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- Mar 10, 2003
- Messages
- 1,060
I found this diet while looking on care of mealworms and crickets. I think its geared more toward herp. feeders. It looks like it might cost quite a bit to make a batch too:
Ultimate Feeder Insect Diet
Background Information
"You Are What You Eat!"
Dry Mix
- 1 large box dry milk (8 quart size)
- 1 box rice baby cereal
- 8 oz. raw unsalted sunflower seeds
- 1 cup wheat germ
- 1 cup of chaff from loose alfalfa or 3/4 cup alfalfa powder
- 1 1/2 cup fresh bee pollen
- 1/4 cup powdered spirulina or Klamath Lake algae
- 1/2 cup crushed fine quality monkey chow (not Purina)
- 1/4 cup dried sea kelp
- 1/4 cup dried egg yolk (If dried egg yolk is unavailable for the dry mix, add to the wet mix: 1 fresh egg yolk, cooked)
- 1/2 cup mixed unsalted nuts
- 1/4 cup coconut
- 1/16 cup brewer's yeast
- 1/8 cup dried dandelion flowers (optional)
Wet Mix
- Prickly pear cactus (opuntia)
- A mix of sweet potatoes, yams, organically grown carrots, orange/yellow squashes and carrot tops
- Mixed dandelion, turnip, mustard, collard greens, kale, and watercress greens
- Citrus fruit, melon, grape leaves
Directions
The above should be pulverized using a food processor, blender, or coffee grinder. The texture should resemble a "chunky" powder. Measurements are approximate and may not reflect actual measurements used.
Store in a sealed container in the fridge.
This works for mealworms as well as crickets. Just put the mealworms in a feeding container with the wet and dry food the night before you are going to feed them so they gut-load themselves.
Those fresh foods add a source of moisture for the feeder insects as well.
Using this diet, all your feeder insects are constantly gut-loaded!
Sources Of Ingredients
Local grocery / bulk food store:
Box of dry milk.
Baby rice cereal.
Unsalted sunflower seeds.
Wheat germ.
Mixed unsalted nuts.
Shredded coconut.
Brewer's yeast.
Fresh fruits and vegetables.
Natural / health food store:
Loose or powdered alfalfa.
Bee pollen (also available directly from local bee keepers).
Powdered spirulina or Klamath Lake algae.
Dried sea kelp.
Dried egg yolk (or you can make your own with a food dehydrator).
Dried dandelions (or you can make your own with a food dehydrator).
Alternatives:
Spirulina can also be obtained from local fish/aquarium stores in bulk flakes.
Monkey chow or kitty food can be obtained from pet stores of bulk food stores.
The Creators
This diet was originally created by (Susan James, Don Wells, and Ken Lopez, DVM).
Ultimate Feeder Insect Diet
Background Information
"You Are What You Eat!"
Dry Mix
- 1 large box dry milk (8 quart size)
- 1 box rice baby cereal
- 8 oz. raw unsalted sunflower seeds
- 1 cup wheat germ
- 1 cup of chaff from loose alfalfa or 3/4 cup alfalfa powder
- 1 1/2 cup fresh bee pollen
- 1/4 cup powdered spirulina or Klamath Lake algae
- 1/2 cup crushed fine quality monkey chow (not Purina)
- 1/4 cup dried sea kelp
- 1/4 cup dried egg yolk (If dried egg yolk is unavailable for the dry mix, add to the wet mix: 1 fresh egg yolk, cooked)
- 1/2 cup mixed unsalted nuts
- 1/4 cup coconut
- 1/16 cup brewer's yeast
- 1/8 cup dried dandelion flowers (optional)
Wet Mix
- Prickly pear cactus (opuntia)
- A mix of sweet potatoes, yams, organically grown carrots, orange/yellow squashes and carrot tops
- Mixed dandelion, turnip, mustard, collard greens, kale, and watercress greens
- Citrus fruit, melon, grape leaves
Directions
The above should be pulverized using a food processor, blender, or coffee grinder. The texture should resemble a "chunky" powder. Measurements are approximate and may not reflect actual measurements used.
Store in a sealed container in the fridge.
This works for mealworms as well as crickets. Just put the mealworms in a feeding container with the wet and dry food the night before you are going to feed them so they gut-load themselves.
Those fresh foods add a source of moisture for the feeder insects as well.
Using this diet, all your feeder insects are constantly gut-loaded!
Sources Of Ingredients
Local grocery / bulk food store:
Box of dry milk.
Baby rice cereal.
Unsalted sunflower seeds.
Wheat germ.
Mixed unsalted nuts.
Shredded coconut.
Brewer's yeast.
Fresh fruits and vegetables.
Natural / health food store:
Loose or powdered alfalfa.
Bee pollen (also available directly from local bee keepers).
Powdered spirulina or Klamath Lake algae.
Dried sea kelp.
Dried egg yolk (or you can make your own with a food dehydrator).
Dried dandelions (or you can make your own with a food dehydrator).
Alternatives:
Spirulina can also be obtained from local fish/aquarium stores in bulk flakes.
Monkey chow or kitty food can be obtained from pet stores of bulk food stores.
The Creators
This diet was originally created by (Susan James, Don Wells, and Ken Lopez, DVM).
