dusting crickets

[rawsunset]

Okay, I have "ReptoCal" which contains calcium and vitamin D3. Can I use this to dust the crickets for my leopard gecko? I remember for crested geckos, the calcium & vitamins should be in separate supplements. She's about 8-10 weeks old, should I dust everytime I feed her or every other feeding? Or once a month (as suggested by the guy who sold it to me - he said it's enough, since I'm gut-loading the crickets). And can I use the ReptoCal to put into a dish in the tank, or do I need to get a separate calcium only supplement? Thanks a lot everyone.

[BallPythonBabe448]

I have "ReptoCal" Also. Yes, you should dust the crickets everyday for babies, and then eventually when they are adults, once every other week, decrease it as they grow. But you should have a bowl of calcium without D3 in the tank at all times.

[rawsunset]

oh okay. thank you!

[rawsunset]

okay, I was reading an old forum. but now I'm wondering? what's the difference between gut-loading and regular feeding of crickets? I always thought they were the same

[Brandon.O]

As far as i know, feeding is just to maintain them and keep them alive and gut loading is to give them really really healthy stuff for your gecko to eat and when the gecko eats it its getting all the good stuff the cricket ate.

[ffighterstu]

Yeah, make sure that the crickets or whatever eat something healthy within 24 hours of feeding them to your little guy.

[rawsunset]

What are examples of really healthy food for gut-loading? I keep cricket food and water in there. I remember reading someone's comment (in this forum I think?) that gut-loaded crickets will die quicker?

[RobertCoombs]

high vitamin content fresh vegetables ... leafy greens ,carrots etc.. Id suggest you drop the cricket food .. its no more than unmedicated laying mash for chickens that been ground up and repackaged for "cricket food " at a10000000% mark up. It will save you some pennies to drop by the local feed store

[rawsunset]

thank you. yeah I wasn't planning on getting more cricket food, I only bought what I have now because it was $2.50 (included cricket water too) and I was ordering crickets online. It's lasting me a very long time so it wasn't a bad deal for me.