Every other day gutloading

[Jaycesickchild]

Hey just noticed that when trying to gutload my crickets every night they don't seem to be stuffing themselves like they do if i space out a night they don't have food. (In other words gutload every other night) they seem much more "plump" when i do this. Problem is the days i don't feed the crickets my cham won't be getting gutloaded feeders.

I was wondering if i separate my crickets into two separate bins and feed each one on alternating nights they will eat more and this ensure my cham getting the "plumpest" crickets possible.

Just wondering if any1 has done this before and if not i'd like to hear your opinions on it. Thanks guys.

 

[dlegare]

I don't gutload in the classic definition, that is I don't just feed the good stuff the day before I feed them off. Instead I feed my crickets and roaches a staple diet of Harrison's High Potency, slices of oranges for moisture. I also sprinkle bee pollen in the cage and add more when I notice that is almost gone. The Oranges I replace every 2 to 3 days depending on how much they are eating. In my crickets there is nothing but a dry rind in 3 days.

I prefer to do this because I believe that the majority of cricket diets on the market are complete crap and I don't want any of that junk in my pets bodies.

I also don't use any of those jell foods/water substances. Again I think its crap and I don't want it in any of my animals.

Also everything I give to my feeders is Organic and Washed thoroughly before use.

 

[Jaycesickchild]

I don't gutload in the classic definition, that is I don't just feed the good stuff the day before I feed them off. Instead I feed my crickets and roaches a staple diet of Harrison's High Potency, slices of oranges for moisture. I also sprinkle bee pollen in the cage and add more when I notice that is almost gone. The Oranges I replace every 2 to 3 days depending on how much they are eating. In my crickets there is nothing but a dry rind in 3 days.

I prefer to do this because I believe that the majority of cricket diets on the market are complete crap and I don't want any of that junk in my pets bodies.

I also don't use any of those jell foods/water substances. Again I think its crap and I don't want it in any of my animals.

Also everything I give to my feeders is Organic and Washed thoroughly before
use.

Thanks for the reply. I have also been using "actual food" as opposed to those nasty gutload cubes. Not only are they pretty expensive but i wouldn't feed my chams or their feeders anything i wouldn't put in my mouth. I try to chop up fresh fruits and veggies. Most of wich i grow myself in the summer, then food process and put into icecube trays to use during the winter along with a change up of fresh veggies.

I was just wondering if others had better success gutloading every other day. Seems like the crickets binge a little more when they haven't had food the day before. I know i would. And maybe this would be benefitial to the cham, getting a little extra "gutload" in each cricket. I rescued my cham 5 months ago from an expo and he was in terrible shape. He was very small, extremely under weight and missing part of his tail. The animal lover that i am i took him home with me and he has made a pretty good recovery, But still doesn't eat as much as ive seen other chams eat and isn't as heavy as id like him to be. So im still trying to get him up to normal weight. and was wondering if this would help.

Anyways thank you very much for the reply and advice.

 

[Saldarya]

I feed all of my insects 3 times a week with fresh greens, veggies, some fruit, etc....I feed Mon, Thur, and sat and feed enough to get them through the 2 days. If there is any left over food at the next feeding, it is removed.

ALl the insects seem plump, healthy, and breed well. It has been working well for me thus far.

 

[Kate]

My feeders are fed all the time. It would be good for you to read sandrachameleon blogs on here. She is the guru of inscect feeding. I think you will find it under gutloading.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I was wondering if i separate my crickets into two separate bins and feed each one on alternating nights they will eat more and this ensure my cham getting the "plumpest" crickets possible.

Nothing wrong with that plan.
Another option is to change what you gutload with so that its different one day from the next - you'll find the crickets eat more that way too.

I myself prefer to gutload prey constantly, with a variety of good things, as I think a well fed feeder that grows on good food as well as having a belly full of good gutload is the way to go.

Of course, you should be offering more than just crickets. IMHO no one type of prey should make up the bulk of your animals diet. Aim to have at least 5 types of prey.
If you do that, you could feed off your plumped crickets every third or fourth day and use other juicy well fed feeders the other days

 

[sandrachameleon]

My feeders are fed all the time. It would be good for you to read sandrachameleon blogs on here. She is the guru of inscect feeding. I think you will find it under gutloading.

thanks for the vote of confidence

here are some links to which you are likely referring:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...just-crickets-roaches-gutload-everything.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-nuts-seeds-healthy-part-perfect-gutload.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/659-green-leafy-goodness-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/697-dry-gutload-mix-august-2012.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/443-superworm-substrate-gutload-one.html

 

[sandrachameleon]

I rescued my cham 5 months ago from an expo and he was in terrible shape. He was very small, extremely under weight and missing part of his tail. The animal lover that i am i took him home with me and he has made a pretty good recovery, But still doesn't eat as much as ive seen other chams eat and isn't as heavy as id like him to be. So im still trying to get him up to normal weight. and was wondering if this would help.

He's lucky you took him and are fixing him up!

Is he warm enough? Hydrated? Warm well-hydrated chams will eat more than cool or dehydrated ones.
They also eat more if they have a variety of prey.
How much does he weight and how long is he snout to vent?

 

[Jaycesickchild]

He's lucky you took him and are fixing him up!

Is he warm enough? Hydrated? Warm well-hydrated chams will eat more than cool or dehydrated ones.
They also eat more if they have a variety of prey.
How much does he weight and how long is he snout to vent?

Thank you so much for the help and advice!!!
He is doing great and growing much larger and putting on some weight since I first got him. He is very well hydrated with an automatic sprayer, humidifier, and the occasional hand spray from a spray bottle where he'll drink directly from the bottle. He does have a variety of different foods I offer him. But for some odd reason he doesn't accept horned worms. I don't know what it is about them that freaks him out he just won't take them.

I'm not sure about his weight but snout to vent he is close to 4 inches.
If you could give me an estimate on his age that would be great!!!!

It probably wasn't the smartest thing getting a cham in need as my first but I felt so horrible and couldn't stand seeing him in that kind of shape. No1 wanted the poor guy because he was small skinny and missing the end of his tail.

Again thank you very very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!