Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is this stuff really all it's cracked up to be? I definately wouldn't use this ALL the time, but what luck have people had with it?

Travis

Nutritionally it is all that it is cracked up to be. It is a complete diet that can be fed to your crested exclusively. I have almost all my adult females on it, and am raising a few babies on it. If your crested eats it regularly, it is superior to a cricket based diet. No matter how well you gutload and supplement, you can't match the nutritional consistancy you get from the CGD.
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Bill DiFabio
Azteclizard.com
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“It is superior to a cricket based diet. No matter how well you gutload and supplement, you can't match the nutritional consistancy you get from the CGD”.

Do you have stock in T-Rex or something? I highly doubt it is superior. It is supposed to be an equal alternative to a properly supplemented crix/fruit diet. Rhacs have been kept and bred in captivity perfectly fine before it is existence. We even just discussed the results of different diets (meat/fruit baby food vs. crix), with crix fed growing the fastest. For people who hate crix, the CGD comes to the rescue. Otherwise supplemented crix and a little fruit will do just as well if not better. Whatever works best for you it’s your preference Travis .
-Mike

How did I know you would challenge me on this? I won't debate this with you, as I know enough about nutrition to feel confident about my original reply. The thing to focus on here is "nutritional consistancy". This is what your gecko is consuming everytime it eats the CGD:

Crude protein, min. 20%
Crude fat, min. 4%
Crude fiber, max 15%
Moisture, max 10%
Ash, max 6%
Calcium (Ca) min. 1.8%
Calcium (Ca) max. 2.3%
Phosphorus (P), min. .7%
vitamin D-3, min. 3500 IU/Kilo

Proper ratio of Calcium/phosphorus, Safe levels of d3, not to mention all the other micro nutrients not listed. There is no guess work as there is with crickets and dusting. Of course crix are fine, but he asked if the diet is all it's cracked up to be, and it is. I could go on about bioavailability of different protiens, and how the higher fiber content in the CGD results in better absorbtion of protein, but I won't. I suggest you read up a little more on nutrition before you "highly doubt" anything about the CGD.
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Bill DiFabio
Azteclizard.com
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I do not mean to be argumentative about this, but can I ask how you know what is really in the CGD? Has it been tested by an outside agency? Pet food isn't regulated as strictly as human food. I use the CGD as a supplement to crix and fruit, but it makes me nervous to trust to any commercial product entirely. How long have you been using it exclusively?
Tanya

Tanya,
I trust the person that formulated the CGD and oversees manufacturing of it. I have animals that have been on it for about 3 months now. If you want to know more about what's in it and why, or ask any questions about it, go to the forum at the link I posted

Superfoods forum

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Bill DiFabio
Azteclizard.com
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I noticed on the website you posted, there were multiple posts from people who were not seeing growth of their cresteds while on CGD. Have you noticed any individual animals which are showing retarded growth on this diet? Maybe theirs are the exception to the rule, but I have this feeling I want o wait for some longer term results before moving my animals to a formulated diet.
Tanya

Maybe you have ESP . But seriously I do not doubt the CGD, but I do it’s superiority to crix. Properly supplemented crix and fruit will work just as well and I shouldn’t have to even say that. The CGD is supposed to be an EQUAL alternative to such a diet. A solution for people who hate crix and want something convenient, which is great because it allows more people to keep these wonderful animals . However I have not tried it and you have not used it long enough to know for sure. We can both get technical about the details but it’s the results that really count not the ingredient list. Allen says it works, but I want to see how the every day Joe fares. So please post your results as those hatchlings of yours get older and females start laying. Hopefully ill pick up a bottle and finally give it a whirl too. But please don’t bad mouth the crix .
-Mike

Like I said before, I trust the man who formulated the diet and the results he claims to have produced in researching the diet. He has said in past posts that his results showed faster growth rates in cresteds on the GGD over a cricket based diet. I believe this and have no reason not too. Although, I do plan on raising my next few hatchlings on the GGD.
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Bill DiFabio
Azteclizard.com
Email Me