why does gutloading crickets matter when...

[Meadow98684]

...the pet store feeds them cricket food anyway?

 

[BugLover]

Its for safety. Even if the pet store did say what they fed them, i would want my mantids to be safe

 

[lancaster1313]

I don't gutload crickets at all. Many mantids will drop the contents of their guts anyway.

I just quarantine them and feed them my diet of choice until I see that they are healthy. If many of them die before a couple of days or have a very foul smell, I will not feed them to my mantids.

Most "cricket food" is not for crickets, it is for reptiles. Crickets can be diseased from dirty conditions or fed a diet that is meant for reptiles, but not really good for invertebrates.

Too much calcium or artificial stuff like in that orange c.rap that they feed to them.

I am more concerned about illnesses that they may have after a certain bad experience.

 

[Meadow98684]

I see. Good answers. Makes sense. Crickets are so controversial...

 

[patrickfraser]

I only feed wild crickets that I catch in my garage. I figure if they are able to grow big and healthy, they are ok to feed. I raise dubias and hissers and have never purchased crickets. I think the main problem boils down to how they are kept. I go for "eau naturel". :chef:

 

[Rick]

I see. Good answers. Makes sense. Crickets are so controversial...

Ever heard that saying you are what you eat? Well same applies here. When you purchase your crickets feed them properly for a few days before feeding them to mantids. I think some of you don't really understand what gutloading means. If the cricket eats a healthy diet that makes the crickets tissues more nutritious which makes your mantis healthier. Gut loading doesn't mean you fill the crickets gut with food and then the mantis eats that food while eating the cricket. We all know they don't eat the gut. And crickets are only controversial to some people and unfortunately that attitude has taken hold here.

 

[mantid_mike]

I only feed wild crickets that I catch in my garage. I figure if they are able to grow big and healthy, they are ok to feed. I raise dubias and hissers and have never purchased crickets. I think the main problem boils down to how they are kept. I go for "eau naturel". :chef:

Lol I catch them in my garage, too. I always catch them snooping around the dog food.

 

[jrh3]

I Have Had Success With Bee Pollen , It Is One Thing Even Humans Can Survive Onalone With Water.Even Can Mix With Honey And Feed To Ghosts. I Have Plenty If Anyone Is Interested In Sampling

 

[Krissim Klaw]

There is no need to gut load crickets for mantises. Gut loading is done for reptiles and the like because they often need extra calcium and vitamins added to their prey to meet their needs. You gut load a few days before feeding so you are not wasting all the products on your feeders in the meantime. As others have mentioned the gut load products sold in stores are not necessarily the best diet for the crickets themselves. When it comes to crickets being fed to mantises all you have to do is focus on giving the crickets and clean environment and feeding them a diet they will thrive on.

Personally I wouldn't trust the pet stores as far as cricket care. Crickets have a quick turn around are cheap so the care of them is often minimal at best.

 

[hibiscusmile]

I think about the cost of crickets versus flies, flies win!

 

[Collin s]

Ever heard that saying you are what you eat? Well same applies here. When you purchase your crickets feed them properly for a few days before feeding them to mantids. I think some of you don't really understand what gutloading means. If the cricket eats a healthy diet that makes the crickets tissues more nutritious which makes your mantis healthier. Gut loading doesn't mean you fill the crickets gut with food and then the mantis eats that food while eating the cricket. We all know they don't eat the gut. And crickets are only controversial to some people and unfortunately that attitude has taken hold here.

You hit the nail on the head! When crickets eat they get nutrients from that food and if they don't get the right nutrients same with you mantis. It's important to gutload (feed) your crickets/flies.

 

[JTHMfreak]

I had heard that crickets don't offer much nutrients to mantids, is this true ir false?

 

[Digger]

I agree 100% with Rick.

I fed Nikki, The Great & Powerful, Pet Smart crickets pretty much her entire life. To NOT gut load these hapless creatures means feeding your pet at your own peril. Winter time here in the Northeast is a tough time to find food. Crickets are sometimes the best or only choice. My small batch of feeders get a luxury condo with fish flakes, rolled oats, distilled water and Fluker's Cricket Quencher. It's pee-yellow CRICKET water supplement guys. Flucker's makes it for Ts crix and scorpions. It's not the "orange" stuff. It's pee-yellow (how beautifully descriptive). And it's great for crix. They run for it (they are generally dehydrated like crazy from the store).

Same with flies. They dine on a healthy, sumptuous mix of powdered milk and sugar (in a bottle cap). In another area of the container is a smear of honey and powdered milk. They get a good drink of distilled water once per day. Flies need H2O ! To thank me for providing this luxurious dining experience - they craap in it. And they craap on top of their friends. They craap all over the side of the container. As low class as crickets.