Crickets and Calcium

[HeatherRose]

Hey guys... Ijust wanted to double check and make sure that my little guy (Murdoch) is getting enough calcium and vitamins and that good stuff...I included a pic just for fun ;)

Anywhoo....Every other day (it's 61/2 months old) Murdoch gets four or five crickets (he doesn't eat them all so I try not to add too many crickets, that's what's with the 'everyother day' because I know too many crickets will stress him)

I keep well stocked plastic bottle caps with both calcium fortified jelly-water (made of just polyacrylamide copolymer and calcium) and High Calcium cricket feed (min calc. 8.00%)...both are cheap and from Flukers....I don't mix in anything to it's baby food, which is given everyother day and is lately banana or peach...I DO watch the banana stuff due to potassium, don't worry...by any chance does anyone know the max amount of potassium that is ok for a juvi crestie? he only has a few licks..I like to be sure though!

Also the crickets are dusted (shaken' bake style) With Herpcare Cricket Dust.

Mealworms are given when I can, but they're never in stock :( ....are those alright as a staple food instead of crickets.?

Heather

[Jacenta]

I've heard a bad story about mealworms... I bought a container of them a few weeks ago when I got my juvies and fed them to the babies and my subadult, but everytime I see an odd buldge in their bellies I am scared... I don't know the story so don't quote me on it, but something about how a mealworm ate its way out of a bearded dragon's belly... I just know people have agreed with me when I mention that mealworms aren't the safest/best food.

[Zoe]

Stories about mealworms eating their way out of animals' stomachs are totally false. Want proof? Take a mealworm (even a big one!) smoosh it a couple times with a spoon or something, and put it in some water. It won't be moving much by then! Now imagine that water is stomach acid... That poor little meal worm won't be in any position to chew it's way out! I fed mealworms to my fat-tails for variety for years, and my uncle feeds his water dragons mealies sometimes, and we've never had problems.

However, mealworms aren't an ideal staple diet. They are all shell and fat, and have very little nutrients that crickets have, and your gecko needs. Stick with crickets if you can, but offering mealies on occaision is fine, as variety is good!

GL, he's a CUTE little bugger too!!

Zoe

[HeatherRose]

LOL thanks, he's so much fun....I've fed mealworms before and he shakes them like a dog and then eat them but it takes a few minutes lol....

Thanks guys

Heather :D

[Jacenta]

Okay, well that offers myself some relief too... glad to have that cleared up.

[nuno]

Hi Heather, from the sounds of things you have covered the calcium part in each and every direction. Very cute pic...keep up the good work.

Nuno

[HeatherRose]

thanks nuno!

Heather :D

[Jazzey]

aaaww,

Murdoch is so cute!

[HeatherRose]

lol THANKS!!!

He says ''well yah, I KNEW that already"

Heather :D