Tell me your gutloading methods!

[Vickitty123]

My Peridot has been recently diagnosed with MBD and I'm taking rhe necessary steps for recovery as the vet said. One of the things he mentioned was having a proper gutload. Im feeding her about 8 roaches a day in her food bowl. She hasnt been eating lately because of stress but she's improving.
So tell me, how do you gutload?
Fresh veggies? Prepackaged brands? Etc.

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

Fresh veggies, Repashy Bug Burger and Repashy Superload as well as bee pollen

 

[MrsM]

I find supermarket salad bars are helpful.

 

[Rst_Cham]

I use fruit and veggies plus alternate between bug burger and Cricket Crack.

 

[SharpShooter]

Variety is the key as well as gutloading the feeders long enough for them to absorb it. Take a quick look at this post https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/gordon-ramsey-has-it-easy.169061/

And here are some recommended gutload ingredients.

 

[Vickitty123]

Fresh veggies, Repashy Bug Burger and Repashy Superload as well as bee pollen

How do you use bee pollen?

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

How do you use bee pollen?

I buy the powdered form not the granular form that way I don't have to crush the granules before feeding. I just sprinkle it on top of their veggies and bug burger. Crickets go nuts for it I've found. Roaches tend to like it as well. I will sometimes dust my feeders in it as well as dusting with calcium

 

[Vickitty123]

Also, how often do you gutload before feeding? Constantly? Or only enough for 24 hrs or so before feeding

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

Also, how often do you gutload before feeding? Constantly? Or only enough for 24 hrs or so before feeding

I feed my bugs every other day. I put enough food in there for 2 days but bug burger and superload are a wet gel so it's best to replace that after a couple days. I gutload for at least 24hrs before feeding those bugs.

 

[NotSoFastBucco]

I use this method. It lasts a long time too.

 

[Daesie11]

I constantly have gutload in my big containers so all of my feeders are always gutloaded. I also use bee pollen both in my gutload and to dust my feeders with along with the calcium.

 

[jamest0o0]

Just don't use the same thing over and over. Anything sweet should be used minimally. Dark leafy greens are awesome, just make sure to mix them up. We should do this in our own diets as well, anything in excess can be unhealthy, including greens.

 

[jamest0o0]

Bee pollen is basically a multivitamin, very useful addition to gutload.

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

Bee pollen is basically a multivitamin, very useful addition to gutload.

Love me some pollen!

 

[MrsM]

Bee pollen is basically a multivitamin, very useful addition to gutload.

I’ve actually started eating healthier and enjoying more veggies because I started to buy them to gutload crickets. I still refuse to eat kale though...

 

[JoXie411]

I’ve actually started eating healthier and enjoying more veggies because I started to buy them to gutload crickets. I still refuse to eat kale though...

Local bee pollen is great for allergies

 

[Multivitamins]

I’ve actually started eating healthier and enjoying more veggies because I started to buy them to gutload crickets. I still refuse to eat kale though...

Kale taste no bueno any how, often upsets my stomach even in smoothies

Swiss chard has 16 percent more iron than kale. Collard greens has 18 percent more calcium per serving of kale and double the amount of protein and iron. And mustard greens holds its own by having the least amount of calories and slightly more protein and calcium than kale.

 

[jamest0o0]

Kale is no bueno any how

Do you know why? So many people say this and then list other cruciferous vegetables as being fine. Or they say no spinach, but then say dandelion is fine. There's so much contradicting info. Not trying to be argumentative, just seeing if maybe someone here knows something I don't. There's nothing wrong with kale in small amounts, I use it, but I make sure to shift the types of greens I use on a regular basis. Never any issues.

 

[MrsM]

@jamest0o0 I think I would sooner eat a bug.

 

[Multivitamins]

Do you know why? So many people say this and then list other cruciferous vegetables as being fine. Or they say no spinach, but then say dandelion is fine. There's so much contradicting info. Not trying to be argumentative, just seeing if maybe someone here knows something I don't. There's nothing wrong with kale in small amounts, I use it, but I make sure to shift the types of greens I use on a regular basis. Never any issues.

I updated my post with some nutritional info about calcium iron and protein levels ... I think a big part is the phosphorus in kale and spinach. We dust to offset phosphorus with calcium so higher calcium greens have always been preferable to me.

I used to keep a green iguana and she was a strict herbivore and used mustard turnip and collared more than spin and kale maybe it's just old habits. With any gut load variety is alwaysgood