# Gut Loading



## richnlou (Sep 12, 2011)

i have a large box of locusts as i dsicussed yesterday, following the advice i found on the net, they are now feeding on potato, lettuce, cabbage, strawberry and a little pepper, but when i bought him, the guy i bought him from gave us a pot of "CRICKET FEED" which says it should be fed to the crickets/ locusts in the 24 hours before becoming beardie prey. 
Is there any point in investing in anymore of this stuff.


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## BDS-Eva (Sep 16, 2011)

Naa, better off just gut loading them with anything you would feed your reptiles. I tend to stay away from too many leafy greens as the crix especially will get runny poo and your container will get smelly real quick!


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

locusts prefer leafy greens

crickets need a higher protein diet. dried dog or cat food or fish flakes and veg for moisture.


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## richnlou (Sep 12, 2011)

*crix*

i have stopped feeding Spike crickets, as he doesnt like them. I have been told its because compared to locusts, the crix are empty calories. but SPike nails the locusts as soon as he sees them. was funny yesterday, when Spike was having a roam around out of his viv, i put the locusts in the middle of the floor in the pot i use to transfer them to the viv. a couple jumped out, and were nailed immediately the other stayed on the pot wisely, spike was pushing it around the floor trying to get to it, eventually of course the locusts jumped out and a satisfied Spike pounced on it like a cat on a rat. PMSL :grouphug:


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## BDS-Eva (Sep 16, 2011)

My two much prefer locusts, is a pain as they are more expensive but to be fair I much prefer the locusts. Crickets are horrid noisy and stink! I love watching them go for the food, always amusing when they lick it to check what it is and it bounces away and gives them a shock!


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## richnlou (Sep 12, 2011)

*Pets at home*

hey mate, i was lucky yesterday, pets at home do 50s of locust normally for £10, but as they were expecting a new order in, the guy let me have one of the old stock for £6. so i now have a small spider viv full of locusts. i am also told by the guys on here a good way of getting locusts cheaply is buying on line. havent tried that yet.


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## richnlou (Sep 12, 2011)

*The live food warehouse*

The Livefood Warehouse :: Locust :: Extra Large seems to have some good prices


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## Blueladybird (Jan 20, 2008)

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/feeder/62128-how-breed-locusts.html

I've tried this a couple of times and it's really easy and saves a fortune, in true beardie style Spike tends to go off them after a few weeks though so i only keep them going for a month or 2 at a time:lol2:


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## richnlou (Sep 12, 2011)

*Spike??????*

and i thought i was being original. LOL 
Spike really does not like crickets at all, i have seen them right in front of his face, and he totally ignores them. I am told it is because they are empty calories, and that Spike would need a lot more of them, than he does locusts. :notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:


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## BDS-Eva (Sep 16, 2011)

I have heard they go off stuff just because they prefer something else. As much as I hate the crickets I think I'm going to chuck them in every so often make sure mine don't get too fussy! Xxx


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## richnlou (Sep 12, 2011)

*Mate*

In general i would agree, but for one problem. Spike totally ignores the crickets, so then i either have to re capture them by the evening, so that he is not aggrevated by them biting him. Spike loves his large meal worms and locusts.


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## Blueladybird (Jan 20, 2008)

richnlou said:


> and i thought i was being original. LOL
> Spike really does not like crickets at all, i have seen them right in front of his face, and he totally ignores them. I am told it is because they are empty calories, and that Spike would need a lot more of them, than he does locusts. :notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:


lol, great minds think alike! :no1:

I tend to avoid crix as they give me the heebies, Spike's main livefood is calcigrubs and i alternate between locust, silkworms and dubai roaches weekly. I think the nutritional value of crix depends on how well they're gutloaded but in my experience 1 locust is worth 4-5 crix in that that's the approx equivalent Spike will eat.

Your Spike probably just finds crickets downright creepy! Clever beardie :2thumb:


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