2 part diet and homemade diets

[goReptiles]

1. Has anyone tried the Pangea 2 part flavored diets on a long term basis? I'm curious what their nutritional status is like when compared to the regular CGD. Is it a nice treat or a staple.

2. Has anyone tried a homemade diet as a treat or maybe a staple? I was thinking of pureeing strawberries (minus the seeds) and peaches. Maybe bananas, mangos, papaya, and apricots. A nice combo mix or something. I was thinking of using something like this instead of the occassional baby food treat. I'm curious what all would go into pureeing this, add a little calcium and vitamins or what would you suggest?

 

[malt_geckos]

I just ordered the pangea flavors: Rose and Mango and the base diet. We shall see how the babies like it. The one I have right now hates the regular CGD. She won't touch it and it's banana flavored so I didn't buy any banana base.

I would also like to see some homemade diets. I am guessing that you can make like a puree out of some fruits they like and add some multivitamin and some calcium, maybe puree some crickets in with it too.

 

[Pinkfish]

Everyday, I make up a mixture of banana and apple saws, some times I mix a little CGD in it some times I just put sups in... when other fruit is in season I will add some of them... I have put cut up grapes minus the seeds and skins in it before they seemed to like them... as well as fruit that is starting to go off like mussy pairs, nectureans(sp) and stuff seems to work great... but they do get their crickets (3-4) two to three times a week... so Im not sure if thats what you mean by staple... diet but it works well...

PS. Update on my female she's now eating... and will even eat from my hand! my male seems to be doing great on the diet I just described....

 

[goReptiles]

Matt/Mallorie, I've wondered if it's any good. It does sound interesting. Please let us know how they like it. I've bene lucky in that all of my guys love the CGD base; I love opening the bag, as it has a fruity smell all on its own.

Sean, when I say staple I mean like a base diet. Like how crickets may be a staple for leopard geckos, but you may offer silkworms as a treat. Or CGD mixed with water a base, using a baby food as a treat.

I think I'm going to try this out. I have 1 can of baby food left, but I'll just mix that with the fresh fruits. I'm going to try strawberries, papaya, banana, and mango. The baby food is peach. It should make for an interesting flavor. Or, do you think that all the flavors will be too much? Should I just try a 2 flavor puree?

I'll probably make a big batch and just freeze it, so to use it as a nice treat. Add calcium to it.

 

[mynewturtle]

Here's a breeder from my Canadian forum's diet, I use it and love it.

You want my Rhac fruit 'n' yogurt recipe? That top secret recipe that so far I've only divulged to several thousand people?

I'm somewhat lazy today, so I'm going to copy/paste what I posted somewhere else in cyberspace

My typical recipe makes roughly 6 ice cube trays, but it can vary depending on the type of tray
you're using. Since I have at least 20 fruit-eating adult Rhacs at any time and who knows how many
babies, it's worth making a big batch at once. You can use less of everything if you don't have a
lot of Rhacs (yet, but you will soon ) and the mix freezes well so don't worry about making too
much. Since the ingredients are also human food grade, you can eat some of it yourself if you don't
add the CGD, it's great slightly frozen, reminds me of a milkshake.

I've used this recipe since I first got Rhacs back in '96. I start with 1 large can (approx. 800 g./
28 oz.) of unsweetened mango pulp (plain mango will do since it all goes into the blender later), 1
small to medium very ripe banana, 1 or 2 soft pears, 3-4 figs, and one or two other fruits
in season. They love peach, mango, pear, banana, dates, figs, grapes and berries - especially
strawberries. Just about any fruit will do, but try not to use citrus fruit. All the fruit is
blended until smooth and then poured into a mixing bowl. I then add low fat or fat-free yogurt,
strawberry, mixed berries or peach. They have no problems digesting the lactose since the bacteria
in the yogurt culture convert it to a safe form for them. A one serving size container of yogurt is
added to the fruit mix and stirred until blended. Pour it all into ice cube trays and freeze.

Each batch is a bit different since I use whatever fruit is in season, so they get different
flavours throughout the year. I try to have 2 different batches going at a time and alternate with
each feeding. To give them a change every once in a while, I add something to the thawed cubes
before feeding. I'll sprinkle some pollen over the top, mix in a different blended fruit from the
other batch in the freezer, maybe add a bit of different yogurt flavour or some finely chopped figs.


Some batches also get a half a jar of CGD added while still in the blender, but that also means
adding a bit of water to keep it at a lickable consistency. Don't add too much CGD or it will be too
thick, and they might not bother eating it if they have to bite and chew it. This is one of my
least favourite variations, mostly because not all of my Rhacs will eat the CGD. I think I've pretty
well eliminated this version in favour of just feeding plain CGD to those who will touch it.

Feedings alternate with crickets 2, sometimes 3 times a week, this fruit mix 2-3 times a week, some don't even bother with bugs much once they get to liking the fruit mix. Mix the supplement (like Miner-all ) in when feeding if you can, that way you have more control over who gets how much and when. It can be added before freezing, I just prefer to add it before serving.\

This was also posted by her about the yogurt used in it:
#4 03-27-2005, 05:46 PM
Hilde Location: K-W Ont
Posts: 1,040



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yogurt is a cultured milk product wherein Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria have been added to
the milk in order to aid in the digestion of lactose (milk sugar). Lactose intolerant people and
most animals do have problems with milk and milk products, but the majority of them can safely
consume yogurt made using live bacteria cultures.

There's a lot of info on the usefulness of yogurt at

Live, Active and Probiotic: The Yogurt Culture

By Pat Kendall, Ph.D., R.D.
Food Science and Human Nutrition Specialist
Colorado State University Cooperative Extension

>
> The claim most substantiated is yogurt's beneficial effect on digestion in some individuals.
> People who are lactose intolerant have a hard time digesting milk products because they lack the
> enzyme that breaks down the main carbohydrate in milk. Yogurt is a unique dairy food because the
> starter cultures actually produce that enzyme during fermentation. Thus, the milk sugar in
> yogurt is more easily digested, even for lactose-intolerant individuals. Many people who
> commonly experience gas, bloating or discomfort from dairy foods can digest yogurt more easily,
> thanks to the starter cultures. This is especially true if the yogurt contains live cultures.
>
> Claims regarding the usefulness of probiotics in reducing the risk of intestinal infections also
> seem to have some merit. Studies have shown, for example, that children suffering from chronic
> diarrhea recover faster when fed yogurt with probiotic cultures. Adults suffering from
> traveler's diarrhea also seem to benefit. Scientists attribute this to probiotics' apparent
> ability to create an acidic environment that inhibits harmful bacteria.
>


Granted, it is geared towards human consumers, but the basics of digestion are the same in
reptiles. The Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria convert the lactose to a more digestible form
for reptiles as well as us. As I mentioned in other posts, I've used it for treats, tonics
after medication, as a supplement for recovering reptiles and the base for bug slurry for sick
reptiles who aren't eating on their own (never used on a snake, so I have no clue how/if it
works with them). If I'd noticed any problems digesting the yogurt or slurry, I would have
stopped using it years ago. There's never been any sign of discomfort, diarrhea or other
negative signs or symptoms. If anything, I can credit the yogurt for saving at least a dozen
gecko and cham lives in either my collection or rescues I took in.

 

[goReptiles]

Oh wow thank you for the recipe. I'll definitely print it out when I go to the store in a few.

 

[Valley Reptiles]

1. Has anyone tried the Pangea 2 part flavored diets on a long term basis? I'm curious what their nutritional status is like when compared to the regular CGD. Is it a nice treat or a staple.

2. Has anyone tried a homemade diet as a treat or maybe a staple? I was thinking of pureeing strawberries (minus the seeds) and peaches. Maybe bananas, mangos, papaya, and apricots. A nice combo mix or something. I was thinking of using something like this instead of the occassional baby food treat. I'm curious what all would go into pureeing this, add a little calcium and vitamins or what would you suggest?

I used the two part last year. They ate it just as much as the regluar cgd so I stopped using it. The regular stuff has banana flavoring in it now so it's a little more appealing to them.

If you feed your own mix i would only do it as a treat and not as a regular diet. I had big problems when I started out when feeding fruit and baby food. It was supplemented with calcium and vitamins but i still had a couple babies end up with MBD and a breeder female with a huge calcium crash. since then I dont bother with anything but cgd.

 

[goReptiles]

Eric, a homemade mix would definitely be as a treat and not staple.

I made 2 batches last night, but haven't tried anything on the geckos yet because I let them freeze in ice cube trays over night. I did try the 2nd patch on the rats this morning, and they loved it. No supplements have been added yet. I will add it when it thaws for the geckos. I figured if the geckos didn't like it, I could always give it to the rats for treats.

Anyway batch 1 consists of: 8 strawberries, 1 banana, 1 mango, apple juice, and 1/2 container of no-sugar/low fat raspberry-cranberry yogurt.
Batch 2 consists of: 2 white peaches, 2 pears, 1 mango, 45 skinned seedless red grapes, apple juice, peach baby food (as it was on hand), and the other half of the yogurt

Batch 1 made 2 trays and batch 2 made 4 trays. I'm trying it out tonight.

 

[moosassah]

Whitney, that sounds absolutely delicious. I'm talking for me, not the geckos! If I made it here I guarantee my boys would eat it before Ferrous got 2 servings! lol. Let us know how your crew reviews it.

 

[malt_geckos]

Hey Whitney, just got the CGD in a few days ago and they love it. It can be used as a staple diet supplemented with crickets if you want. But they love both flavors. The new cretie male I just got is very fond of the mago.

 

[goReptiles]

I thought that I made an update. Guess not. They LOVED the 2nd batch. I haven't tried the 1st one because I'm trying to get the trays even. My rats and dogs, also, loved them. It's a nice cool treat.

I made a 3rd batch to use up more of the fruits I bought. It includes: strawberries, blackberries, frozen peaches, and applesauce. I made almost 2 full trays.

Matt/Mallorie I think when my frozen slushy trays are gone, I'm going to try the 2 part diet. But, since I almost never feed them baby food, they'll get the slushy about the same, so it'll take a while to use it all up. The difference is, that I've been giving the rats a few and the dogs get pieces when I chop it up for the geckos.

 

[mynewturtle]

The rhacs I have love the diet I gave you. I use it as a stample, I just add calcium. Handy during breeding season when you have varying amounts of them. I've even used it for SICK leos, got them eating again(I do not suggest doing this to unsick leos)

 

[goReptiles]

You use the smoothie as a staple? Not a treat? Do you not give them CGD?

 

[nevinm]

hey whitney, i didnt read this whole thread, so ill keep this short incase someone said it already. but i know a VERY reputal breeder that only feeds her cresteds baby food and crickets, and has done so for the past 20 years.

 

[goReptiles]

That's interesting because everything I've ever read or been told by other breeders of crested geckos have said not to feed baby food ever or very little because there is little to no nutritional value to it. Baby food is fatty and like junk food. My guys used to get it as treats, but I like the fresh smoothie better. I think the CGD is much healthier.

 

[mynewturtle]

The smoothy has worked for me for years on now. Some people don't agree but with personal experience with my geckos living, and not being sick issues. I'm not going to spend 10$ on a bottle of what IMHO is the same as what I make. This is just personal experience here in canada several breeders do this for stample diets.

 

[Valley Reptiles]

hey whitney, i didnt read this whole thread, so ill keep this short incase someone said it already. but i know a VERY reputal breeder that only feeds her cresteds baby food and crickets, and has done so for the past 20 years.

I fed them the same diet when I started and had a breeder female almost die and some babies with mbd, I would definately not recommend that diet.

Not sure who the breeder is but she couldnt have been feeding them baby food for 20 years. Cresteds were thought to be extinct until they were rediscovered in 1993. 20 years would mean that she has had them since 1988, 5 years before they were discovered in the wild and it would be around 1994 before they produced babies that she could buy unless she had some of the original wild caught geckos.

 

[goReptiles]

Eric, I didn't even realize the 20 year comment. You are correct. Maybe he meant she's been working with geckos for 20 years, not specifically crested geckos. She would have had original wild caught geckos from before they were re-discovered, wouldn't she?

 

[malt_geckos]

Whitney- I am going to school to be a dietician, and I know for a fact baby food isn't fatty. It has natural sugar in it, but so does CGD. If you feed the baby food that has no added sugar (check ingredients) it's fine for them. It's actually better and has more vitamins in it then say the flavor nectar does. So, it really isn't that bad for them, it's kind of like CGD that is already made but without the added vitamins.

 

[Valley Reptiles]

Whitney- I am going to school to be a dietician, and I know for a fact baby food isn't fatty. It has natural sugar in it, but so does CGD. If you feed the baby food that has no added sugar (check ingredients) it's fine for them. It's actually better and has more vitamins in it then say the flavor nectar does. So, it really isn't that bad for them, it's kind of like CGD that is already made but without the added vitamins.

It has more vitamins for humans but not geckos. Mr. Repashy spent years formulating the diet for exactly what cresteds need. It is a proven diet, baby food diets have proven that it can cause problems, I have seen it personally in my collection even with supplementing.