alfa alfa

[zarko]

can alfa alfa do some wrong if it is feed to crickets?i mean just alfa alfa and watter? i heard that rabits should not it just alfa cause they can die....


and one of topic question. u probably know that 8% Ca gutload can damage crickets for furder breeding. how much Ca should be in gutload that is for crickets form pin heads to adults?
i see on cricket food.com they have 2% Ca DM and 1,78 i thing for AM.
can i go to 3%Ca AM for my home made gutload?
what do u think?

the reason is i am not satisfie with idea that i give hight Ca 8% gutload just for 2 days befour feeding cause it is time and space consuming. i would rother have better balanced food for cricket that is as high in Ca as it can not to damage cricket succes of breeding and life spen.

thats for taking time to read..if u have any oppinion please tell i am in great need of other expirience.
thanks

 

[Will Hayward]

I'm not able to answer your question, but I'm sure if you spell it correctly, you'll have better luck finding info on it.
alfalfa nutrition facts


also,

Alfalfa is an excellent forage crop when harvested and stored properly. However, the plant can cause "hepatogenous photosensitivity syndrome" if water-damaged (Monlux AW . J Am Vet Med Assoc, Vol. 142, 9, p. 989-994, 1963).

-http://www.library.uiuc.edu/vex/toxic/alfalfa/alfalfa.htm​

 

[kinyonga]

I don't know if there is a reason not to feed alfalfa to crickets...but here is some interesting information I found...
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-294x.1998.00390.x
http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Do-Crickets-Eat?&id=138516
http://www.anapsid.org/crickets.html


I don't have an answer for you about the calcium and the crickets....sorry.

 

[TreelionsUK]

It is also used in adchams gutload recipe
http://www.adcham.com/html/husbandry/gutload.html

 

[MWheelock]

Alfalfa is like feeding kale, spinach, cabbage all the time. Alfalfa can be used as a treat, but is really too rich to be given a a primary diet (Plus the Cahos ratio is askew).

Rabbits don't generally die when you feed them alfalfa, in fact, the primary component of baby bunnies is alfalfa. (As they get older, the proportion of alfalfa significantly decreases) The problem is when you have a rabbit that is eatting regular hay and then is switched over to alfalfa or a rabbit that was anorexic for a while and then eats primarily alfalfa. Their gut needs to work up it's tolerance to it. If not it can cause gut stasis( bloat) which can lead to death.

Rabbits like the taste and might only eat alfalfa if given a choice. Remember though that in the wild, rabbits don't have that much access to alfalfa.

As far as crickets getting alfalfa, they'll pretty much eat anything. Is this part of a balanced diet?... sure, but this shouldn't be the primary greens. (What you feed your crickets is what your feeding your cham.) The Cahos ratio is off, so you'd be better off feeding something else

So--if you've got a rabbit or horse that your giving alfalfa occassionally, you can put some in for your crickets every now and then. Other than this occasional "treat", I'd use something else.

Talk to you later,
Matthew

 

[kinyonga]

I have to get more sleep...I missed the part about only feeding alfalfa and water. Glad you caught it Matthew!

 

[zarko]

thanks all of u. i have seen most of those web sites.i was just wondering will cricket die if one feed only alfalfa. the answe is NO form your posts.
my new gutload will be probably around 35 % alfalfa cause it is great sorse of plant protein, well balanced Ca to P. Ca is 1,5% and P is 0.22% of total wieght. ill inreacht food with ca gluconas.chicke food is also a part of new food. +bee polen, powder milk, nuts and seeds...
i am going for 18% protein 7% fat 1,8-2,5% ca i have not decided yet.and bunch of other stuff...
thanks