cucumber??

[ronnie]

I have looked though a few threads and have found some references to gut loading using cucumber,some of these contradict eachother...safe/not safe....contains a natural insectiside??...also hoping someone would explain to me what is collard greens?asked my veggie man but he didn't know what i was on about(maybe it's not an English thing!!)

 

[ronnie]

Is any one out there!!??

 

[joshdhensley]

Collards are a common thing in Souther US.(Not for me!!!) Here is what the all-knowing Wiki says...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collard_greens

 

[kinyonga]

I have used cucumber sparingly/once in a long while as part of a gutload...I have no reason for using it so seldom...just don't.

 

[chambabysitter1]

Mustard greens are a great alternative to collard greens. No idea if they are available in your area though. I know when I can't find one, I usually find the other, but that is here in socal.

 

[joshdhensley]

Me either. I just use Total bites, oranges and sweet potatoes(occasionally). Then I dust with T-Rex Chameleon Dust:
Crude protien, min: 25%
crude fat, min: 1.5%
crude fiber, max:3
moisture, max:8
ash, max: 8
calcium,min: 14
calcium, max:16
Vit A acetate 20,000 iu/kilo
D-3 4000 iu/kilo

 

[Miss Lily]

I've never seen collard greens either. I buy wild rocket pre packs to gutload. I tried to grow some from seed but it didn't work! Had more success with wheat grass - locusts love it and it's really easy to grow too!

 

[ronnie]

Thanks for all the feedback guy's,but i'm still non the wiser on using the cucumber!! i shall try the some of the other stuff that you all suggested....i'm just worried that Trixxi may get board of the taste of her feeders!any more suggestions would be great...thanks again all

 

[Zen Reptiles]

I've also read that cucumber has a mild insecticide, and a method
of getting rid of a roach colony is to use cucumber, because it
makes them unable to breed.

Not sure how true it is, I read it several years ago, but I stay away from using it.

 

[ronnie]

Thanks for the reply Brock.....out of interest any ideas on what to use as gutloading??I'm in the UK

 

[Miss Lily]

I use wild rocket, apple and bee pollen (bought from ebay, as health food shops are way overpriced). Sometimes I'll use cabbage, potato and carrot but all the feeders will eat apple and rocket. I think I've seen mustard greens in Tesco or Morrisons, but I can't remember which - you can get a large bag of rocket for around £1 in Tesco. You can also buy packets of rocket seed to grow your own, although it's probably too much work in the long run! Food to avoid for gutloading are lettuce (no nutritional content) and broccolli, which blocks or hinders the absorption of calcium.

 

[ronnie]

Cheers Tiff,i will have a crack at the rocket tomorrow and i never even knew about the bee pollen!i will defo look into that(don't know about having a go at growing the rocket....not too green fingerd ...if you no what i mean!)

 

[Miss Lily]

I tried to grow some rocket but didn't have any luck with it! Wheat grass is so easy to grow though and both crickets and locusts love it. In fact you can see how they can destroy fields of crops in a plague! Wheat grass is also very rich in calcium - think cows and milk!

 

[ronnie]

Maybe i'll have a go at growing the wheat grass then....can you get the seeds from the likes of Homebase?

 

[Miss Lily]

I bought a pack of whole wheat grains from a local healthfood shop. I learnt about wheat grass from a chameleon book I have. You have to soak the grain for a couple of days first then sow it - I just scattered the soaked grain onto compost/soil in cricket tubs. Leave the lids off though as it grows real fast! If you have loads of locusts to feed, you'll need to start a new crop every few days to keep a ready supply. I used to sow 4 cricket tubs at a time.

 

[sarah777]

Wow I'm sure glad I read this thread!! I give my roaches cucumber all the time they seem to love just the outside dark green part. I'm going to stop right away!!! Thank you!