Grub Pie

[Kurenai]

Hi, I recently found a product by Repashy called "Grub pie", a gel food for reptiles. I was wondering if this could be a staple? I saw some videos where people fed this to their beardies and they seemed to take it without hesitation. It does seem quite good. I've listed the ingredients. It is hard for me to keep insects where I am as it rains a lot and also gets really cold in the winter and really cold in the summer. We don't have air conditioning and we must keep the crickets (don't like them) and mealworms (really expensive) outside in the backyard or on the balcony so I tend to have trouble keeping them alive. I need to purchase more every week or so or else the remaining worms will die. I'm in Canada and dubia roaches are illegal here as well (my mother also hates roaches). I was hoping that this could be a subsitute, but I am not sure. Thoughts?
It is a bit expensive but I am willing to pay more if my beardie will get good food. I feed Repashy to my fish and they love it a lot. This gel may also be good for baby beardies as it is easy to cut up and is also quite soft for them and choking shouldn't be an issue.

Ingredients: Insect Meal, Dried Seaweed Meal, Coconut Meal, Ground Flaxseed, Stabilized Rice Bran, Dried Brewers Yeast, Lecithin, Dried Kelp, Locust Bean Gum, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Citrate, Salt, Taurine, Watermelon, Rosehips, Hibiscus Flower, Calendula Flower, Marigold Flower, Paprika, Turmeric, Salt, Calcium Propionate and Potassium Sorbate (as preservatives), Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Manganese Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Copper Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Selenium Yeast. Vitamins: (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Choline Chloride, L-Ascorbyl-Polyphosphate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Beta Carotene, Pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex).

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein
40% (Min)
Crude Fat
12% (Min)
Crude Fiber
15% (Max)
Moisture
10% (Max)
Ash
8% (Max)
Calcium
1.5% (Min)

It also says,

"*
Meal replacement powder for all insectivorous reptiles and amphibians
*
75% insects
*
40% protein, 12% fat
Insect-based (75%) meal replacement gel for insectivorous species of reptiles and amphibians. Great for bearded dragons, skinks, dwarf monitors, salamanders and more. Insects are raised in the USA on high quality ingredients. 40% protein, 12% fat and 1.5% calcium provides nutrients your pet needs. Add water to make into a gel, cut into strips, and feed as fresh food. Refrigeration will extend freshness."


Thanks for any responses

 

[Terry15]

I had ordered some from Amazon with some cc points I had.
My friends dragon likes it, but mine did not seem to try it. I make a little, then put it in the chopper with some unsweetened applsauce. He seems like that.

 

[nathb1]

I have not found sufficient information on the web or any where else where grub pie would substitute for insects.
I give Dixie grub pie sometimes to giver her a variety or when Im out of worms and she snubs her nose at crickets ill give her some grub pie until I can get my order in which would be like a day or two I would assume it would not be sufficient enough to be made a staple as bearded dragon needs live insects least twice a day when they are young.

I live in canada too so we are stuck with crickets if money is a problem. I feed mine BSF but my "bug guy" sold his company to someone else and he lost most of the BSF production , least be 3 months until i can order some. It has been a struggle! Dixie doesnt like crickets really she is giving me the stink eye lately!, she eats any worms but silkworms I found they dont last , then we have butterworms/hornworms.
I have been giving her some superworms since she is 18 inches and 440 grams but im hesitate to give her alot .....

I know crickets are a pain to keep! You can use a CHE to keep them warm in the house in winter time thats what I do, summer they are in the garage...

 

[nathb1]

I had ordered some from Amazon with some cc points I had.
My friends dragon likes it, but mine did not seem to try it. I make a little, then put it in the chopper with some unsweetened applsauce. He seems like that.

Dixie didnt like it either at first but now she does. It might take a few tries.
How old is your BD?

 

[Taterbug]

Repashy is really well known and trusted for their meal replacement foods for crested geckos. Of the commercial foods it's the one that I'd use. I've tried some of their other gels (veggie burger, savory stew) and pepper doesn't care for them.

 

[Terry15]

Mystic is about 2 years & a few months old.

 

[Kurenai]

I had ordered some from Amazon with some cc points I had.
My friends dragon likes it, but mine did not seem to try it. I make a little, then put it in the chopper with some unsweetened applsauce. He seems like that.

Dixie didnt like it either at first but now she does. It might take a few tries.
How old is your BD?

About 7ish months old now. I got him from someone who no longer wanted him and was told he was about 2-3 months old when took him home.

I hate crickets because all of mine are really loud and start smelling after a bit. Mine beardie doesnt really like it either, he loves little mealworms but not a fan of crickets- he only eats them because we don't have other bugs for him.

 

[traildrifterphalanx]

I don't personally have experience with grub pie, but regarding your cricket comment there are some amazing other insect staples that are less of a hassle.

If you are limiting your options to what you can buy in person (i.e Petsmart, Petco, bait shops) then you will have limited options, of course, but many on the forum either purchase insects online or breed their own. If you have the option to start a dubia roach colony, I'd recommend it.

Grub Pie does not seem to have anything terrible in there, but I'd feel like it's more of an "in a pinch" food resort. Kind of like how a home cooked meal (in this case live insects) is better than processed meals like McDonalds (i.e canned insect, freeze dried, possibly grub pie.) It's not necessarily bad, but the live option is likely better for their overall health.

Just my two cents. Again, I have personally never tried it nor researched it.

 

[Kurenai]

Unfortunately I can't start any colony because the insects are not allowed in the house. Dubias are illegal here and will die in the cold. I need to buy new crickets every few days to a week (depending on how fast they die). I spend at least $30 per week to get the crickets shipped and stuff... I was hoping that this could be a staple, but I guess I'll just need to spend more on food for him then.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Unfortunately I can't start any colony because the insects are not allowed in the house. Dubias are illegal here and will die in the cold. I need to buy new crickets every few days to a week (depending on how fast they die). I spend at least $30 per week to get the crickets shipped and stuff... I was hoping that this could be a staple, but I guess I'll just need to spend more on food for him then.

I know of chap who lives in New Zealand (NZ) who has been using GrubPie as his beardie's staple since little. Says live crickets and roaches are very hard to find for sale in NZ and the pet shops want about $1NZ per bug..... so GrubPie was his best (only) option. His beardie seemed to be thriving last time I heard.

 

[Kurenai]

Unfortunately I can't start any colony because the insects are not allowed in the house. Dubias are illegal here and will die in the cold. I need to buy new crickets every few days to a week (depending on how fast they die). I spend at least $30 per week to get the crickets shipped and stuff... I was hoping that this could be a staple, but I guess I'll just need to spend more on food for him then.

I know of chap who lives in New Zealand (NZ) who has been using GrubPie as his beardie's staple since little. Says live crickets and roaches are very hard to find for sale in NZ and the pet shops want about $1NZ per bug..... so GrubPie was his best (only) option. His beardie seemed to be thriving last time I heard.

I remember reading that somewhere as well. I know repashy makes really good food for crested geckos. Maybe I should give it a try?

The crickets here are 30 cents per bug. I'm okay with paying for bulk but they die so fast, I can't purchase more than 30 or else a majority dies...

 

[kingofnobbys]

Unfortunately I can't start any colony because the insects are not allowed in the house. Dubias are illegal here and will die in the cold. I need to buy new crickets every few days to a week (depending on how fast they die). I spend at least $30 per week to get the crickets shipped and stuff... I was hoping that this could be a staple, but I guess I'll just need to spend more on food for him then.

I know of chap who lives in New Zealand (NZ) who has been using GrubPie as his beardie's staple since little. Says live crickets and roaches are very hard to find for sale in NZ and the pet shops want about $1NZ per bug..... so GrubPie was his best (only) option. His beardie seemed to be thriving last time I heard.

I remember reading that somewhere as well. I know repashy makes really good food for crested geckos. Maybe I should give it a try?

The crickets here are 30 cents per bug. I'm okay with paying for bulk but they die so fast, I can't purchase more than 30 or else a majority dies...

I'm currently ordering weekly a small bulk tube of adults and small bulk tube of 2/3 size crickets from a place in Victoria called Frog Arcade.... I use the adults in the first week or so , then use the 2/3s the next week or so.... I get 4 - 5 tubs of crickets from each tube and find my adults die pretty quick (maybe loose 20% before I've fed the to the lizards - they are dying of old age) , the 2/3s will survive up to 3 - 4 weeks.
I was buying a medium tube of 2/3s from the same place until they had some kind of issue and restricted orders of 2/3s to one small tube per order until they can build up their 2/3s again (this restriction started a few months ago).

My bulk orders of adults (about 130 to the small tube) work out at 13c each inc shipping
The 2/3s ( about 200 to the small tube) work out at 8c each inc shipping.
When I buy the medium tube of 2/3s (about 700 to the medium tube) work at 6c each inc shipping, I get 8 - 10, sometimes 12 tubs of crickets from that (depending on how generous the packers are at the Frog Arcade when they pack the cricket tubes, they make allowanced for deaths enroute) and I've gone 3 weeks between orders with the medium sized tube order of 2/3s..

Cf Piscus a tube of 40 medium crickets sells for $6.50 here , 16.3c each and often find us many as 10 dead crickets in some tubs (petshops simply don't care for their bugs - don't even bother giving them fresh chunks of carrot to eat and drink from).

I've only 3 beardies and 2 bluetongues to worry about wrt buying crickets. About 10 - 12 large crickets each per day for them.
I buy live garden snail (French restraunt quality) for the BTS as treats.
When Wriggles was alive, she was happy with 2 or 3 2/3 sized crickets per day.

I also offer superworms twice per week (2 - 3 per lizard) and silkworms (large or medium IF I HAVE THEM) as an alternative to crickets as a staple.

I have seen a place online that sells live "Organic" restraunt quality wichetty grubs and might buy a tub of 20 one day to try these as a feeder for the BTS and beardies. https://www.ididj.com.au/witchetty-grub/ ,
http://slowfoodaustralia.com.au/arkoftaste/parakeelya-witchetty-grub/
sometimes wonder why no insect breeders who grow bugs to feed pets are selling them. I know some bait/tackle shops in central NSW and Queensland sell them as bait for murray cod (a grub that is very similar looking) as I've seen them in my travels.
I've tried them a couple of times (cooked when travelling / 4wding safaris into remote areas of QLD and NT) and they were pretty good.

The little wild water and brown delicate garden skinks get mealworms a few days a week - I buy the mealworms only for them.