Feeding and Nutrition :: crikets

[drkstr7]

is it a good idea to feed res cickets every week??

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Personally I dont offer my turtles meaty foods like crickets that often, they get crickets/shrimp/salmon once a month. If you do decide to feed them crickets, be sure to gutload it before feeding it to your turtles.

Once a week should be okay..one cricket for each turtle.

[scripta_elegans]

Gut loading is more work than I expected. It isn't horrible, but it does involve a different housing unit for crickets, and allowing them to "load" themselves with a variety of healthy foods for a few days. I'd say there are easier sources of prey. Ghost shrimp, Rosies, earthworms, and snails are all very good for them too, and they don't require a new home or preplanning.

[jenaero]

I feed Fluker's Freeze Dried Crickets. They are gutloaded before they are dried. Much easier/less disgusting.

[steve]

The Zoo Med Can O' Crickets (Mini size) are good too, as a treat.

[drkstr7]

i know this is cruel but i like to watxh the crikets get ripped apart

[xsavingsaturdayx]

That wasnt neccesary..

[adam85491]

That wasnt neccesary..

Yeah, but isn't there a video on here of....just that?

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Yeah, there is. But i dont enjoy watching it get ripped apart.

[adam85491]

Yeah, there is. But i dont enjoy watching it get ripped apart.

I know what you mean. I am neutral...I don't really enjoy it but it honestly doesn't bother me too much.

[scripta_elegans]

I understand both sides. The hunt is amazing to watch, but I don't like seeing anything get hurt, so that part is a little gruesome for me. Thankfully it's over so fast at this point, that I don't think they know what hit them!

[DavidY]

I definitely don't get my jollies watching an animal/insect get shredded. But I do like seeing the turtles enjoy their meals if that's what you mean. Same with feeding my snakes. I used to feed live rodents because that's all I could get. I loved watching the snake hunt and strike. And the power in their muscles as they constrict. And it was kind of cool watching them swallow a mouse or rat whole. But I always hated watching the poor rodent suffer. It's a part of nature so I accept it, but I don't get off on seeing any animal suffer. Nowadays I buy my rodents already pre-killed (using CO2 supposed to be like putting them to sleep) and then flash frozen. I thaw them out and dangle them in front of the snake using tongs. The snakes don't know the difference and I still get to enjoy the hunt, strike, constriction and feeding and now no more slow painful death.

[drkstr7]

a few days ago i tryed minnos and ralph ate like 4 then he just went and ripped apart all the other minnows.it was the worst idea to dump 10 minnows in the tank just like that
it was too discusting to clean up so i left it their
and also my turtle has a small cichlid to help him eat he never picks on the cichlid and the cichlid cleans his shell for him