Insect Gut Loading // Setups and How-To

Hi guys! **UPDATED VERSION OF THIS VIDEO** • Gut Loading! The Most ...
This is a video I've been meaning to make for a little bit now, but always end up making something else. Gut loading your insects before feeding them to your reptiles is so so very important, so I just wanted to talk about how to do that. I hope this video helps someone out there, because, as I say in the video, I knew nothing about this when I started keeping reptiles.
Thanks for watching! :)
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[@petergilpin6706]

Who else is watching this in 2020???

[@cinnamon5100]

me cause im getting a bearded dragon soon

[@mariahrose5909]

Me cause I'm getting a leopard gecko

[@Nike_IV]

Me

[@mushroomthingy3133]

Me cause I’m getting a tokay gecko

[@chfleets6099]

Me

[@kalebguevara2527]

I stayed up all night trying to find a helpful video and that’s what I’ve found here

[@ellesreptiles]

I'm so glad I could help! 😊

[@Thenataliehooper]

Yay I've been wanting to see a video like this! Good morning , hope you're having a wonderful Sunday!

[@ellesreptiles]

Thank you so much! 😊 I hope you're having a great day as well.

[@Thenataliehooper]

Elle 622 thank you ! 😊

[@colleenm9144]

Great video as always. I mainly feed my beardies roaches and superworms. I always gut loaded my feeders because I'm an obsessive beardie mom. I've researched just about everything there is on the internet. It's also extremely important where you order the feeders. I order now from Joshes Frogs like you recommended and never had a problem. Thank you for another very informative video.

[@ellesreptiles]

Thank you so much! 😊 Obsessive beardie mom = great beardie home.

[@colleenm9144]

@@ellesreptiles thanks Elle. My beardies are lucky💜

[@CheddaBitz]

Thanks so much for going over several different kinds of feeders! I tried feeding crickets to my new leopard gecko today and it was only slightly traumatic 😂 (she's used to crickets, I'm definitely not). So after we get through these crickets I now know a few other things we can try that I might have an easier time handling

[@sdmpodcast554]

I feed my mealworms carrots and lettuce 🥬 they’re on oatmeal

[@kevinbrown3150]

I use Dubia Dust on all my feeders. Adds extra nutrition, and my reptiles devour their food with the dust on them. Win, win. :-)

[@gecko-guy362]

To gut load crickets could you use betta fish food

[@aaronpry2286]

This video was so helpful thank you so much

[@marisolrocha9157]

Luv the vid!!! 💖😊 This is a great add on to the panther chameleon!!

[@ellesreptiles]

Thank you 😊

[@mago5759]

Thanks so much. Ive been trying to figure out how to gut load insect since im thinking of getting a leopard gecko and this was very helpful

[@Tom-vg5nb]

Elle, I have recently started my hand at raising a beardie. I named it bubbles. So, you said order your bugs online. I have your Dubai dude site for the roaches. Do you have a good place to order crickets that are safe?

[@ellesreptiles]

Joshsfrogs.com is always my go to. They have crickets and a large variety of other bugs, too 😊

[@allyg9457]

Is there a supplier that you suggest using to buy large quantities of Dubia roaches? Getting a fat tailed gecko soon and need to prepare! ☺️

[@stacyrenee3390]

Subscribed right away! So helpful! U made me realize how much more I could be doing for my beardy! And how much I really wasn't doing for him. 🙄🧐😕 Thanks so much!

[@ellesreptiles]

Thanks so much and welcome to the channel! ♥️

[@twaynewade2544]

Your accent is beautiful

[@ellesreptiles]

Thank you! 😊

[@elainacooper]

Hi I’m new ! I just got a baby leopard gecko and I’m so glade I watch this bc I didn’t know about gut loading

[@JuanMotime-yz5pp]

This is one of the main channels for all my Bearded Dragon info.

[@indredcold3191]

I love your accent. God I miss the south 😭 THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION 👍😊

[@matthewotremba9230]

Speaking of dubia's There are thousands, in my colony Stand the egg crates on end and put a simple , smaller cardboard divider between each , the egg crates slide out easy without binding , and all can climb up to the fruits and veggies placed on top of them . The other floor space reserved for water crystal dish and treat food dish . Treats for mine are any mouse and worm parts that do not get eaten by my baby/adult garters , the dried Pangea mix that my geckos leave behind , fish flakes , krill ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, THEY WILL EAT YOUR GARBAGE . Which they do , as I get the veggie scraps from my favorite deli , FREE Do not forget Buffalo beetles for clean up !~

[@Crystalspets]

Great video my friend we can all learn from this video 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

[@ellesreptiles]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@Sakeya_2cute]

QUESTION! 🙋🏽‍♀️Do you keep the mealworms and super worms in the critter carrier together? Or just the meal worms? And how often do you change out the Oatmeal and stuff inside the carrier? ☺️

[@joel-human]

Is it alright to just feed your dragon dubia roaches as the insect part of their diet? Like with gutloading and dusting and all. Just not crickets or anything else like, other than on occasions. The rest of the diet being mostly veggies and some fruit, is it ok to just feed dubias as the “insects”

[@lunasullivan2379]

I’m really scared about keeping Dubia roaches because roaches are really creepy and I’m scared that they might escape and also do you feed the beetles that your mealworms turn into to your bearded dragon?

[@shutup5963]

thats what im wondering, lmk if you found anything useful

[@lunasullivan2379]

@@shutup5963 I found out that the beetles will actually lay eggs that turn into mealworms so you can actually breed your own mealworms

[@narutobear9300]

I know this is old but does anyone know where I can buy cheap feeder crickets?

[@Maulex-nq6eu]

Mine dos the same thing I'm like bro I spent money on this lol

[@midnightwolf5127]

Thanks for the help! You the best!

[@danieltaylor4185]

I've heard bad things about the formation of Fluker's cricket diets, including the grainy stuff and the orange cubes. I usually have some of the grainy kind it on the ground, but offer other vegetables, which most of the insects seem to prefer. Some animals may not tolerate some things found in certain fruits and vegetables - I know that leopard geckos should not eat insects that are gut-loaded with citrus fruits, broccoli, onions, peppers (of any kind, not just chili peppers), nappa cabbage, red cabbage, or potato. It's not an exhaustive list, but those are some examples that I've heard are bad news for your gecko for various reasons - low vitamin content, chemicals that make them sick, oxalates, etc. I've also heard that, like with feeding fruits and vegetables to a bearded dragon, you should be aware of acidic fruits and vegetables like tomatoes and blueberries; not that you can't gut-load with them, it's just that you shouldn't do it very often.

[@scout1710]

How on earth do u expect us to dust a jumping cricket with calcium powder??

[@ellesreptiles]

You put the crickets in a bag or a bowl with calcium powder, and gently shake it. They are then dusted. 😊

[@TheOtomeBug]

Where do you buy your crickets and roaches?

[@ellesreptiles]

Currently I get my crickets and sometimes roaches from my local pet store. I usually get roaches from thedubiadude.com I have a code there - ELLE - if you end up ordering, you can get 10% off

[@savannahcharter5623]

I can’t get my Dubai’s to breed have suggestions I about to run out I provide heat water humidity food

[@mariahrose5909]

If you haven't already heat up there tank i believe with a heat mat and a thermostat as i don't know what temperatures you need i know you need to heat up the tank/bin.

[@LoreMaster2023]

Do you even have to gut load crickets? the care sheet I'm looking at says just dust them so do I have to gut load them or not IDK and I have looked it up and Google is not giving me a straight answer and I really hope to get a bearded dragon as a baby because I don't just want to skip to adulthood

[@teraterakhan]

DragonRaider7567 Yes. Gutload your feeder insects.

[@matthewotremba9230]

if you throw a bunch of fish flakes in , they disappear ,and WALLLAH , gut loaded

[@jordynw3948]

I’m a year late but does the critter cage work for waxworms?

[@kellywicker8985]

Enjoyed your video on gut loading our feeders!

[@mikeyanddaddy]

I love it...doobie roaches....lmao...du-bye roach's properly....lmao

[@sare7043]

i love ur southern accent 😍

[@rachelfajardo9640]

Very helpful, thank you!

[@aleshiacote-young9962]

I need that snake skeleton decor

[@cowabungacooking5817]

Thank you a lot!

[@taeviansworldofreptiles3828]

New to your channel! Loving what I'm seeing. Keep up the great work!

[@ellesreptiles]

Thank you! 😊

[@mariahrose5909]

( sorry I know this is an old video ) So with dusting salads and insects for baby and adult beardies on the days i am dusting vitamin do i do every meal on that day with vitamin or calcium?

[@morgansullivan3473]

How often should you feed you feeders

[@ellesreptiles]

I just feed them whenever they run out of food 😊

[@morgansullivan3473]

Elle's Reptiles ok thanks!!

[@BedroomBeardies]

Awesome video Elle, as always! Yeah, I share your opinion about roaches over crickets. Crickets are some nasty, smelly little things to keep. That's why I started breeding dubia's about two years ago. A small amount of crickets together smell bad enough, I couldn't imagine breeding them. We used to gut load when are bins were strictly feeders, but these days I just keep our colony (actually just started fresh with a new colony) on a steady diet of fresh fruits and veggies, with a homemade roach mix. Again, great video :)

[@ellesreptiles]

Thanks so much! I never imagined myself having a bin of roaches in my house. When I first started looking into them, the idea of it was so gross. Now I'll keep roaches over crickets any day. 😊 enjoy the rest of your day!

[@warriorexotics2395]

Banded crickets don’t smell too bad, they are quieter, and they are much less likely to die like the ones you buy from the pet shop.

[@elainacooper]

Hi I’m new ! I just got a baby leopard gecko and I’m so glade I watch this bc I didn’t know about gut loading

[@elvieburnine2443]

If I feed my crickets spinach, will it hurt my dragon if she eats the crickets?

[@itsjulio9236]

I have a veiled chameleon. But they don't make food pellets for them so I can feed the crickets. What other sort of food pellets can I feed the crickets to gutload them for my chameleon?

[@florcorazon1397]

Hi Elle, A few days ago I purchased my bd doodoo 50 sw & removed them from the store container they came in, but in the same oatbrand/oatmeal that I purchased them in, I placed them in a different low, 10 inches long plastic container and placed a few pieces of apple, and today I placed a slice of banana peel for moisture and potassium for them, but for like 2 days ago I have noticed a funny smell....is this normal for sw to send off a smell? The oats have not gotten wet or anything.....please tell me if this is normal?

[@Stiankleveland]

Cut up and feed the feeders' apples or any kind of fruit or vegies. Dont buy comercial animal food to feed your live food. That is stupid.

[@ellesreptiles]

You can use whichever you want (as I stated in the video). As someone with 4 kids, over 20 animals, and lots of hobbies, sometimes scooping out commercial food is much more convenient than chopping veggies. Not everyone's life runs like yours, and to say that the way that someone does something is stupid, because it doesn't fit YOUR life and YOUR preferences... well that's pretty narrow minded isn't it? At the end of the day, the feeders are getting fed and the animals are healthy. I hope you have a fantastic day! 😊

[@Stiankleveland]

@@ellesreptiles The fact that you say that you have kids and 30 animals is not an excuse to not beeing able to feed your feeders fresh cutted fruits or veggies. It is beyond stupidity to purchase feeders for your reptiles, to then buy feeders for your feeders. Specialy when you have children. That is a waste of money. Bad fruits, and veggies you can get anywhere for free. Imagine the money you could have saved up for your kids in sted of wasting money on comercial products.

[@ellesreptiles]

🤣 since you want to talk about "saving money" sure! I don't have to imagine - I keep track. I usually spend $1-$2 on the bucket of food (bought from local pet store or Walmart clearance bins. They always have these in their clearance aisles. I once paid $.50/jar for 6 jars.). Those lasts for months. I also spend 8.99 on a gallon of cricket food at Josh's Frogs. That lasts no less than 8 months - a year. Soooo... I could save $15 a year? BUT I also said "sometimes it's easier" - as in I also feed scrap veggies. The last time I placed that $8.99 order from joshs frogs was well over a year ago and I still have some left. So we're looking at me spending about $7.50 a year. $0.63 a month. And that's estimating high. Again, I don't claim to know everyone's situation, and I don't have a "my way or the highway" narrow minded way of thinking. But for my own personal life situation, $.14 a week is worth the time saved.

[@Stiankleveland]

@@ellesreptiles Here in norway what you purchased from the stores cost 900x more here. The commercial food for the feeders would be 100 dollars here. That is why i reacted. Allso you come across as a bitch.

[@squeaky313able]

So as a beginner can I just buy the small insect keeper container and keep the feeders in there? Or no that's not substantial for dubia roaches too. I have a baby bearded dragon and I hate going to the pet store every single day

[@davidb8815]

Feeding the reptile food your reptiles won't eat to the feeders you're going to feed to the same reptiles to get them the same nutrients anyway is ingenius!

[@markhull7430]

Thank you...very informative. And super nice to watch.

[@christinehlin4710]

I just wanted to share my hack with you about feeding cups...if you purchase a candy mold that is rounded you can cut them to fit inside the feeding cups. Then, once the food in the candy mold is dry, you can squeeze the candy mold and the dried food will pop out. Then all you have to do is wash, dry, and reuse the mold.

[@tinahaynes175]

watched it again and took notes! Thanks Elle!

[@shainhelm8235]

awesome video thank you so much

[@natalieelliotthandy229]

Question- how do you train your bearded dragon not to poop in their enclosure? I see they potty in the bath but you said you bathe every other day. What about off days?

[@ellesreptiles]

My beardie only goes poop about once a weekish (sometimes more, sometimes less depending on what I'm feeding). But I didn't train her to go in the bath, she just doesn't like to go in her tank haha. So I just look for the warning signs (her randomly leaping off her log and running back and forth across the tank. She'll even start poking at the glass). And then I jump up and fill the sink, put her in, and she just goes. 😊

[@tinahaynes175]

SO, SO helpful!! I'm getting my first baby, Loki, in 3 days and I thought I had everything ready. But as always there's last minute things you forget! Thank you again for making such great informative videos!

[@brooklynhurst8964]

how is Loki doing?

[@Zach-sx8cm]

any feeders in the chat?

[@Nike_IV]

No, I don’t think so

[@agostokristov7292]

I just need How Long you Need to Gutloaded your Insect till it Finally Full with Food 😭

[@melaniethurmond8528]

24-48 hours

[@charliemisch7325]

I love your accent

[@alonna4405]

Why shouldn't you feed your bugs lettuces?

[@ellesreptiles]

Just because iceberg lettuce is basically only water. When gutloading, you want to feed them things that are highly nutritious so that they can, in turn, be highly nutritious for your animal. You can feed things like lettuce, just not ONLY lettuce 😊

[@alyssasdcpadventure417]

Are the roaches too big for the babies?

[@ellesreptiles]

Not if you get the small ones 😊

[@uhhh..]

thank you so much for this video, this helps me out a lot!

[@ellesreptiles]

Awesome! I'm glad it helps! 😊

[@warriorexotics2395]

Great video! I will say if people are planning to breed food a lot of people are starting to keep feeder insects in a bioactive setup then you don’t have to clean it you just need to take out what you need.

[@ellesreptiles]

Hmmm... That's interesting. I've never thought about going bioactive for my feeders. That's something I'll definitely be looking into. Thanks!

[@warriorexotics2395]

Elle 622 yeah no problem I’m looking into it too.

[@luwildy]

Can you feed the beetles to your reptile?

[@ellesreptiles]

Yes! Many won't eat them though, but if yours does, it's perfectly safe 😊

[@raykate]

where can i find dubia roaches? dubia dudes is all sold out. 😭

[@ellesreptiles]

You can try joshsfrogs.com I've never ordered dubia from them, but the other feeders that I have ordered are always healthy 😊

[@raykate]

@@ellesreptiles oh dang, I wasn't expected you to respond...especially so quickly! 😆 I ended up going with topflight dubia, so hopefully it's a success. can you put 500 medium-sized roaches in one large sterilite bin?

[@Elisessentials]

U killing the trees by using napskans

[@markhull7430]

Good point. I should start using cloth. Thanks