Alfalfa Hay.

Completeleopard

New member
Just a quick note about Alfalfa Hay!

It is a great staple to feed your Crickets! (Need to include moisture as well)

Alfalfa Hay is:

- Cheap to buy.
- Does not smell.
- Lasts for a long time.
- Has a good Ca : P ratio of 6 : 1
- Contains no Soy (Soy can impair Calcium absorbtion.)
 

cricket4u

New member
Just a quick note about Alfalfa Hay!

It is a great staple to feed your Crickets! (Need to include moisture as well)

Alfalfa Hay is:

- Cheap to buy.
- Does not smell.
- Lasts for a long time.
- Has a good Ca : P ratio of 6 : 1
- Contains no Soy (Soy can impair Calcium absorbtion.)

Too much fiber for a leopard gecko. It's also so high in calcium that I would not feel comfortable feeding in daily.
 

Olimpia

New member
It's a great ingredient to include in a varied gutloading routine, because it is high in calcium and low in phosphorus, oxalates and goitrogens like you mention, Completeleopard. It's definitely in the list of "great stuff" to include in a well-rounded gutload.

Cricket, how do you know it contains too much fiber for leopard geckos?
 

cricket4u

New member
It's a great ingredient to include in a varied gutloading routine, because it is high in calcium and low in phosphorus, oxalates and goitrogens like you mention, Completeleopard. It's definitely in the list of "great stuff" to include in a well-rounded gutload.

Cricket, how do you know it contains too much fiber for leopard geckos?

1. Insectivores have low fiber requirement.

2. Years of trying different feeds for the insect. Mushy poo....:)
 

cricket4u

New member
Here is something random I just googled that provides many clues as to dietary problems in general. Also consider the size of a horse compared to a tiny gecko.

http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/+symposium/proceedings/2001/01-061.pdf

Excess energy in the diets of growing horses can cause developmental orthopedic
disease.
Diet of mealworms or superworms exclusively.

Just an example of causes of MBD even in reptiles. It is not necessarily due to the amount of calcium intake.

You know the too much calcium note: The high calcium level causes a high calcium:phosphorus ratio which may contribute to developmental orthopedic disease

There goes that little razz face again...
 
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