Gut Loading Mealies & Crickets

[cowana]

I just wanted some opinions on what everyone thought of my gut load diet.

I rarely buy Crickets (usually only as a treat), but they are what my newest girl Chima is used to and until I can determine if she will eat Mealies. I'm hoping she will right off the bat and I won't have to persuade her. My other two are pigs and will eat any, and I mean absolutely anything I put in their tank, including dehydrated and canned bugs. (They get live 99% of the time, but I do have these on hand in case I need someone to feed who won't do live insects.)

Anyway, I keep the Mealies in the fridge until I am ready to gut load a couple feedings worth. The crickets I buy usually 24 at a time. I feed them a mix that I make up myself. The "grains" never change and consist of:

-Gerber Baby Cereals Variety Pack
--Multigrain W/ Apple & Sweet Potato
--Oatmeal W/ Peach & Apple
--Rice W/ Banana & Apple
--Oatmeal W/ Banana
-Fluker's Cricket Feed

Then I through in different things for moisture and variety. I change these items regularly (especially the greens as they wilt and mold quickly, and I have a large supply for my Beardie.) Currently I have the following in the containers:
-Fluker's Orange Cube Cricket Diet
-Baby Carrot Sticks
-Potato Chunks
-Mustard Greens
-Kale

I also dust my feeders with Calcium, and once a week with Calcium W/ D3 & Vitamins. Am I doing this right? My BD is 3 now and eats veggies with a smidgen of fruits almost exclusively. He lost interest almost completely in bugs when he hit adulthood.

Thanks!

Amy


Leopard Geckos: Cheech, Chong & Chima

 

[DrCarrotTail]

That sounds like a good mix. I don't like the amount of chemicals in the Flukers cricket diet and orange cubes so I wouldn't use it but lots of folks do. I usually pull my mealworms out of the fridge 24-48 hours before I feed and throw them an apple or kale or something and then feed the next evening. Mine live on a mox of chicken layer pellets, oats, flax and some other things thrown in in smaller quantities for variety.

 

[stager]

Sounds good I mainly use meals so I constantly change my gut loading. Unlike most though I use lentils and other beans to throw protein on there.

 

[cowana]

Thanks, and I appreciate you sharing what you use. I am always looking for ways to improve my Leos health. I will look into the chicken layer pellets and beans for them.

I finally got my new girl to accept Mealworms so I can cut out those annoying crickets from my feed regiment! *happy dance*

 

[SCGeckos]

What you are doing sounds pretty good. A nice variety. If you are looking for an all in one product at a fantastic price go check out Cody of Professional Reptiles. He has a great gutload that many of the top breeders in the hobby have been using for years with great results. I have personally used the product for close to 5 years now with great results. Not only is it high quality but the prices are insane! I usually get 5 lbs at a time for just under $20 SHIPPED! Here is a link if you are interested.
https://www.professionalreptiles.com/supplies/insect-food/

 

[cowana]

I came across this website that gives a lot of good information on gut loading. It tells what veggies, grains, etc are good for certain purposes.

http://muchadoaboutchameleons.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-anatomy-of-gut-loading-ingredients.html?m=1