Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I hope I spelled that correctly.

I read somewhere on here about dusting crix with spirolina. I've seen spirolina discs, in the fish food section of pet stores...but can I actually buy a powder form of it somewhere?

Thanks everyone!
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Kim

Hi Kim,

We get ours at an herb store. Fortunately there is a large natural herb store nearby - they have lots of stuff we use for our chams and cricket gutload.

Hope this helps,
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Thank you!

I know of a few health food type stores. I'll begin my search there.
Does it have "flavour" to it?
I'm planning on coating some crix or mealies with it, but I'm wondering if it has any taste to it, if that will further put Zoe off of eating insects.

Thanks again for your help!
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Kim

>>Does it have "flavour" to it?
>>I'm planning on coating some crix or mealies with it, but I'm wondering if it has any taste to it, if that will further put Zoe off of eating insects.
>>

Kim,

Spirulina (arthrospira platensis) is powdered dried blue-green algae.

What exactly is blue-green algae - you ask?
Well, these tiny green spiral coils harvest the energy of the sun, growing a treasure of bioavailable nutrients. This was the original photosynthetic life form, designed by nature over three billion years ago. Blue green algae produced the oxygen in our atmosphere allowing all higher life forms to evolve.

As a crop, it can produce 20 times more protein per acre than soybeans. And we all know that soybean is a major source of protein in animal and human diets today.

Taste? Well, I think it tastes like dry leaves. I doubt that this would put your cham off eating insects.

We mix spirulina into our cricket gutload, as well as sprinkle it on insects for the "picky or reluctant" eater.

You should be able to purchase it by the ounce (or portion of), and it is definately worth the price.

Hope this helps Zoe...
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You may have to get it in capsels full of powder. LOL I had to get bee pollen this way, and the girl couldn't tell me this, so she almost told me there was none. "We don'thave any powder left, just these capsels, but you can try again next week" a-hem. lol

Just curious but how does the prices at www.bulkfoods.com compare to what you pay at the health store? They sell Spirulina Powder (16 ounces)in a quart bottle for $19.66 plus a $5 handling fee. Shipping is free otherwise. Any thoughts? How much do you actually need to use in the gutload food?

Btw, they also sell bee pollen.
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- Juli
Polliwog Design - Under construction.

I got 100 x 500 mg bee pollen caps for $5.59, and the same amount of alfalfa caps for I think about $12 (I'm not sure the tag fell off). These were in CND $.
The spiulina I got from the pet store and used in my gutload that was blended in the blender. I can't remember how much it was. I think I got the flakes.

I'm back on midnights (YUCK!) so I'll hunt down some spirolina on either Friday or Saturday and give it a go.

As always....Thanks for your help!
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Kim