[l0uiswh0]

Hi everyone,

I've recently become quite intimidated by the differing opinions out there on feeding various animals. I'd like to list my current feeding plans for my geckos below, and if anyone could offer their opinion that would be great. I just want to do what's best for them.

Crested Gecko (Adult male) (Rescue animal, reared only on crickets)
Komodo Crested Gecko Diet every other day - I will make the mix up using the formula plus honey, pulverised banana and mango, then freeze it all in cubes and defrost as necessary. Previously he's just had the formula but doesn't like it.
Gut loaded hoppers every other day - dusted with calcium and nutrabol.

Leopard Gecko (Adolescent male)
Mealworms - always available
Gut loaded hoppers - every few days

Gut loading for Hoppers (starting out small, i keep them warm so they grow)
Dry gutload - oats, bran, sultanas, dried beetroot, dried parsnip, fish flakes, hamster food (no additives), AND NOW ADDING bee pollen, dried seaweed - all dusted with calcium and nutrabol
Veg - fresh basil every other day, AND NOW ADDING fresh dandelion (I did try kale for ages because of the vitamin C but they never ate it)
(Bug Gel for water)

Gut loading Mealworms
I can't really gutload them as such because they grow to big and I need them small for other animals... I do give them cucumber, letuce and carrot for moisture occasionally, and a meal of bran once a week or so. I'm thinking of refrigerating them so they need less, as they keep getting too much moisture and then I worry about rotting matter in there.

 

[tomcannon]

Hi everyone,

Gut loading for Hoppers (starting out small, i keep them warm so they grow)
Dry gutload - oats, bran, sultanas, dried beetroot, dried parsnip, fish flakes, hamster food (no additives), AND NOW ADDING bee pollen, dried seaweed - all dusted with calcium and nutrabol
Veg - fresh basil every other day, AND NOW ADDING fresh dandelion (I did try kale for ages because of the vitamin C but they never ate it)
(Bug Gel for water)

I impressed with the gut loading of hoppers and that's all I can comment on with experience. I only feed oats and bran out of the dried you have mentioned and will think about implementing some of the others. Is there any reasoning behind these and are any favourites for them or do they have them all available constantly as a substrate?

As far as greens go my best feeder is spring (collard in the us) greens. They devour it and it is also good for my beardy. Strangely enough mine are very partial to kale, always have been, I go through bags of it! Watercress is another you may wish to try. I feed mine greens daily and top up the bran every few days.

I do not use bug gel, never seen the need in it. They get the majority of their moisture from their veg. Works for me! : victory:

 

[Kuja]

Really impressed with hoppers gutload wowwy.

you are dusting the leo's food as well yeah not just the crestie?

and only dilema with not feeding mealworms up is without it they are crap nutritionally, but fed well they are really good. If size is an issue can you not buy mini mealworms and grow them on? or two separate if its for different animals.

But yeah, cannot see any flaw there!

 

[Lozza.Bella]

Hi everyone,

I've recently become quite intimidated by the differing opinions out there on feeding various animals. I'd like to list my current feeding plans for my geckos below, and if anyone could offer their opinion that would be great. I just want to do what's best for them.

Crested Gecko (Adult male) (Rescue animal, reared only on crickets)
Komodo Crested Gecko Diet every other day - I will make the mix up using the formula plus honey, pulverised banana and mango, then freeze it all in cubes and defrost as necessary. Previously he's just had the formula but doesn't like it.
Gut loaded hoppers every other day - dusted with calcium and nutrabol.

Banana isn't great as it has high potassium levels and is calcium binding You could try substituting it for strawberries or papaya? I personally use Repashy crested gecko meal replacement powder, as nutritionally it has evolved a lot over the last few years and my cresties love it!

Leopard Gecko (Adolescent male)
Mealworms - always available
Gut loaded hoppers - every few days

Gut loading for Hoppers (starting out small, i keep them warm so they grow)
Dry gutload - oats, bran, sultanas, dried beetroot, dried parsnip, fish flakes, hamster food (no additives), AND NOW ADDING bee pollen, dried seaweed - all dusted with calcium and nutrabol
Veg - fresh basil every other day, AND NOW ADDING fresh dandelion (I did try kale for ages because of the vitamin C but they never ate it)
(Bug Gel for water)

Wowee, that is a lot! I just give mine all the veg we eat, I always chop up a bit extra, a bit of apple and a bit of cat food for protein. I don't use water crystals, I use celery, they go mad for leafy tops!

Gutloading Mealworms
I can't really gutload them as such because they grow to big and I need them small for other animals... I do give them cucumber, letuce and carrot for moisture occasionally, and a meal of bran once a week or so. I'm thinking of refrigerating them so they need less, as they keep getting too much moisture and then I worry about rotting matter in there.

Mini mealies are fab and gutload very well, as they are still young the intake of food is rapid, and a tub lasts for ages, you will find healthier weight control from well gutloaded food, but you know that looking at your regime for your hoppers, rather than compromising with the mealies, I would get minis for your smaller species, as I can see nutrition is very important to you

I have put my answers above, hope this helps, I also have a dubia colony as this is great for readily available gut loaded food of most sizes, they again are given left over veggie peelings, fruit ect..... like a mini eco system and no food is wasted

 

[awh]

for my crested gecko's i use mango and pear with honey which i purée then freeze i only add cgd as i use it up

 

[Jesterone]

I don't keep cresteds but I've heard only good things about Repashy Crested Gecko Meal. As stated above the formula has changed to give it more protein offering a real all-in-one meal. If it was me I'd still feed gut loaded insects just for stimulation.

For gut loading I use Repashy Bug Burger which feeds and hydrates and also seems to keep for a good time. It has pretty much everything you'd get from veg.

 

[l0uiswh0]

Thanks for the replies guys, great food for thought. No pun intended. I think because a lot of the forums I was reading for gut loading were by advanced chameleon breeders it was a lot more intimidating.

Sorry I was going to quote everyone directly here but then got confused.

I will definitely switch to strawberries instead of banana, as that's still affordable and I read you loud and clear about the potassium (a pregnant friend had a banana craving and nearly killed herself). From a chemistry point of view (english student...) I don't really understand how calcium binding works, but I will happily believe that it is a thing that happens and follow your advice.

I have looked at Repashys and asked several breeders about it, and weighing it up as best I can I came to decision that it was more affordable to mix and freeze my own foods. I also worry that Repashy may be slightly overrated, but as I have yet to try it I will not make a judgement. I wish I could afford to try it but unfortunately not until I've graduated and got a job. I hear that if you try them on it then move to something else you will have a hard time going back!

I like the idea of adding pear as I can buy them individually and the last season is in at the moment so they're less expensive. Does anyone know anything about their nutrition?

I felt that bug gel was unnecessary for a long time, but then thought I'd try it and found it very successful. The hoppers really like it and, I know this sounds sad, it gives them something else to do besides eat...

As far as the dried food mix goes, I have found that the most successful items are the bran (don't ask me why they like it more AFTER you take them out of the box full of it...), the dried vegetables (which are small animal treats) and the fish food. I am in mixed minds about the fish food as some people worry about a protein build up, but I hope I get around it by using cheap, low protein fish food. They do really like it and pick it out right away. I am looking forward to adding the bee pollen as it's a real superfood, you can buy it on ebay fairly inexpensively. The nori is also apparently very good. I find that they prefer the sultanas chopped, which is a bit fiddly. I think the best thing to do is just slowly add good stuff to your mix as and when you can afford to.

As far as feeding mealworms go, can anyone offer up their own feeding regime? I tend to start out with a box of mini mealworms and end up with a box of what are practically morios... which are a bit big for everything. I mean the leopard gecko likes them, but I only give them to the crested for a very occasional treat, and the same with various newt species which can only eat tiny tiny ones. I do want to make them more nutritional as they are very important to the leopard.

Edit: Oh! I've just learned that it's good to put the whole dry mix in a coffee grinder or similar, as then its a fine mix and they cant pick out the favourite bits so easily.

 

[l0uiswh0]

Further more, this forum is a bit scary but there's a really interesting gutloading recipe half way down this page...

gut-loading vs supplement... - Chameleon Forums

 

[l0uiswh0]

Quick update: I settled on a mix of mango, pear, honey, water and komodo diet frozen into cubes and defrosted as needed. The gecko absolutely loves it! Meanwhile I'm trying the locusts on cucumber, sprouts, broccoli and hibiscus. Thanks everyone for the advice!