Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here are two questions in one post so we can all have some time left to read someone elses post and learn something we don't know allready.
Here I go,
I have observed the vertical stacking of egg crates inside containers and most of them were from proffesional insect dealers.I know that their must be some advantages otherwise they wouldn't do it this way.The only thing that comes to my mind is the easy removal of corpses.Shake and pick from the bottom way...
second question,
If I use a perfect gut loading recipe can I use the watering jellies available in the market as the only source of water?I mean the complete absence of any veggie or fruit.
Thanks a lot.

PS:A big thanks to those who replied to my previous post regarding the keeping of multiple reptiles,you have been very helpful

Some people like to keep the egg crates vertical so the poop falls down to the bottom and makes for a much easier cleanup without too much roach disturbing. Also if you need to get some to feed, they fall out easier.

That's why I do it, at least.

If you use a good gutload recipe in the water crystals (if you mean agar agar powder in water plus a bunch of other ingredients to make it a good balance for a gutload), then yeah you can have that as an only source of food.

But! they will need protein, so you should also offer a source of protein for them, such as the odd piece of meat, or dog food, or cat food, tuna, something so they don't eat each other for their protein, but it doesn't have to be a big mix of things, just the one protein source. This will also make sure there's more in their gut for a gutload in addition to your water crystal diet.

-Brock

What I meant was feeding your crickets gut load power and offer them separately the water gel.Would that be ok?
Also please if you have any more info regarding lack of protein and cannibalism please share,I have never heard anything about this...

Yes that is perfectly fine. I thought you meant making a gutload powder and mixing it into the gelatin solution before it solidifies. Having a gutload and then the gelatin separate is what most people do I think. That's what I do, sometimes I mix my reptile supplements into the gelatin mix as well.

Most roaches will cannibalize if they have no source of protein. They usually have to be pretty deprived of it to do so, but they will start with the wings, and then move on to the body (the head in my experience, which has only been one casualty).

If your roaches are over crowded, I read that if you see some with antenna missing, then that means they are over crowded and you should separate them by 50%.

-Brock