Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all, I was just wondering what would the nutritional value of a pregnant cricket be?? I've got quiet a few that are "fat" and today Mr. Gecko crunched one that had eggs pop out. He seemed to like the eggs and lick them up, but it's not the first time it happened. Also, there is a powder mix that you can buy to make "jello" water for the crickets. I usually use fruit and veggies, but I was wondering if you used the jello type mix and instead of water used pedialite, would that work better? Or would it go bad before you could use it all? Just curious what any thoughts would be. I almost cut my finger again today, so I'm thinking of "safer" alternatives that would not involve me and a knife.
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Feenie

1.1 vieled cham.- Stitch and Rana (Missing you,Chloe)
2.0 Panther chams- Lou and Yosamite Sam
1.0 Giant Day Gecko- Mr. Gecko
0.1 Aussi Whites Tree frog- Frumpy
1.0 Peacock tree frog- Igaro
0.1 Reeds tree frog- Dottie
0.0.2 New River Tinc. Dart Frogs- Tinker and Bell
2.2 Canines Junior-pitbull chiuahuah mix, Jose- chiuahuah, Pearl- Staffie, and Daisy- Red nose Pit- foster child
1.0 Fiance- Trent species unknown
and the list grows on.............

I use many things to feed my crickets. They receive:

-Fresh mini carrots
-Sometimes a slice of romaine lettuce
-Dry gutload mix from Dragon Shack Farms
-A moist cube gutload made by T-Rex

Then they are supplimented.
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CANADIAN CHAMELEONS

Will - Have you considered making your own dry and wet gutload? It will give the feeders a more balanced diet and less supplementation is needed. It also is much less expensive. I buy most of what I need at a health food store in bulk and make up a large batch to keep in the fridge. www.adcham.com has a recipe for both you can do some substitutions as needed. The nutrition page at www.beautifuldragons.com goes to the supermarket with me!it's for feeding bearded dragons, but is a great guide for feeder insects and veield chams, too. She includes the Ca ratio and other notations as well.

lele
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.1 Mad. Hissers and she is on the loose!
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

I haven't actually. Because $13 dollars for both the Dry and Wet gutload together, lasts me almost a couple months. Just don't waste it and you should be fine. I doubt the ingredients and trouble to make my own would outweigh buying it.

And as for the veggies, mini carrots is what the Cavies eat. And the Dragons (One is still MIA) eat.

Thanks though.
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CANADIAN CHAMELEONS

maybe cricket eggs are a delicay in herp-land like fish roe (eggs (caviar)) is for humans - well, for some. :-/

I know some people use the agar/gel and it comes up frequently here as a thread. There is the plain "cricket water" and then the supposed "fortified" cubes. The complaint about the gel cubes is that the crickets poop all over them and then ingest it. Ick! They do that on veggies, too but they should be changed daily anyway. I think people are less apt to replace the cubes daily due to the expense.

With some persuading by Victor I do use the "water" for non-feeder roaches and crickets. When I fisrt get crickets I give them carrots, "water" and homemade dry gutlaod (based mostly on Adcham's recipe) for the first few days to clean them out and get them hydrated. I also give the "water" to roaches but they tend to be cleaner then crickets (yes, all my rocahes are toilet trained )

do you own a food processor? If you chunk cut carrots and other veggies then process you can get some nice mixed "salad" I find this to work great to keep on hand for all the feeders. I sometimes offer it to Darwin, but he is turning his scaly nose up to just about anything these days!
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.1 Mad. Hissers and she is on the loose!
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

Hi,
I use the dry food from cricketfood . com. I like it! I do the same thing you do, I rotate "fresh" crickets and gut load them for about a week. I usually use carrots, oranges, potatoes, beets, and tomatoes ( I'm not to fond of tomatoes though) for the hydration. I was just wondering if the gel with pedialite would be just as good or not.
How old was Darwin when he started eating greens? My brothers little Scrappy just plays in them. NO interest what so ever. He is mostly eating fruit flies ( which are so small compare to him) or pinheads or baby silkies, his favorite. He's a mean little guy! Jumps and tries to bite me when I get his bowl out. I have to watch him!! He is very different from the chams.... they run away and he attacks!! I'll have to take some pics soon.
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Feenie

1.1 vieled cham.- Stitch and Rana (Missing you,Chloe)
2.0 Panther chams- Lou and Yosamite Sam
1.0 Giant Day Gecko- Mr. Gecko
0.1 Aussi Whites Tree frog- Frumpy
1.0 Peacock tree frog- Igaro
0.1 Reeds tree frog- Dottie
0.0.2 New River Tinc. Dart Frogs- Tinker and Bell
2.2 Canines Junior-pitbull chiuahuah mix, Jose- chiuahuah, Pearl- Staffie, and Daisy- Red nose Pit- foster child
1.0 Fiance- Trent species unknown
and the list grows on.............