Gut Loading Feeders?

BadgerGirl · Mar 27, 2017

Hi All!

My first post but have been reading loads on the forum. I don't have my dragon yet, collecting it in a week. It is a juvenile - not sure how big yet.

Im looking for instructions on gut loading crickets and Dudia roaches before feeding. I cant seem to find any on the forums...

Do I need to get them a few days early in order to gut load them before the beardie arrives? In fact just any info would be great.

Thank you

fuchsiaSkies · Mar 27, 2017

Hi there!

Congrats on the upcoming new friend! And extra congrats on doing all your research before bringing him or her home, you're gonna do an awesome job!!

Yes, it would be a great idea to get your feeders a few days before your dragon so you can fill them up with lots of good nutritional stuff. You can give them any and all the vegetables that you will be (or at least trying to be) giving to your new dragon. Since he's young, he probably wont be very interested in veg yet, but you can trick him into eating if it's inside his bugs.

My roaches really seem to enjoy squashes, like butternut, kobucha, zucchini, etc., and they get all the scraps from what my dragon doesn't eat in his salad that day, too. You may also want some gel water crystals. They are dry polymer crystals that absorb water, so the bugs can drink without drowning themselves. :lol:

Good luck!

BadgerGirl · Mar 27, 2017

Thanks for the reply.

Leftovers from the dragon is a good tip. And I'll have a look for the gel water crystals.

I've ordered a bag of Bug Grub on Amazon... Should I give them this as well?

fuchsiaSkies · Mar 27, 2017

Yep, you can certainly give them that as well. Just avoid citrus, and food with too much protein (like dog or cat foods) and you should be just fine.

kingofnobbys · Mar 29, 2017

I use fresh chunks of carrot, and dry Adult Repcal Beardie Pellets , and fresh greens such as buk choy, puck choy , kale , dandelion greens and flowers and their green seed heads.

Other that I've found commercial bug load is a waste of money.

kingofnobbys · Mar 29, 2017

fuchsiaSkies":17337f0s said:
Hi there!

Congrats on the upcoming new friend! And extra congrats on doing all your research before bringing him or her home, you're gonna do an awesome job!!

Yes, it would be a great idea to get your feeders a few days before your dragon so you can fill them up with lots of good nutritional stuff. You can give them any and all the vegetables that you will be (or at least trying to be) giving to your new dragon. Since he's young, he probably wont be very interested in veg yet, but you can trick him into eating if it's inside his bugs. My roaches really seem to enjoy squashes, like butternut, kobucha, zucchini, etc., and they get all the scraps from what my dragon doesn't eat in his salad that day, too. You may also want some gel water crystals. They are dry polymer crystals that absorb water, so the bugs can drink without drowning themselves. :lol: <<<< NO! NO! that's terrible advice.

The bugs will get all the moisture they need from fresh chunks of carrot and from the greens.

If you use gel crystals - the polymer is actually eaten by the bugs , who are eaten by the lizards, guess where the gel accumulates .... yes it the lizard's gut and if it swells BYE BYE lizard a HORRIBLE DEATH.

Best place for those crystals is in the garden or planter pots.

Good luck!

BadgerGirl · Mar 29, 2017

Thank you! I'll give the bug grub a go as I've got a kilo of the stuff now. If they aren't eating it I'll try the beardie pellets. Getting the live feed today and beardie on Friday! Super excited.

kingofnobbys · Mar 29, 2017

BadgerGirl":29tdlvmd said:
Thanks for the reply.

Leftovers from the dragon is a good tip. And I'll have a look for the gel water crystals. <<< bad idea.

I've ordered a bag of Bug Grub on Amazon... Should I give them this as well? <<< same your money as this product is not a good bug food/gutload.

kingofnobbys · Mar 29, 2017

BadgerGirl":1mz4im5z said:
Thank you! I'll give the bug grub a go as I've got a kilo of the stuff now. If they aren't eating it I'll try the beardie pellets. Getting the live feed today and beardie on Friday! Super excited.

I discovered the crickets love the hard dry adult beardie pellets by accident,. I dropped one on the floor and quick as a flash a rogue crickets (an escapee) dashed out from under the lounge grabbed it and dragged it off to eat under the lounge (never found the pellet after that when I looked to see if it was still there a few days later).

I put the dry pellets in with bulk crickets and they actually fight for them and the drag them off.

I no longer try to get beardies and BTS to eat the pellets, I buy them as cricket food.

Taterbug · Mar 29, 2017

This blog post has some good info about gutloading and feeding bugs. http://tser.tumblr.com/post/158941933299/do-you-happen-to-have-that-gutloading

BadgerGirl · Mar 30, 2017

Taterbug":1ijyrd33 said:
This blog post has some good info about gutloading and feeding bugs. http://tser.tumblr.com/post/158941933299/do-you-happen-to-have-that-gutloading

Right... So I'm just gonna be feeding my insects and not gut loading them
I see the Rep-Cal Calcium with vitamin D3 is listed as to be avoided. I've already ordered this all the way from America! Now I need advice on the best uk supplements too!

Thanks

Gut Loading Feeders?

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