Kevin ate!/gutloading question?

[sensation]

Hey guys, I got a carpet chameleon last wednesday and was worried because I still haven't seen him eat. I left 6 crickets in his feeder cup but he never touched them. I wasnt sure if they got out or if he ate them when I wasn't looking. Well tonight I gave him a dozen crickets and left the room. I peaked in and I saw him go Rambo on them! I feel so happy to finally know for sure that he is eating!

I have a question about gutloading. I buy crickets from Petsmart and just put them in his cup. Ive never held them back to let them eat and then feed them to Kevin. I don't want to breed crickets and I have no idea what Petsmart feeds their crickets so my question is, how should I go about gutloading crickets that I buy from Petsmart?

 

[Ibleedcolors]

Hey guys, I got a carpet chameleon last wednesday and was worried because I still haven't seen him eat. I left 6 crickets in his feeder cup but he never touched them. I wasnt sure if they got out or if he ate them when I wasn't looking. Well tonight I gave him a dozen crickets and left the room. I peaked in and I saw him go Rambo on them! I feel so happy to finally know for sure that he is eating!

I have a question about gutloading. I buy crickets from Petsmart and just put them in his cup. Ive never held them back to let them eat and then feed them to Kevin. I don't want to breed crickets and I have no idea what Petsmart feeds their crickets so my question is, how should I go about gutloading crickets that I buy from Petsmart?

Petsmart crickets are so expensive! Id say look for a local person that sells crickets in maybe the hundreds? Buy them and gut load them with certain veggies and fruits while you wait to feed them to your chameleon
Im pretty sure some of the senior members on here will have some more detailed ideas.

 

[sensation]

I agree. 10 cents a cricket racks up after awhile.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Gutloading is very important because the most that petsmart will feed their crickets before you get them is cardboard and potato. This is true of crickets you get anywhere because it's about making a profit so they only feed them enough to keep them alive until you buy them.

You will want to use fresh fruits and veggies that are higher in calcium than phosphorus while avoiding high oxalates or goitrogens as these interfere with calcium absorption. This site has excellent nutritional info on commonly available fruits and veggies. It's made for iguanas but the concepts are exactly the same. Anything that says "staple" by it is great for regular gutloading. I throw in some of the others occasionally if they're leftovers from my meals for variety, but stick to the staples.

You'll want both wet and dry gutloads for a complete diet. The dry component of gutload varies somewhat. Here is an excellent recipe for the dry gutload. I use as many of those ingredients as I can get easily and try to change up some of the outliers with each batch just because it can get expensive. Or Tiki Tiki Reptiles sells "cricket crack" which is premade and high quality.

Don't use dog or cat food because they are very high in animal proteins which can lead to growth and kidney problems in your cham.

 

[sensation]

Has anyone used cricket crack? I've heard good things!

 

[Blue84]

Ghanns cricket farms our local sponsor 250 for 9.99

 

[Ryan604]

I bought a 16 ounce bag of cricket crack from tiki, and the name says it all. I've been putting some sweet potato, collard greens and carrots in the processor, and some water, blend and then add some cricket crack to thicken it up. Cricks love it, I'm freezing about a 1/4" in each cube of an ice tray since I change it out every night. Let it thaw on a paper towel before you serve.

To keep the crickets hydrated I use half a slice of orange, and replace every night as well.