gutloading confusion.. help please

[Kiefer]

repashy's superload, need to fix dusting schedule?

I just ordered some repashy superload and read the ingredients and it has a lot of everything. I'm dusting 2x a week now with sticky tongue farms miner all all in one. And 1x a week with reptivite multivitamin for vitamin a. Should I tweak this schedule? If so, how?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Repashy's Superload (as far as I know) is a product ONLY meant for gutloading. That is to say for feeding to crickets 24-48 hours prior to feeding the cricket off to geckos.

Read the fine print. It may be like T-Rex Calcium Plus Food for Geckos. In that case only feed the food with water (dampened paper towels) in the 1-2 days before feeding off. If you supply moisture in other forms, the crickets may tend to eat other foods over the gutload.

What you describe using Miner-All (Indoor ?) plus Reptivite (D3 or not ?) sounds heavy on the multivitamin side.

 

[Kiefer]

Right. I know repashy's is only a gutload. I just want to know if I should cut back on dusting from the 2x a week I do now. Miner all is 4,000 IU for calcium, D3 etc. I just need to know if I should cut back on dusting sense repashy has like 10,000 IU of calcium, etc.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Right. I know repashy's is only a gutload. I just want to know if I should cut back on dusting from the 2x a week I do now. Miner all is 4,000 IU for calcium, D3 etc. I just need to know if I should cut back on dusting sense repashy has like 10,000 IU of calcium, etc.

Depends upon what you are feeding your crickets, dubia (?) 24/7.

Other ingredients count too. What are you doubling up on by using BOTH Miner-All Indoor and Reptivite? I would only use one of those products. The one you use should contain vitamin D3.

 

[Kiefer]

Alright. I use the Miner al twice a week, with D3. I use the multivitamin for a vitamin a source. I am using zoo med's bearded dragon food that you recommend.

Repashy Superfoods :: RETAIL SALES :: By Product Name :: SuperLoad :: SuperLoad 3 oz JAR - Repashy Ventures - Distributor Center

MINER-ALL Indoor

Those give the value of calcium, D3, etc.

 

[cricket4u]

Alright. I use the Miner al twice a week, with D3. I use the multivitamin for a vitamin a source. I am using zoo med's bearded dragon food that you recommend.

Repashy Superfoods :: RETAIL SALES :: By Product Name :: SuperLoad :: SuperLoad 3 oz JAR - Repashy Ventures - Distributor Center

MINER-ALL Indoor

Those give the value of calcium, D3, etc.

Hi Kiefer,

There's really no point of using Miner-all. The insects are deficient in mostly fat soluble vitamins and calcium. This product only contains d3. Reptivite contains fat soluble, 16 amino acids and minerals. Miner-all, bromine reminds me of toxicity, found in aquatic vegetation (they don't eat veggies and live in desert). I would just use the Reptivite and a separate bottle of calcium with d3 if I were you.


My crickets were not very pleased with the bearded dragon food, so if you notice them on the thin side or eating each other (hopefully it does not come to this), will be best to offer something else.

 

[Kiefer]

I've been using it for 3 months. :/ What brand would you recommend? And how many times should I dust with it while gutloading with repashy's superload?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I just ordered some repashy superload and read the ingredients and it has a lot of everything. I'm dusting 2x a week now with sticky tongue farms miner all all in one. And 1x a week with reptivite multivitamin for vitamin a. Should I tweak this schedule? If so, how?

Alright. I use the Miner al twice a week, with D3. I use the multivitamin for a vitamin a source. I am using zoo med's bearded dragon food that you recommend.

Repashy Superfoods :: RETAIL SALES :: By Product Name :: SuperLoad :: SuperLoad 3 oz JAR - Repashy Ventures - Distributor Center

MINER-ALL Indoor

Those give the value of calcium, D3, etc.

Hi Kiefer,

There's really no point of using Miner-all. The insects are deficient in mostly fat soluble vitamins and calcium. This product does not contain any Vitamins. Reptivite contains fat soluble, 16 amino acids and minerals. Miner-all, bromine reminds me of toxicity, found in aquatic vegetation (they don't eat veggies and live in desert). I would just use the Reptivite and a separate bottle of calcium with d3 if I were you.

My crickets were not very pleased with the bearded dragon food, so if you notice them on the thin side or eating each other (hopefully it does not come to this), will be best to offer something else.

I've been using it for 3 months. :/ What brand would you recommend? And how many times should I dust with it while gutloading with repashy's superload?

@ Cricket4u ~ Miner-all Indoor does contain vitamin D3, but not vitamin A. I know what you mean otherwise.

A few threads ago you offered to experiment with Zoo Med's Natural Bearded Dragon Food Adult Formula. That was scarcely one week ago. You mentioned that usually you liked to try stuff for a couple months??? Is your NBDFAF experiment still in progress?

Are you interested in experimenting with All Purpose Poultry Food to see how it compares with your custom insect dry diet?

Yesterday I tried to PM GU's Geckologist.tj. This person is unavailable for PMs or for emails at this time.

@ Kiefer ~ What diet are you feeding your crickets/insects the rest of the week? I have personally had good success feeding my crickets and dubia an All Purpose Poultry Food containing vitamin A acetate.

 

[Kiefer]

I'm using the bearded dragon food. I have not been able to vary the diet yet because it's been so cold where I live the insects would die if I ordered them.

 

[cricket4u]

@ Cricket4u ~ Miner-all Indoor does contain vitamin D3, but not vitamin A. I know what you mean otherwise.



A few threads ago you offered to experiment with Zoo Med's Natural Bearded Dragon Food Adult Formula. That was scarcely one week ago. You mentioned that usually you liked to try stuff for a couple months??? Is your NBDFAF experiment still in progress?

Are you interested in experimenting with All Purpose Poultry Food to see how it compares with your custom insect dry diet?

Yesterday I tried to PM GU's Geckologist.tj. This person is unavailable for PMs or for emails at this time.

@ Kiefer ~ What diet are you feeding your crickets/insects the rest of the week? I have personally had good success feeding my crickets and dubia an All Purpose Poultry Food containing vitamin A acetate.

Made the correction, thanks.

Well, when you have spent years trying different products, you know right away what's not going to work so well best based on their feeding response (similar to the leos. You don't want them just to eat because there's nothing else, you want them to fill their tummy (to the max) to pass on to the leo. It's a different story if you are just using the high calcium for a very short period of time and their eating just to survive, makes sense?

If their feeding response was good, I would have continued, but I see no point.

I have a rule, only one change at a time within a certain period. If something goes wrong, I want to be able to look back and track the problem. This will be impossible if you make more than one change at a time.

I will follow up when and if I decide to try out the All purpose feed on this thread. Elizabeth, you have been using it for years correct? All purpose feed has been used for years as cricket food, even if it's from different companies.

 

[Kiefer]

I'm still confused on how much I dust a week when using the superload. So far the crickets are eating the bearded dragon food just fine. So I'll keep going with it.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I'm still confused on how much I dust a week when using the superload. So far the crickets are eating the bearded dragon food just fine. So I'll keep going with it.

Keifer,

I know...I know. Sorry about the delay. Still do not have your answer. :-(

Am hoping for some Superload feedback from another GU member who has used it for his leo, although I am sure there are others.

If you are planning to always feed Superloaded crickets, my gut feeling is to cut back significantly on other dusting.

What form of vitamin A does Superload contain?

Are you willing to keep this thread updated on how your crickets continue to do with the bearded dragon food?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Made the correction, thanks.

Well, when you have spent years trying different products, you know right away what's not going to work so well best based on their feeding response (similar to the leos. You don't want them just to eat because there's nothing else, you want them to fill their tummy (to the max) to pass on to the leo. It's a different story if you are just using the high calcium for a very short period of time and their eating just to survive, makes sense?

If their feeding response was good, I would have continued, but I see no point.

I have a rule, only one change at a time within a certain period. If something goes wrong, I want to be able to look back and track the problem. This will be impossible if you make more than one change at a time.

I will follow up when and if I decide to try out the All purpose feed on this thread. Elizabeth, you have been using it for years correct? All purpose feed has been used for years as cricket food, even if it's from different companies.

No problem.

About 4 years ago I switched over to Albers' All Purpose Poultry Food. A gecko-breeding friend of mine has used it for many more years. She's happy with it too.

Two questions:
---I have heard that kale is a calcium binder and for that reason not good at all for an insect food.
---Someone I know professionally recommends Pretty Pets Aquatic Turtle Food as a food for crickets. What do you think about that?

 

[cricket4u]

I have heard that kale is a calcium binder and for that reason not good at all for an insect food.

Moderate in oxalate. Once in a while is okay, just not often.

Someone I know professionally recommends Pretty Pets Aquatic Turtle Food as a food for crickets. What do you think about that?

Pretty Pets Pretty Pets Aquatic Turtle Food Aquatic Turtle Food

No thank you


I left a little message here.

http://s843.photobucket.com/user/cricket132/media/002_zpsa35eee34.jpg.html?filters[user]=138875481&filters[recent]=1&filters[publicOnly]=1&sort=1&o=0

Photobucket has been acting up, so look at the sideways calcium photo if you can't see it in the link.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Kale as part of an insect diet:

Moderate in oxalate. Once in a while is okay, just not often.


Pretty Pets Pretty Pets Aquatic Turtle Food Aquatic Turtle Food

No thank you


I left a little message here.

http://s843.photobucket.com/user/cricket132/media/002_zpsa35eee34.jpg.html?filters[user]=138875481&filters[recent]=1&filters[publicOnly]=1&sort=1&o=0

Photobucket has been acting up, so look at the sideways calcium photo if you can't see it in the link.

"No thank you" was kinda my reaction to the Pretty Pets Aquatic Turtle Food suggestion as a cricket diet.

Maybe could you try the link again. Can't get to any little message.

 

[cricket4u]

Kale as part of an insect diet:



"No thank you" was kinda my reaction to the Pretty Pets Aquatic Turtle Food suggestion as a cricket diet.

Maybe could you try the link again. Can't get to any little message.

cricket132's Library | Photobucket

 

[Kiefer]

Elizabeth~ I will update on the bearded dragon food. And the superload has vitamin A acetate. I guess I will have to experiment or something for dusting. If the member answers please let me know. Do you or cricket know any signs that will show me if the levels of calcium or vitamins get to high? Than I can know to switch gutloads or dust schedule. May I ask what gutloads you or cricket use incase the superload doesn't turn out well?

 

[cricket4u]

I suggest that you schedule an appointment with an experienced veterinarian for a wellness exam. The vet will examine your leo, weigh and hopefully discuss diet in full (including supplementation). Right down all the questions you have down on a paper and take the supplements with you as well. It's always best to have a relationship with a vet while your leo is healthy. The last thing you want is to run into problem and have to search for a vet at the last minute. Eventually have a radiograph taken to check bone density and blood work once she reaches an adequate weight.

It will also be a good idea to read through as many posts as possible. You will gain so much more information. Most questions have been repeated many times and the best responses get buried, before their energy runs out.

I just explained about 2 days ago that I house and feed my leos differently therefore I am not comfortable recommending something I do not practice myself. I am just explaining why I would not answer your questions in regards to supplements. You did not specify whether for the crickets or the roaches. Assuming you are referring to the crickets and gut load (just to increase calcium), I rotate between T-rex calcium plus and Mazuri gut loading diet.

I have not been able to vary the diet yet because it's been so cold where I live the insects would die if I ordered them.

I live somewhere cold as well, however, I have mouths to feed and just pay a few more $'s for 2nd day package and most places will add a heat pack for $1-2. They will be fine as long as there is not a snow storm and the package is delayed for too long. Read below the pictures in my photobucket link as well.

 

[Kiefer]

Thanks cricket. I was pondering the thought of a vet checkup. But, I am only 16. I do not have a source of income. My parents pay for things, and they probably don't have the money for one at the moment. I get 20 dollars every 2 weeks for allowance, so with that I buy food and diets, supplements, gutload and whatever he may need with that.

 

[cricket4u]

Thanks cricket. I was pondering the thought of a vet checkup. But, I am only 16. I do not have a source of income. My parents pay for things, and they probably don't have the money for one at the moment. I get 20 dollars every 2 weeks for allowance, so with that I buy food and diets, supplements, gutload and whatever he may need with that.

You're welcome. At least you receive an allowance, I had work little jobs when I was 16.