Gut Loading and supplements for Blueys?

[jasjmm27]

In my search for pictures and possible breeders of Centralians I found this site:

http://cricketfood.com/

What does everyone think about gut loading worms, crickets, etc. and it's benefits for the BTS? What about this "salad topper" product they have? It looks like it would be beneficial and help my Indo out, he is kinda picky...but, then again, it could just be good advertising...maybe the pictures of the Centrals and Shingles got me all "warm and fuzzy" about the product???

Would be interested in all the feedback I can get...

Salad Topper Link:
http://www.cricketfood.com/product_info ... ef6f1d8899

*** I am probably the most interested in the "Salad Topper"...what does everyone think?

Also have:
Superworm Gutloading
Cricket Gutloading
Roach Gutloading...

[NomadOfTheHills]

What you call cricket food I call table scraps haha. Just use the same dark leafy greens you were to give your skink, but feed them to the worms.

[Fatal_S]

Ya, I'd feed the feeder insects the same things you'd feed the skink if possible. Cricket food probably would improve their nutritional value, but so does any gutloading. And I think it's better to gutload with BTS specific food, instead of something designed for geckos or such.

[Graniteer]

I use this stuff from Nature Zone, it's green cubes and full of all sorts of good stuff. It's Complete Load or something like that. A little bit goes a long way, I'm only on my second bag and I got the first last october 06. It's pretty good stuff, and it actually smells really nice. Only problem is it does dry out kind of quickly. But the benefit is that when used in crickets, you can see the green inside so you know they're gut loaded to the max.

[Lisa]

I think gutloading's all a bit naff when it comes to bluetongues.
If you give your skink a varied diet, there's no need to waste money on those products

[NomadOfTheHills]

Basically, gut loading turns crickets from chitin into protein veggies and chitin lol...

[Zach]

I think gutloading's all a bit naff when it comes to bluetongues.
If you give your skink a varied diet, there's no need to waste money on those products

Bingo!

[Bird_Brain]

Are some getting gutloading and supplementing confused? Gutloading commonly refers to feeding nutrient rich food to feeder insects, be it commercially manufactured or "home made".

Supplementing is usually refered to adding extra calcium, vitamins, and minerals to the reptiles meals. This ensures that the animal is getting all the nutrients it needs.

Some are saying that as long as you are feeding your bluey a wide variety of foods, then gutloading your feeder insects is pointless. Why would you not gutload your insects to make them more nutritious for your animal?

If I am understanding what has been said incorrectly, I apologize. But I think this is the very first time I have heard people recommending NOT to gutload feeder insects. Its a simple, cheap, easy process to do. If it can help keep your bluey healthy, then why not do it?

[Zach]

Are some getting gutloading and supplementing confused? Gutloading commonly refers to feeding nutrient rich food to feeder insects, be it commercially manufactured or "home made".

Supplementing is usually refered to adding extra calcium, vitamins, and minerals to the reptiles meals. This ensures that the animal is getting all the nutrients it needs.

Some are saying that as long as you are feeding your bluey a wide variety of foods, then gutloading your feeder insects is pointless. Why would you not gutload your insects to make them more nutritious for your animal?

If I am understanding what has been said incorrectly, I apologize. But I think this is the very first time I have heard people recommending NOT to gutload feeder insects. Its a simple, cheap, easy process to do. If it can help keep your bluey healthy, then why not do it?

Well, you are correct. But gutloading what? The commons are crickets and mealworms and the benefits of gutloading a few of those are not substantial whatsoever, and almost pointless. Especially since you may as well just feed the BTS straight with whatever it is you're gutoading the insects with.

But definitely, if somebody had a big insect colony and self-grown food project they were working on, gut loading could have all types of benefits.

And yeah, supplements are certaintly a separate thing -- a lot of people feel they need to "supplement" things that they are already including in their diet! Newsflash! If you're feeding collards or other calcium rich foods, you don't need calcified powder added on top of it!

[Bird_Brain]

I do agree with you. I very rarely feed crickets or superworms to my blueys. I do have a roach colony I am trying to get going for the crested geckos and I will probably feed some adults to the blueys as they are larger than crickets and I already have them. But yes, I think crickets are pointless when it comes to blueys.

[mom22wins]

Salad Topper Link:
http://www.cricketfood.com/product_info ... ef6f1d8899

*** I am probably the most interested in the "Salad Topper"...what does everyone think?

But what does everyone have to say about the Salad Topper?

[jasjmm27]

mom22wins, from what people have stated thus far, it seems that the general concensus is to just feed your Bluey a good, rounded diet and you don't need the Salad Topper.

I am still curious to see if it really increases appetite and desire to eat greens as some of the site "reviews" have claimed (hard to believe those if they are on the supplier's site, though), but I do tend to agree with everyone else...I just want the best for all the Blueys!

If a little supplementation can GUARANTEE that Fenix is getting everything he needs and even make his feeding time more pleasurable, then I am all for it...but, in the end a good diet should cover all those bases...Fenix just doesn't seem to like his greens yet...I need to try to dice them up and mix them in eggs or cat food next! Being sneaky with his veggies is my next step.

[mom22wins]

I am still curious to see if it really increases appetite and desire to eat greens as some of the site "reviews" have claimed (hard to believe those if they are on the supplier's site, though), but I do tend to agree with everyone else...I just want the best for all the Blueys!

Yeah, I agree.

[Lisa]

Are some getting gutloading and supplementing confused? Gutloading commonly refers to feeding nutrient rich food to feeder insects, be it commercially manufactured or "home made".

Supplementing is usually refered to adding extra calcium, vitamins, and minerals to the reptiles meals. This ensures that the animal is getting all the nutrients it needs.

Some are saying that as long as you are feeding your bluey a wide variety of foods, then gutloading your feeder insects is pointless. Why would you not gutload your insects to make them more nutritious for your animal?

If I am understanding what has been said incorrectly, I apologize. But I think this is the very first time I have heard people recommending NOT to gutload feeder insects. Its a simple, cheap, easy process to do. If it can help keep your bluey healthy, then why not do it?

Hi Brad, I'm coming from the point of view that, as mentioned by Zach, gutloading usually refers to insects like crickets and superworms etc, that only make up a small portion of a bluetongue's diet, and that's the point I meant in regards to them; That a bluetongue's diet can be so varied and they eat so many different things that gut loading of these insects is not going to make a huge beneficial differencet when it comes to bluetongues.

For reptiles that the sole or main portion of their diet is those insects usually associated with gutloading (like dragons), then I would recommend it. Hope that makes sense!

Sorry Mom2, I know nuthink about salad topper. As part of a varied diet but, why not?

[Graniteer]

I gut-load just because I have a couple of leopard geckos, so I just feed out from that pool of crickets. Smoot gets a real kick hunting down his food, and I get a kick watching him hunt.

[Zach]

I gut-load just because I have a couple of leopard geckos, so I just feed out from that pool of crickets. Smoot gets a real kick hunting down his food, and I get a kick watching him hunt.

Yeah, crickets are still fun for enrichment! The blueys really get to live out their natural instincts when hunting down and cornering live food.

[jasjmm27]

I don't think there is any harm in supplementing or gut loading (as long as you don't go overboard on the supplements...there are some vitamin/mineral toxicities with huge dosages)...

I think the point is that they are not really "necessary" if you provide a good diet...I am just interested in trying to ensure Fenix's diet is well balanced by finding a good supplement to provide every now and again...was curious if anyone preferred any type in particular? This "Salad Topper" seems to be a good product from what I have seen so far.