Feeder Cricket Gut Loading Questions! Dry Gutload? DIY Recipe?

[XxShirokoxX]

Hey guys. I'm trying to learn about gutloading crickets.

Straight off the bat, no one ever shuts up about Fluker's Orange Cubes, so I'm sure they're probably pretty nice! So I'm eager to try them if I can find em for a good price! But I've also heard about dry gutloading in addition to the Orange Cubes.

This is where it gets a little murky.

I've heard that you have to be careful with T's and calcium. A lot of people are like "get the calcium fortified gotload/cricket gel, dust them with calcium, they need calcium!" ... but they're talking about for reptiles. I've heard with T's too much calcium will cause huge issues with molting that could be fatal.

So a few questions have risen:
Should I just stick to orange cubes? Or should I try to do dry gutload as well?

If I were to make my own dry gutload, what should I use. I've seen some people say use dog food, oats, bran and fish food flakes. Others have said that's the worst thing you could possibly do because of animal protein, and then go on to list loads of calcium loaded food instead. Is it okay to do high calcium for T's with crickets?? Maybe it's just super high amounts of calcium that are bad (like those videos where people feed them mice- yikes)

If I were to make WET gutload I would do it in a similar way to making gel food for fish I think. I'd make a fruit/greens blend with a little bit of bran in it and add flavorless sugar free gelatin and let it solidify in the freezer before cubing it and putting it in a storage cup. In theory when i thaw it it should stay as a jelly so it's not a big mess that the crickets drown in.

That aside, I'm curious about dry gutloading in addition. Worth the trouble? Orange Cubes? DIY? Animal protein yay or nay? What ingredients? Thanks guys uou

 

[EulersK]

I can't comment on crickets, but here is what I do with roaches. I provide water in the form of garden crystals, and I provide food in the form of (dry) pig or chick feed. I have a thriving colony of roaches, and my spiders seem fat enough.

 

[Poec54]

I use lettuce, carrots, and potatoes for hydration, and for dry you can get big bags of (dry powdery) Purina Cricket Chow from local feed stores; they may have to special order it for you. A bag lasts me a couple years, for some of you, it could be a lifetime supply.

 

[cold blood]

Yeah, for ts just forget the term gutload, its just feeding the crickets. Just use fruit/vegies and toss in a few pieces of kibble...doesn't matter if its made for dogs, cats, pigs or monkeys. Avoid fruits and vegies though with too much moisture, like strawberries....carrots, potatoes of any kind are great because they just dry up as opposed to breaking down and rotting...apple, broccoli and celery are also good....lettuce or leafy greens are also great, primarily for hydration. Don't over due it with the feed, I toss in a piece of kibble or two and maybe 2 baby carrots and change out the carrot when it dries up...I'm typically feeding 4-6 dozen crix.

 

[viper69]

I've used veggies and also used Fluker's Cricket Chow/Feed it's dry for Ts, noticed no difference. I've never used the orange cubes, not worth it for a few reasons.

 

[mistertim]

I've used veggies and also used Fluker's Cricket Chow/Feed it's dry for Ts, noticed no difference. I've never used the orange cubes, not worth it for a few reasons.

Yeah I've used Fluker's as well...both the regular and cubes and I'm not a huge fan of the cubes. The regular seems to work well though.

 

[viper69]

Yeah I've used Fluker's as well...both the regular and cubes and I'm not a huge fan of the cubes. The regular seems to work well though.

Yeah I dont like the cubes because if I run out of crix, or the T aren't hungry I have wasted some cubes. The dry stuff is great and it lasts forever almost if you are only feeding Ts.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I use carrots (both food and water) and crickets fodder. Nothing else.

 

[Poec54]

Yeah, for ts just forget the term gutload, its just feeding the crickets.

+1. What a stupid term. Is there a reason they can't use the word 'feed'? Do humans gut-load when they go out to eat at a restaurant? Well, actually some do.

 

[darkness975]

I feed my crickets basic fish food flakes and have a water dish with real water (not that gel crap) soaked paper towel.

Works fine for me and is cheap.

 

[XxShirokoxX]

+1. What a stupid term. Is there a reason they can't use the word 'feed'? Do humans gut-load when they go out to eat at a restaurant? Well, actually some do.

shrug a dub dub, i read that it's different because you're trying to get them to eat a LOT and to change the nutrients or whatever. like there was a distinct difference between usage of the terms "feeding" and "gutloading." the folks i talked to referred to it like it was a completely different thing. hakuna matata tho evidently it doesn't really matter either way

 

[EulersK]

shrug a dub dub, i read that it's different because you're trying to get them to eat a LOT and to change the nutrients or whatever. like there was a distinct different between usage of the terms "feeding" and "gutloading." the folks i talked to referred to it like it was a completely different thing. hakuna matata tho evidently it doesn't really matter either way

I can't say that I use the term "gut load", but there certainly is a difference, as you said. When I'm feeding my roaches, my goal isn't to fatten them up, it's simply to keep them alive. I'll often go a week or so without feeding the colony, both because I don't want their numbers to get out of control and because there is simply no need. However, if I know that I'm going to be feeding a good chunk of my spiders that night, I'll put in plenty of food and water for them to fatten up on.

 

[cold blood]

shrug a dub dub, i read that it's different because you're trying to get them to eat a LOT and to change the nutrients or whatever. like there was a distinct different between usage of the terms "feeding" and "gutloading." the folks i talked to referred to it like it was a completely different thing. hakuna matata tho evidently it doesn't really matter either way

Its a reptile term... they need specific things to maintain healthy animals...we don't, we just need them to be fed. The term may be used in the hobby, but it really shouldn't be, as it just causes confusion.

 

[XxShirokoxX]

I can't say that I use the term "gut load", but there certainly is a difference, as you said. When I'm feeding my roaches, my goal isn't to fatten them up, it's simply to keep them alive. I'll often go a week or so without feeding the colony, both because I don't want their numbers to get out of control and because there is simply no need. However, if I know that I'm going to be feeding a good chunk of my spiders that night, I'll put in plenty of food and water for them to fatten up on.

yeah exactly. like gutloading was specifically trying to get the fattest, juiciest, healthiest prey items possible! thank you ;; which if i were to chose between "feed the tarantula a crappy unhealthy hungry cricket who cries all the time or a big fat healthy cricket with the juicy velour sweatsuit" i think i'm gonna go with the second

 

[EulersK]

Well, it's really more about fattening them up with water. I want the tarantula to get plenty of liquids from its prey. That's really what I care about - there's plenty of nutrients in the roach itself, feeding one time isn't going to add a substantial amount of nutrition. That comes by feeding them properly as time goes on, not loading them up last minute. Which is why I specifically feed them chick feed. It's absolutely loaded with proteins and fats, which is what I'm after.

 

[XxShirokoxX]

Well, it's really more about fattening them up with water. I want the tarantula to get plenty of liquids from its prey. That's really what I care about - there's plenty of nutrients in the roach itself, feeding one time isn't going to add a substantial amount of nutrition. That comes by feeding them properly as time goes on, not loading them up last minute. Which is why I specifically feed them chick feed. It's absolutely loaded with proteins and fats, which is what I'm after.

thanks for the advice ;o; i think i know where i can get some of that! sounds simple and more like what i thought was in line with T needs too (i was really wary of all this high calcium jargon because like i said, reptiles!)

what's your opinion on cricket gel? i've seen lots and lots of people swear by it, others swear against it. but the majority i've seen like it. i bought a little baggie of gel crystals but if i hear enough against it it was only like $3 so its no skin off my back

 

[EulersK]

I'd follow Poec54's and cold blood's advice on this one. Again, I'm talking strictly about roaches here. I'd imagine that garden crystals and chick feed would work the same, but... yeah, roaches. I stay very far away from any fresh vegetables or fruits. It creates an ungodly smell and also creates a great place for mold to take foot.

 

[Poec54]

I stay very far away from any fresh vegetables or fruits. It creates an ungodly smell and also creates a great place for mold to take foot.

Don't forget small flies. You will soon regret any pulpy food in a cricket cage. That's why romaine, lettuce, carrots, potatoes, etc are used by people who raise large numbers of crickets.

There's a reptile dealer/breeder near me that raises their own crickets. They have a room full of dozens of large plastic storage boxes, kept warm and dry all year. The cage tops are screen with a wood frame for maximum ventilation; too much moisture and humidity kills crickets. Each cage is full of egg crates on end (vertical). No substrate. They put dry Purina Earthworm Chow on a paper plate in the bottom (although they could use Purina Cricket Chow), and set several whole leaves of romaine lettuce on top of the egg crates.

To reproduce they put in trays of moist peat and let the females lay eggs in them, which are then removed and put in a new cage to hatch and grow. They've probably raised millions of crickets over the last couple decades.

 

[Poec54]

Its a reptile term... they need specific things to maintain healthy animals...we don't, we just need them to be fed. The term may be used in the hobby, but it really shouldn't be, as it just causes confusion.

Terms that are poor choices for this hobby:
- Gut load
- Hook out
- Communal
- Sexed pair of juveniles
- Proven breeder

 

[Lander9021]

I use sliced apple and replace once dried up ...but now I know the apple can also hydrate them I may aswell remove the water dish.
And that gel water stuff...I seen it at My lps (pets at home) and thought what the actual chuff, why does this even exist, I don't wanna use fish flakes I imagine they would create somewhat of a pong.