Gut loading feeders question

Hi, i am planning on starting a cricket colony for my leopard gecko to have a steady supply of food without having to worry about going to the pet store (the nearest petstore that sells live feeder bugs is fairly far, but they always carry crickets). I read that crushed dogfood is a good feed, and because i already have a dog this would be convenient. I plan on feeding fresh organic vegetables (mostly romaine lettuce and carrots, with occasional cauliflower, potato, fruit, etc.) oranges and cucumbers for water, as well as the dog food for proteins and such. My main question was if there is anything in the ingredients that would be harmful to the crickets and/or more importantly my leo (because what I feed the crickets end up in the leo). here are the ingredients lists of the kibble



and freeze dried treats that i also plan on giving them



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any additional suggestions on food for crickets or components my gut load plan is missing are greatly appreciated!

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Most people don't feed too much dog food for a few reasons, mainly that it's high in protein and it contains meat, which isn't part of a gecko's natural diet. I'd suggest looking up gutloads online if you're interested in making your own, although I've always found it easier to just buy pre-made bug chow in bulk online.

Here's an interesting article about protein ratios in feeder diets:
Resources :: Reptile Articles :: Can Feeder Insect Diets Contribute To Gout In Reptiles? - Repashy Ventures - Specialty Pet Products

Also, this is one of my favorite articles for gutload ingredients. Keep in mind that short-term gutload items don't necessarily make a great diet for raising crickets though; the right diet will need complex carbs and protein and not just fruits/veggies.
Much Ado About Chameleons: The Anatomy of Gut-Loading | Ingredients & Nutritional Info

indyana said:

Most people don't feed too much dog food for a few reasons, mainly that it's high in protein and it contains meat, which isn't part of a gecko's natural diet. I'd suggest looking up gutloads online if you're interested in making your own, although I've always found it easier to just buy pre-made bug chow in bulk online.

Here's an interesting article about protein ratios in feeder diets:
Resources :: Reptile Articles :: Can Feeder Insect Diets Contribute To Gout In Reptiles? - Repashy Ventures - Specialty Pet Products

Click to expand...

I would prefer to make my own gut load, I feel better about what i feed my geckos that way. Would crickets eat bug based proteins, like mealworms or dried bugs? i have lots of dried bugs to give protein to my hermit crab, would these work as well? If crickets die, will the others eat them for protein or is this not a good idea? Thanks for the advise about dog food!

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Crickets would probably eat bug protein, although I haven't tried it. They're cannibals if you let them be! But you can also use vegetable protein sources.

I'd try to remove the dead ones if you see them. They are really stinky and can cause disease to spread in the colony if the dead cricket was ill.