Right: the Brown or House Cricket is the most
commonly used feeder insect in the world. Image
courtesy of Livefoods Unlimited.
Below right: Wood Cockroaches are
Another popular option. Image by Ed Baker.
Source: Creative Commons (https://creativecommons.org/
licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en).
phosphorus. On average, feeder crickets have a
calcium to phosphorous ratio of 1:9, which results in
a calcium deficit in your reptile’s diet. This is why
crickets must always be dusted with a calcium
supplement prior to feeding. The optimal calcium to
phosphorous ratio is 2:1, which not only allows a
reptile to process the phosphorous it consumes, but
also provides sufficient additional calcium for
healthy function, growth and development.
Vitamin D3.
This is perhaps the most important vitamin for a
reptile’s overall health, and is vital for the transport
of calcium. In the wild, exposure to ultraviolet (UV)
light from the sun is essential to enable many
reptiles to synthesise vitamin D3. In captivity, a
good quality UVB globe or tube must be provided,
however, in some cases this is insufficient and
further vitamin D3 supplementation is required. For
some nocturnal species that do not receive any
UVB exposure, dietary vitamin D3 supplementation
is important. It is important to note that vitamin D3
can be toxic to reptiles if supplied in excessively
high doses, so keepers must be careful to manage
this according to the species involved and its
specific requirements.
Vitamin A
Necessary for good skin and eye health in reptiles,
a deficiency of vitamin A can result in shedding
problems as well as issues with eyesight.
Gut Loading
Rearing feeder insects on wholesome and nutritious
foods is another key consideration for optimum
reptile health. Any nutrition consumed by and
contained in the insects will ultimately benefit the
reptile as well. Whilst many live insects are ‘gut
loaded’ when you purchase them fresh, after a day
or so that nutrition has been lost as waste and must
be replaced. There are a multitude of ‘gut load’ or
‘insect booster’ products available, which should be
fed to feeder insects prior to offering them to your
reptiles. It is essential to provide a balanced diet to
your feeder insects; a piece of carrot will give them
little more than just moisture. Gut load products
come in a range of forms including powders and
gels.
Live Foods for Reptiles
Crickets.
Undoubtedly the most commonly used feeder insect
in the world, the Brown or House Cricket makes a
popular food choice for a variety of reptiles and
amphibians. Crickets are widely available, come in
a range of sizes and are readily accepted by many
different species. Whilst crickets are an easy feeder
insect option, they do have limitations and it is
important that they do not comprise the sole insect
food source for your reptile, but rather form part of a
varied insect diet. Because of their very poor
calcium to phosphorous ratio, crickets must be
dusted with a calcium and multivitamin supplement
before every feed. Adult crickets also develop a
hard wing-casing made from chitin, which is
indigestible and may cause gastrointestinal block-
ages in young or very small animals. Therefore, it is
important to select appropriately-sized crickets to
feed your animals.
Wood Cockroaches.
Woodies are another popular live insect food option.
They are easily bred in large colonies and are a
great way to offer variety in your animals’ diet.
Wood Cockroaches have similar nutritional benefit
to crickets; they are slightly lower in protein and
must also be dusted with a supplement before being
fed to reptiles. Woodies move much faster than
crickets, so some smaller animals may struggle to
catch them.