hows this "gutload" sound for crickets?

fruits and veggies include: leafy greens, a carrot, slice of potatoe, slice of apple, occasionally ill add something else like a slice of bell pepper, zuccini, or a sprout(?) of brockley.

dry foods include: fish flakes, whole wheat bread, and when available cereal grains.

i feed this to my crickets which get fed to my ackie and he's grown over 5 inches in a little over 2 months and more then tripled in weight (probably quadrupled in wieght because i havent weighed himin a while) so i gotta be doin something right. lol.

 

Ditch the fish flakes and add more natural oats and grains. Fish flakes have all kinds of fish-specific chemcials to aide in their slime coat, enhance their colors, etc. Go buy a tub of oatmeal, a box of wheat bran and some nuts, mix it up, grind it to a powder, and put that in a small dish. Then give them a seperate dish of fruits/veggies for moisture, or just a really soaked paper towel in a bowl.

 

I use gutload from www.cricketfood.com.

 

the fishfood doesnt contain any chemicals, i checked. i use it as a source of protein.

 

Fish food is made for fish, not reptiles. As DaCubs said, stick to natural whole grains and dried veggies etc., your ackie will be better in the long run!

 

you're telling me, when my ackie has grown 5 inches in the last two months, that he's going to be worse off because i feed the crickets fish food?

yes, fishfood is made for fish, but, cow milk is made for cows. just because something is formulated for an animal with certain amounts of nutrients doesnt mean it can't be used with other animals for those nutrients. i see no harm is there isnt any harmful chemicals in it.

 

Then use the fish food. You asked about using it, it's not a good idea, but you are going to use it anyway. Sorry the answer you got isn't what you wanted, but it's the right answer. Gutload should be made from natural, whole grains and dried veggies, some bee pollen thrown in is good, spirunella (sp).....not dog food, cat food or fish food. Use what you want, it's your ackie.

 

can you tell me what the fishfood would do to the ackie and what the symptons would be or are you just telling what you've heard from other people? anyone know what it would do or what? id like to hear what you experts have to say.

 

Maybe he wants a slime covered brightly colored acky...

what are the ingredients on the fishfood bottle, also what brand of fish food is it and what kind...

 

Here are the ingredients for Nutrafin Complete flakes: Fish Meal, Wheat Flour, Pre-Digested Plankton, Soy Protein Concentrate, Corn Flour Oat Meal, Squid Meal, Fish Liver Meal, Soy Flour, Wheat Gluten Meal, Krill, Dried Yeast, Squid Liver Meal, Shrimp Meal, Fish Oil, Laver Aquatic Plant, Amino Acid, Wheat Germ Meal, Lecithin, Vanillin, Chlorophyll, Citric Acid, Vitamins A, D3, E, B1, B2, B6, B12, Folic Acid, Vitamin D-Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin C (L-Ascorbyl-2-Phosphate), Inositol, Biotin, Niacin, Ethyoxyquin (as a preservative).
The ingredients for my Betta's food are pretty much the same. There is an awful lot of fish and seafood meal in there, and it is produced specifically for fish, to ensure their health and color.
Here is what www.cricketfood.com uses: Our Premium Blend Cricket Gutload and our Premium Blend Superworm & Mealworm Bedding recipes includes various grains, dried vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, acidophilus, bee pollen, and calcium carbonate totaling over 30 separate ingredients in all! Not a total list of ingredients, but I see no seafood at all, just grains and dried veggies for the most part. That is specifically designed for reptiles, to ensure their health and color.
No, I'm not simply repeating what others have said, I rarely do that. I tend to research things and ask those that REALLY know.
It's not rocket science. Reptiles are not fish. I feed my crickets and worms cricketfood.com products because it was made for them. I feed my fish fish food because it was made for them. I feed my dog dog food because it was made for him. If I were to make my own cricket food I would mimick what the experts use, not invent my own formula.

 

"No, I'm not simply repeating what others have said, I rarely do that. I tend to research things and ask those that REALLY know."

so you dont actually know from experience? you cant tell me what will happen to my ackie if i do feed his crickets fish food?

i guess ill stop feeding it and they'll be no protein in the crickets. while im at it ill pick up a dog water purifier for my dog.

for the record the fish food i use does not have nea as much of those ingredients i cant pronounce, lol. maybe like 2.

 

No, I can't tell you from experience because there is no way I would sacrifice my pet's well being to find out. When I got my Leo's I did so knowing I would provide them the best care possible, which means feeding them properly gutloaded insects. As I said, I did my research and found out what was best for them...I didn't just figure I'd cut corners and hope they'd get by.

What does water have to do with anything? Although, since you bring it up, I do use bottled spring water.

 

Re: RE: hows this "gutload" sound for crickets?

Why do you think so many people are lactose intolerant? We're not supposed to be consuming as much dairy as we do, especially not cow-based dairy. But it's one of those things that humans have just become accustomed to and enjoy.

And it's not the nutrients in the fish food that are the problem. It's the extra non-natural chemicals that are the worry. Your ackie doesn't need a slime coating, so anything they add to that end, natural or unnatural, is unnecessary.
And even certain natural ingredients can cause problems. I have 2 friends that can't process protein. They have to be extremely careful about it. If they take in small doses of protein over a long enough time, their liver will fail. And then there are dozens of chemicals that no human can eat that other animals can. Care to find out that if an ackie eats enough squid every day that his organs will fail after a few years or so?
Just because he's growing on that diet doesn't mean it's healthy. Two completely different issues. Maybe he would have grown more if it wasn't for the fish food additives. You can't say either way.

No, no one has concrete proof that fish food will damage herps. Testing out that theory could be considered animal abuse if it does. However, just like an all-natural diet is healthiest for humans, the same is true for herps. Why feed them man-made things if you don't have to. Fish food is completely unnecessary. There is no upside to using it and a potentially severe downside.
You can use whatever you like in your gutloads. We're just trying to present another view point on some of your ingredients. You then need to decide if you're comfortable with the risks and trade-offs. This site is great for sharing ideas on topics that can't always be drilled down to right and wrong. People can take in all the information available and make a better decision on the care and husbandry of herps. I'm not saying you're wrong or a bad person for using it, just expressing a view point that is shared by alot of long-time keepers. You can decide what you feel is in the best interest of your herps. All part of being a parent and being responsible for the care of another living thing.

 

RE: Re: RE: hows this "gutload" sound for crickets

great post. well, i know of many others that use it, and i will continue too use it because it has brought good results, and my crickets LOVE it. its the first thing to go.

 

RE: Re: RE: hows this "gutload" sound for crickets

Not to mention there is such a thing as power feeding. As explained to me by a local herpitologist, making your animal grow fast makes its lifespan short. Just like people, being super huge isn't exactly healthy. Its hard on the cardiovascular system.

 

RE: Re: RE: hows this "gutload" sound for crickets

OMG, are you saying a "powerfeed" my ackie???? ROFL!!!!!!!! you're ridiculous, go away, you're usless to this conversating. you nothing about acanthurus monitor care so dont tell me im "powerfeeding" my ackie.

 

RE: Re: RE: hows this "gutload" sound for crickets

As is said to these posts on all forums everywhere to anyone like you...

If you dont want our opinion dont ask for it...

And in any case the use of a substance that isnt tested and is unnatural to the diet of any herptile is unacceptable to any serious herptile fanatic. And despite what we know about your ackie, we know thats not a good practice in gutloading crickets.

"OMG, are you saying a "powerfeed" my ackie???? ROFL!!!!!!!! you're ridiculous, go away, you're usless to this conversating"

Fascinating. The previous post never insinuated that you powerfeed. Learn to read :lol:

 

RE: Re: RE: hows this "gutload" sound for crickets

"Not to mention there is such a thing as power feeding. As explained to me by a local herpitologist, making your animal grow fast makes its lifespan short. Just like people, being super huge isn't exactly healthy. Its hard on the cardiovascular system."

how is that not implying that i powerfeed? if he knew anything about monitors he would know that under optimal conditions their growth rate is inches a month, but he doesnt and he tries to tell me im putting my acanthurus monitor under cardiovascular stress? nuh uh.

 

Re: RE: Re: RE: hows this "gutload" sound for cric

That post is completely out of line. If you can't engage in an adult conversation and show some maturity, don't start a conversation. No one on this forum is useless to any topic if they have a viewpoint. You don't know them. You have no idea what they do or don't know about ackie care. For all you know, you know nothing compared to them.
Start showing some manners and some maturity if you're going to post here, especially when it's an open invite for opinions.

You implied that your ackie has shown huge growth over the last 2 months (If 5" isn't huge growth, why would you have bragged about that?). Unusual growth often comes from power feeding. Seems perfectly reasonable to make that jump and raise the issue of power feeding. But instead of intelligently addressing that issue and explaining your feeding methods, you returned to belittling anyone that questioned what you do. Grow up.

NonstickRon, Let me apologize for his comments. Trust me, not everyone here is such an argumentative jerk. Feel free to express yourself in any topic that you feel you have a valid opinion.

 

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: hows this "gutload" sound for

let me ask this. would youfeed fishfood to a fish then feed the fish to an ackie, or any reptile that would eat it for that matter? if yes, why? if no, why not? after all, fish food is made for fish, right??