Whats in YOUR gutload?

[ChameleonMom]

Oh wow you just toss them all in there, won't they go bad by time they eat it?

I do the frozen cube technique to extend the life, although I may just start using 2-3 items and switching up like Sandra suggested.

This week I made acouple batches of spaghetti squash, yam, red leaf lettuce, collard greens, apple and carrots.

I just toss all my cut up fruits and veg into my feeder containers as well, thats why I am cleaning them every second day, which I don't mind. I like to make sure everything is fresh or close to it, so the second day rule works for me.

I am thinking of blending some greens soon and making some cubes. I think thats a super convenient way to get the good stuff into the feeders as well.

 

[cubanbee]

First Gutload Ever

So I got my first chameleon yesterday (a 9 mo old panther) and had been planning for it and lurking on this site the past couple weeks. Using the incredibly helpful blogs and posts on this site, I made my first wet gutload ever Friday and froze it into cubes other than the first load for the crickets I had waiting for the new arrival.

Arugula, Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, Collard Greens (the greens came in a handy variety pack), Romaine, Alfalfa Sprouts, Orange, Apple

I also made a dry load today
Oats, Flax, Quinoa, Brewer's Yeast, the 1/4 cup of Flukers dry meal the previous owner had left over.

Question: Should I add any calcium or vitamin powder to a dry mix like the above, given that in the future I will not be adding the Flukers (it was just leftovers). My wet mix seems pretty vitaminy and I plan to dust crickets with calcium at each feeding and vitamins/D3 bi-monthly (unless with my wet mix, even that would be overload?). I will get into mixing up the type of feeders here (once my revulsion to GRUBS and ROACHES subsides), just starting off with the stinky little crickets for now.

Also, if I'm providing a wet mix like that constantly, are the cricket water gels needed? My pack of blue Flukers gels I got from the previous owner has a "contains ingredients known to cause birth defects" warning on the side. My organic wet mix does not.

 

[grimjob]

Grimjob, are those almonds I see? If so, are they raw? I have been thinking of introducing them as well as some sunflower seeds.

They sure are yummy for me and yummy for them, they seem to have a bit of a munch on them, I just made up a mix this morning with them in again
Ill put it in tmw once it's frozen and cut up and see how they go

 

[patrickfraser]

Whatever I need to get rid of or whatever I can find throughout the day or pick for free. Last night I was out and picked some guava when on an evening walk. I have an orange tree and being in California, there is usually some kind of fruit "in season" and available.

 

[DavidBuchan]

Question: Should I add any calcium or vitamin powder to a dry mix like the above, given that in the future I will not be adding the Flukers (it was just leftovers). My wet mix seems pretty vitaminy and I plan to dust crickets with calcium at each feeding and vitamins/D3 bi-monthly (unless with my wet mix, even that would be overload?). I will get into mixing up the type of feeders here (once my revulsion to GRUBS and ROACHES subsides), just starting off with the stinky little crickets for now.

Also, if I'm providing a wet mix like that constantly, are the cricket water gels needed? My pack of blue Flukers gels I got from the previous owner has a "contains ingredients known to cause birth defects" warning on the side. My organic wet mix does not.

Sounds like a great start to gutloading, good work you won't need to add any powders to it, just dust the outside of the crickets......
you also won't need the water gels with a wet mix like that.
Flukers foods have a fairly poor reputation anyway - if you want to use good commercial gutloads to mix things up a bit then 'cricket crack' or repashy 'bug burger' are the most often recommended ones.

p.s. silkworms are a great low fat, high calcium feeder that just looks like a caterpillar and turns into a really cute fluffy moth

 

[cubanbee]

Thanks for the feedback David, glad to know I'm on the right track and that if I keep this up, I don't actually NEED to buy cricket food/water gunk! Absolutely will try one of those recommendations should I decide to try commercial gutloads. Thanks for the silkworm advice too!

Thanks again to everyone for their really great posts and blogs!

 

[sandrachameleon]

Grimjob, are those almonds I see? If so, are they raw? I have been thinking of introducing them as well as some sunflower seeds.

I dunno about GrimJob, but I occassionally include almonds in my dry mixes.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-nuts-seeds-healthy-part-perfect-gutload.html