I'm not sure if this is right. Please help. Gut load question.

[reptileskin8D]

Hi guys! I keep fresh carrots, orange slices, dark greens and zilla gut load cricket & insect food in the bin with the feeder crickets at all times. I feed my Dovah the Jackson's in the morning. How long do the nutrients stay in the crickets? Would I need to separate the crickets to feed my cham hours before to gut load them even thought they're always with food? Thank you!

 

[fluxlizard]

How long do the nutrients stay in the crickets? Would I need to separate the crickets to feed my cham hours before to gut load them even thought they're always with food?

Depends. If your insects are fed a high quality diet from day 1 and grown on the diet, then a lot of the nutrition will remain. The insect is built on the nutrients. If you merely gutload a couple of days before feeding, then a lot of the nutrition will exit when the insect empties it's gut (poops). The rest of the insect is built out of the lower quality feed.

Side note- this has been known for many years. But now I learn about "vitabugs" and see this is what they must probably be doing- feeding a good diet throughout life so the insect is built out of more nutritious stuff. How is it possible they have a patent on that? How can you "patent" a fact of life that is universal? LOL

 

[reptileskin8D]

Thank you for your reply! I checked out Vita-Bugs site and it's interesting. I will keep mine simple. I live on a farm anyway and usually go to the local farmer's market regularly so fresh veggies are best for my Dovah and I. I do catch myself staring at my feeder crickets. They're fun to watch running around their bin and enjoying their food haha.