Gutloading etc...

[kinyonga]

Why gutload...
http://cricket-breeding.com/why-gut-loading-matters/

Toronto zoo...L. Attard...

an overview of the development and evaluation of a gut- loading diet for feeder crickets formulated to provide a balanced nutrie - titag
PDFtitag.org › attardcrickets

 

[Kritter]

I swear by Repashy bug burger and calcium plus works fantastic and a small enough dose of d3 to make it your only supplements.

 

[Weebo]

Is using something like repshy big burger or cricket crack enough for gutloading? Or do you still need to add more? Obviously calcium dusting and multivitamin is still necessary

 

[Ceycham]

I feel like the simple solution (or partial solution) would be to support the idea of as many wild caught insects as possible. And yet many here don't support this. I get that there are risks involved such as pesticides and parasites, but I wonder if the risks outweigh the benefits based on the fact that we cannot reproduce the variety of things that the insects are eating in the wild enough to ensure health anyway.

 

[nightanole]

Is using something like repshy big burger or cricket crack enough for gutloading? Or do you still need to add more? Obviously calcium dusting and multivitamin is still necessary

Bug burger and cricket crack are complete nutrition for the bugs. The thing is, these are mostly for the dry section of the gut load. Yes you could add water to turn the bug burger into jello, and yes you could just have cricket crack and water crystals. Most use bug burger and cricket crack dry, and then also have a wet gut load.

If i had a small setup, doing bug burger with water, and ice cube trays would be a good solution. Just every day throw out the old cube and pop in the new one.

 

[nightanole]

I feel like the simple solution (or partial solution) would be to support the idea of as many wild caught insects as possible. And yet many here don't support this. I get that there are risks involved such as pesticides and parasites, but I wonder if the risks outweigh the benefits based on the fact that we cannot reproduce the variety of things that the insects are eating in the wild enough to ensure health anyway.

While im not worried about the parasites (its a very low risk to find a parasite that can jump to chams, those horrible horse hair worms that look like they came from nightmare fuel, can be eaten all day long by lizards), You get one bad pesticide, herbicide, or even fertilizer, and you are done. Once symtoms start to show there is nothing you or a vet appointment can do, either the cham is going to get through it on its own, or its going to kick the bucket.

There are plenty of people who live in nice areas, and have been very successful with live insect traps. I do not trust my county commissioner nor my neighbors...

 

[Andee]

I don't support sticking to a limited diet such as repashy and cricket crack, but I know a lot of people don't live in a state as lucky as I do. My insects get s rotating dry chow that every new batch changes out 4-7 ingredients for others. And different veggies are fruit offered every day.

 

[Ceycham]

While im not worried about the parasites (its a very low risk to find a parasite that can jump to chams, those horrible horse hair worms that look like they came from nightmare fuel, can be eaten all day long by lizards), You get one bad pesticide, herbicide, or even fertilizer, and you are done. Once symtoms start to show there is nothing you or a vet appointment can do, either the cham is going to get through it on its own, or its going to kick the bucket.

There are plenty of people who live in nice areas, and have been very successful with live insect traps. I do not trust my county commissioner nor my neighbors...

Scary thought for sure, but you have to wonder what the odds would be, especially if you trapped in a wooded area, that the insect picked up enough poison in its daily feeding foray and held onto enough of it to cause an issue by the time it makes it to the cham. What symptoms would one look for (prior to death of course). Have there been proven cases of pesticide induced deaths?

 

[nightanole]

Scary thought for sure, but you have to wonder what the odds would be, especially if you trapped in a wooded area, that the insect picked up enough poison in its daily feeding foray and held onto enough of it to cause an issue by the time it makes it to the cham. What symptoms would one look for (prior to death of course). Have there been proven cases of pesticide induced deaths?

Symptoms are normally the same:
mouth gaping
lethargic
tremors/paralysis

AKA its a neurological toxicity.

And i dont think the insect eats the poison. I think its the insect foggers etc. You just happen to get a feeder or 2 that is covered in an insect fogger from an outdoor party or county, or the old guy down the street sprayed his roses for fungus, and it hasnt rained in a while...