed and not being able to shed means they will die! also brittle crickets are not good for your lizards digestive system.  :whistling2:


The calcium intake is not for the insects  
It is for whatever they are fed too.


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## StephanieC (Nov 12, 2012)

ye i know that lol  i ment that its bad for the crickets if u gut load em wi too much calcium cus it stops em frm shedding the exoskeleton which makes them become very brittle, and brittle crickets are really hard for your lizard to digest


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