Post by hoomanslave on Nov 10, 2020 10:46:21 GMT -5
This guide is a short but informative walkthrough that will teach you how to gutload crickets, dubia roaches, and various feeder worms. It includes the supplies you will need and some tips about safe and unsafe food sources to provide.
In the wild, a beardie would eat a wide variety of plants and animals that would make up for what it does not get from them nutritionally. In captivity, this is not the case, so gutloading is necessary. Gutloading is a process in which feeder insects are fed a high-quality diet 24 to 48 hours before being fed to an animal. The nutrients are then transferred from the prey to the predator. Gutloading is very important and provides your reptile with essential nutrients. You can put the food on a bottle cap or paper plate, depending on what your feeders can reach. Make sure it is easily accessible.
Roaches and crickets
Crickets and roaches are the easiest feeders to gutload. There are many commercial products out there for gutloading and hydrating them, but many of these should be avoided. The cricket water cubes may seem convenient, but one look at the ingredients shows a long list of things your beardie should not eat. It is better to provide water with apple slices and pieces of carrot changed out regularly.
If you plan to feed your bugs commercial powder, check the ingredients carefully. Many commercial foods are just glorified chicken feed! Commercial cricket feed can be fed to both crickets and roaches as a supplement, as long as the ingredients are healthy.
For the main diet, you can provide the leftovers from your beardie's greens, along with various other nutritious fruits and veggies.
Mealworms
Although mealworms are not ideal feeders, you can make them more nutritious by gutloading them. First, keep them at a temperature of around 78f. Next, offer them the same variety of foods you would for other feeders-cucumber, carrot, and various greens.
Silkworms, Hornworms, and Waxworms
As all of the above are "treat worms" (except silkworms, which can be a staple), they do not need to be gutloaded in the same way as staple foods.
Hornworms in the wild eat only foods that would be toxic to beardies, so there are limited options for food. Additionally, hornworms will die in less than a day if they do not have access to food. Hornworms come in a cup with a supply of food, but you should keep an extra package of food because there is often not enough for the fast-growing hornworms. You can feed them Repashy hornworm food or any other gutloading food you can find.
Silkworms are a challenge to gutload because of their very specialized diet. They will only eat mulberry leaves or a mulberry-based commercial food, which can be hard to find. This is one of the reasons why they are only a treat instead of a staple for most keepers.
Waxworms do not need to eat much and, because they are a treat, don't need to be gutloaded. However, if you want to feed them, you can use organic, pure honey and bran.
Black Soldier Fly Larvae
BSFL, Phoenix Worms, Nasty Maggot Things, or NutriGrubs, regardless of what you call them, are excellent feeders that are high in calcium and do not need to be dusted. Gutloading these guys is not necessary, though some people have successfully fed them old vegetables and table scraps.
In order to care for them, you'll first need to remove them from the cup of sawdust they come in. Dump the whole cup into a bine of water and catch the larvae that float to the top with a strainer of some kind. Transfer them to a bin lined with food. They will grow quickly and be extra nutritious in a few days.
Superworms
To gutload superworms, transfer them to a container and offer carrots, apples, and superworm premix. Allow them to eat for 48 hours before feeding them to your beardie.
In the wild, a beardie would eat a wide variety of plants and animals that would make up for what it does not get from them nutritionally. In captivity, this is not the case, so gutloading is necessary. Gutloading is a process in which feeder insects are fed a high-quality diet 24 to 48 hours before being fed to an animal. The nutrients are then transferred from the prey to the predator. Gutloading is very important and provides your reptile with essential nutrients. You can put the food on a bottle cap or paper plate, depending on what your feeders can reach. Make sure it is easily accessible.
Roaches and crickets
Crickets and roaches are the easiest feeders to gutload. There are many commercial products out there for gutloading and hydrating them, but many of these should be avoided. The cricket water cubes may seem convenient, but one look at the ingredients shows a long list of things your beardie should not eat. It is better to provide water with apple slices and pieces of carrot changed out regularly.
If you plan to feed your bugs commercial powder, check the ingredients carefully. Many commercial foods are just glorified chicken feed! Commercial cricket feed can be fed to both crickets and roaches as a supplement, as long as the ingredients are healthy.
For the main diet, you can provide the leftovers from your beardie's greens, along with various other nutritious fruits and veggies.
Mealworms
Although mealworms are not ideal feeders, you can make them more nutritious by gutloading them. First, keep them at a temperature of around 78f. Next, offer them the same variety of foods you would for other feeders-cucumber, carrot, and various greens.
Silkworms, Hornworms, and Waxworms
As all of the above are "treat worms" (except silkworms, which can be a staple), they do not need to be gutloaded in the same way as staple foods.
Hornworms in the wild eat only foods that would be toxic to beardies, so there are limited options for food. Additionally, hornworms will die in less than a day if they do not have access to food. Hornworms come in a cup with a supply of food, but you should keep an extra package of food because there is often not enough for the fast-growing hornworms. You can feed them Repashy hornworm food or any other gutloading food you can find.
Silkworms are a challenge to gutload because of their very specialized diet. They will only eat mulberry leaves or a mulberry-based commercial food, which can be hard to find. This is one of the reasons why they are only a treat instead of a staple for most keepers.
Waxworms do not need to eat much and, because they are a treat, don't need to be gutloaded. However, if you want to feed them, you can use organic, pure honey and bran.
Black Soldier Fly Larvae
BSFL, Phoenix Worms, Nasty Maggot Things, or NutriGrubs, regardless of what you call them, are excellent feeders that are high in calcium and do not need to be dusted. Gutloading these guys is not necessary, though some people have successfully fed them old vegetables and table scraps.
In order to care for them, you'll first need to remove them from the cup of sawdust they come in. Dump the whole cup into a bine of water and catch the larvae that float to the top with a strainer of some kind. Transfer them to a bin lined with food. They will grow quickly and be extra nutritious in a few days.
Superworms
To gutload superworms, transfer them to a container and offer carrots, apples, and superworm premix. Allow them to eat for 48 hours before feeding them to your beardie.