# Thickening water for insects?



## Iguanaquinn (Nov 13, 2010)

Just wondering about feeding feeder insects, instead of using bug gel is it possible to use gelatine to thicken water?

The roaches are kept at 31C so would this have any effect on the viscoscity of the liquid/gel?

Cheers...


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## dorian (Nov 27, 2010)

Dampen some sponge or cotton wool, that'll keep them watered


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## Iguanaquinn (Nov 13, 2010)

dorian said:


> Dampen some sponge or cotton wool, that'll keep them watered


Evapourates too quickly, especially when there are so many of them.


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## dorian (Nov 27, 2010)

I've never had an issue with it? Lasts a good couple of days for me


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## Iguanaquinn (Nov 13, 2010)

Really..... I have tried, but saying that I have the room at 31 not just a heat mat.... Dries your skin out if you are in there for any length of time lol.

I will put them on a heat mat and move the sponge away from the heat source.


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## dorian (Nov 27, 2010)

Iguanaquinn said:


> Really..... I have tried, but saying that I have the room at 31 not just a heat mat.... Dries your skin out if you are in there for any length of time lol.
> 
> I will put them on a heat mat and move the sponge away from the heat source.


Ah right, my room's like a fridge. If it wasn't for all the reptile heating it'd be like 10 degrees lol. Slows the crickets down though!

Isn't bug gel simply gelatinized water, or are you referring to the orange food gel?


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## Iguanaquinn (Nov 13, 2010)

dorian said:


> Ah right, my room's like a fridge. If it wasn't for all the reptile heating it'd be like 10 degrees lol. Slows the crickets down though!
> 
> Isn't bug gel simply gelatinized water, or are you referring to the orange food gel?



To be honest I have never used it so I am not sure what is used to thicken it... The thin strips of gelatine: Gelatin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not really sure how the gelatine would react to the heat.


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## TEENY (Jan 4, 2008)

Can't you just use water ?? sounds simple but have you tried ???. Cotton wool etc makes a great breeding ground for bacteria so you could end upm with a problem there, bug gel is all well and good but water is better imo. I have a lot of inverts and i have never used anything but water for them, if you are worried about drowning put gravel in dish in peaks here and there for them to escape.


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## dorian (Nov 27, 2010)

Melting point is about 35 degrees, maybe a bit under (google lol)
You might get away with it, maybe not :/


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## dorian (Nov 27, 2010)

TEENY said:


> Can't you just use water ?? sounds simple but have you tried ???. Cotton wool etc makes a great breeding ground for bacteria so you could end upm with a problem there, bug gel is all well and good but water is better imo. I have a lot of inverts and i have never used anything but water for them, if you are worried about drowning put gravel in dish in peaks here and there for them to escape.


it's so easy for crickets to drown themselves


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

crickets should be kept cool.


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## Iguanaquinn (Nov 13, 2010)

TEENY said:


> Can't you just use water ?? sounds simple but have you tried ???. Cotton wool etc makes a great breeding ground for bacteria so you could end upm with a problem there, bug gel is all well and good but water is better imo. I have a lot of inverts and i have never used anything but water for them, if you are worried about drowning put gravel in dish in peaks here and there for them to escape.


I would rather use gel to be honest.. Takes the worry out completly



dorian said:


> Melting point is about 35 degrees, maybe a bit under (google lol)
> You might get away with it, maybe not :/


Ha ha google the wise owl...



HABU said:


> crickets should be kept cool.


I am using roaches not crix... Establishing a breeding colony for my reps.


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## TEENY (Jan 4, 2008)

dorian said:


> it's so easy for crickets to drown themselves


I keep a lot of inverts and Chams so i have a fair old whack of livefood going through our house on a weekly basis but i have NEVER had a problem as long as there is gravel or pebbles in water for them to get out. Maybe i am just really lucky ??


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## Iguanaquinn (Nov 13, 2010)

Just incase anyone wants to use gelatine it works..... You can buy it from any supermarket. I put 4 sheets in water, melted it and it made me a nice pint of H2O jelly for my roaches.....

Result!


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

*pale clouded white*

I really don't understand this. 

There are these things called oranges out there. They are not very expensive and they are 99% water with added vitamins and minerals, including plenty of calcium. 

If the roaches do not eat them immediately they will last for for several days. All you have to do is to cut up an orange or two, 2-3 times a week to provide water for your roaches. 

I can't see the point in mixing up gels to feed to them or trying the gelatine idea. Life is too short.


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## ZOO CENTRE (Apr 1, 2010)

Iguanaquinn said:


> Just incase anyone wants to use gelatine it works..... You can buy it from any supermarket. I put 4 sheets in water, melted it and it made me a nice pint of H2O jelly for my roaches.....
> 
> Result!


The gelatine viscosity is bad in high temperatures (by my experiences)- but there are more kinds of gelatine of different viscosity.
I use gel- 50 litres per week and really have not a time for cooking of gelatine.
I use 6g of water crystals for 1 litre of water and have not a problem in high temperatures with it.


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## Iguanaquinn (Nov 13, 2010)

ZOO CENTRE said:


> The gelatine viscosity is bad in high temperatures (by my experiences)- but there are more kinds of gelatine of different viscosity.
> I use gel- 50 litres per week and really have not a time for cooking of gelatine.
> I use 6g of water crystals for 1 litre of water and have not a problem in high temperatures with it.


I changed the set up, I use a heat pad now and keep the gelatine away from the heat source... 50 litres a week!? Wow na don't think I would be cooking up that much lol...


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## .:KayLee:. (Aug 23, 2008)

I agree with what was earlier said and give mine slices of orange. The roaches LOVE these. They eat/drink all of the fleshy bit and all thats left is a dried out peel. So easy to remove and bin, no messing about making up gelatinised-water/water crystals.


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## swift_wraith (Jan 4, 2009)

another vote for oranges from me, my dubs love them and breed like mad after a good half time slice.


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## Iguanaquinn (Nov 13, 2010)

swift_wraith said:


> another vote for oranges from me, my dubs love them and breed like mad after a good half time slice.


Excellent I will try out the oranges then, see how they get on.... Smell nice too which is a bonus lol...


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

another plus for oranges. I occasionally add bug gel but recently I've just gone with oranges and washed lettuce. They get through a big piece of lettuce and an orange in a few days.


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