Gut loading

[Jonathan6303]

What exactly is gut loading prey

 

[Hakuna]

Providing the prey item with nutritious food to then pass on to whatever is eating it.

“You are what you eat”

 

[Jonathan6303]

I usually feed my crickets fruit like blueberries and strawberries. Should I feed them carrots. What would be best to feed them

 

[Hakuna]

Carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, cucumbers. I seldomly use sugary fruit to decrease likelihood of fruit flies appearing. I also give my feeders repashy bug burger. Isopods seem to enjoy it as well

 

[cold blood]

Providing the prey item with nutritious food to then pass on to whatever is eating it.

“You are what you eat”

nope, that's feeding your feeders and that's what we do with tarantulas...the term "gutloading" really has no place in this hobby.

The term is a reptile hobby term. Because captive reptiles require certain nutrients/calcium and such, feeders need to contain these nutrients and gutloading is what we call giving feeders these essential nutrients.

Ts have no such nutrient requirements so we can simply feed our feeders.

The best feeder foods tend to be ones that dont break down and rot quickly. Potato, sweet potato, carrots, cucumber, leafy greens and even dog kibble all make excellent cricket food.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

The term is a reptile hobby term. Because captive reptiles require certain nutrients/calcium and such, feeders need to contain these nutrients and gutloading is what we call giving feeders these essential nutrients.

Ts have no such nutrient requirements so we can simply feed our feeders.

Correct.

'Gutloading' is providing feeder insects with a food that will (a) correct the inadequate (for herps) Ca/P balance of feeder insects, and (b) increase the level of Vitamin A, which feeder insects are deficient in (relative to the needs of herps). In order to work, the insects have to be fed the diet for a specified time window before feeding them off (usually 24-36 hours, but it depends somewhat on the specific gutload formulation).

There are no fruits or vegetables on earth that are actual functional gutloads. None. There are no moist foods that are gutloads. Very few commercial "gutloads" that have been tested are adequate gutloads (Google Scholar, search 'gutload', read research). 99% of keepers who think they are "gutloading" are not doing so.

It is a horribly misused term.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

I don't know, i like to give feeders fresh carrots a few days before. I don't think it hurts. If they're well fed and juicy, it can't be a bad thing but your feeders should sort of just be that way. I'd steer clear of strawberries. They're high on the list of crops that get and retain heavy pesticide treatment. Even if they're organic, fruit and berries should be fed sparingly. Just seems to cause problems, (at least with roaches).

 

[Malum Argenteum]

I don't know, i like to give feeders fresh carrots a few days before.

Of course -- carrots are very good food/water source for crickets (and roaches, and mealies and supers). That's just feeding them well, which should go without saying.

 

[joossa]

I always feed the crickets I get from the pet store for at least 48 hours before offering them to any of my Ts.

I usually offer the crickets:
High quality, high protein cichlid pellets.
Fresh apple slices.
Fresh sliced grapes.
Fresh sliced blueberries.

 

[Neonblizzard]

I usually feed my crickets fruit like blueberries and strawberries. Should I feed them carrots. What would be best to feed them

I like to feed mine veg rather than fruit because i tend to find things like grapes and strawberries break down and mould quickly, mush together with the oats or whatever happen to already be in there and just ends up a nasty mess.

I like leafy greens and sometimes carrot

 

[Poonjab]

Feeding your feeders

 

[BoyFromLA]

Use ‘search’ function, seriously it’s really awesome way to find all the answers to your question.

As Forrest Gump’s mom always said, life / search function was / is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.

 

[Jonathan6303]

Use ‘search’ function, seriously it’s really awesome way to find all the answers to your question.

As Forrest Gump’s mom always said, life / search function was / is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.

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A little to late for that

 

[BoyFromLA]

A little to late for that

It’s never too late. For your next question is always waiting.

 

[Jonathan6303]

It’s never too late. For your next question is always waiting.

Truer words have never been spoken

 

[viper69]

A little to late for that

Never!

Most questions can be answered faster by searching.

Your question was incredibly basic and common, so it shocks me that you didn’t call google or search here first.

The advantage of searching is getting a vast amount of facts opinions etc at your fingertips.