PetNotSoSmart?

[SkyGecko287]

So originally when I bought some mealworms for my Leopard Gecko from pet smart; they told me that they were already gut loaded from the shredded wheat stuff that was in the container they came in. Well today I thought I'd stop by and pick up a new hide for the cool side of the cage and figured I'd ask again if their mealworms were gut loaded just to double check. They said they weren't! Then I called the pet smart I bought the mealworms from and they said this time they weren't too.

So I grabbed some carrots, potatoes and spinach on the way home to gut load my mealworms with as I remember hearing these as suggestions before.

Do I just cut up the stuff I got and throw them in the container I got the mealworms in and leave them out of the fridge for a day for them to be gut loaded? Also should I leave the shredded wheat or whatever that came with them inside of the container along with the veggies I'm going to put in it?

Also she added to only dust the mealworms with calcium once a month or they could die from overdosing... lol.

 

[bjleemkuil]

Do I just cut up the stuff I got and throw them in the container I got the mealworms in and leave them out of the fridge for a day for them to be gut loaded? Also should I leave the shredded wheat or whatever that came with them inside of the container along with the veggies I'm going to put in it?

It would be a better idea to put them in a slightly bigger container. It would give them room to move around a bit. I know the containers the 'Mart down here sells in are awfully small.

Also she added to only dust the mealworms with calcium once a month or they could die from overdosing... lol.

This is false. Like every other feeding? Someone correct me if I'm wrong

 

[SkyGecko287]

It would be a better idea to put them in a slightly bigger container. It would give them room to move around a bit. I know the containers the 'Mart down here sells in are awfully small.

Yea the one they gave me is really small as well, that's a good idea about using a larger container, I'll do that for sure.

This is false. Like every other feeding? Someone correct me if I'm wrong

That's what I thought too, at least every other feeding I heard while alternating between with and without vitamin d3? That's why I was like "wait a second..." when she said that, lol.

Which also brings me to another question, where is a good place to get plain calcium? My pet stores near me don't seem to carry any..

 

[Mel&Keith]

It looks like some of the Pet*marts may carry a product called JurassiCal which is a Calcium without D3. They have it on their website.

 

[mushraeddur]

Yea the one they gave me is really small as well, that's a good idea about using a larger container, I'll do that for sure.


That's what I thought too, at least every other feeding I heard while alternating between with and without vitamin d3? That's why I was like "wait a second..." when she said that, lol.

Which also brings me to another question, where is a good place to get plain calcium? My pet stores near me don't seem to carry any..

I ordered mine from online. I'm trying not to support any of the major pet stores if I can help it. I'd rather pay a little more from someone who actually cares about the animals they breed and sell. You could probably find everything you need at a reptile show/convention. My town has one every month.

 

[cryptid_hunter]

I raise mealworms and superworms and I feed mine carrots, squash, and calcium enriched cricket gutload and that raises their nutritional value significantly.

 

[miss_erin]

Is it ok to only feed your geckos mealworms? Mine doesnt like crickets.

 

[cryptid_hunter]

Is it ok to only feed your geckos mealworms? Mine doesnt like crickets.

I would really try some other feeder worms with higher nutritional value instead of just mealies all the time. Silkworms have about the highest nutritional value of anything I've seen and are low in fat, so you could maybe try to feed your geckos mealworms, superworms, silkworms, and then something high in calcium like phoenix worms. And you could give them some little fatty treats here and there like waxworms and butterworms. But if the gecko dictates the staple diet is going to be mealies, just gut load them really good.

 

[RoninSTi]

ProGecko Gutload!! Ever since I've been keeping my mealies and my Dubia on this, there has been a noticable difference in the look and growth rate of my feeders. I've never had plumper mealies and Dubias , lol!!

You can also get the calcium for progecko as well.

 

[miss_erin]

The stores in my town don't carry silkworms as far as I know. Is there a good website to get them from? When gutloading meal worms, do you leave them in the fridge with the food, or do you set them out for a while? Also, which last longer, the Giant meal worms or the smaller ones? Are they two different bugs, or are they just aged ones?? Sorry for so many questions, I'm still learning.

 

[bjleemkuil]

https://www.silkwormshop.com/shopping/agora.cgi?product=small

Found this while browsing the web. They may be cheaper somewhere else but I don't know right off.

 

[jemjdragon]

http://champhibians.com/Zebra_Silkworms.html

I found this site while browsing geckoforums
They offer smaller amounts and several sizes. I might order from them but I'm not sure.

 

[ForTozs]

I read a study that found that gutloaded feeders start to lose the benefits after 24 hours or so. Their reasoning is that the high calcium levels actually harm the feeders which stop feeding on the gutload, so I would only gutload 24-48 hr before feeding to get the best benefits. Keep in mind I am new to this, but I did see this in a scholarly journal article. Gutloading did make a tremendous difference overall.