Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi I just got a new leopard gecko yesterday and i was wondering which one i should feed him crickets or mealworms.Which would be easier to feed him?

I feed mine Meal Worms. They are more readily available to me and cheeper than crickets and the lizards seem to love and thrive off them. Every now and then I give mine pinkies as well but only 1-2 day old pinkies for an adult Gecko
My Research and Collection "New server"

i would have both crickets and meal worms available. some geckos dont like meal worms and some dont like crickets. most of my geckos dont like meal worms, they dont even go near them. then there are a few who will eat a mealworm once in a while. crickets are actually way cheapper for me becuase i live near a cricket farm. actually they have mealies too but they are more money. i have 21 geckos and only 3-4 will eat the meal worms once in a great while.

I just fed him crickets and he ate all of them in less than 5 minutes.When should i start trying to hold him a little?i have had him sense sunday.

You're probably good to start handleing them. A few tips though. Wash your hands with really warm water. Geckos tend to squirm if your hands are cold and you could accidently drop them. Also, approch your gecko slowly and of course never pick it up by the tail or pull on it's tail. My geckos like it when you run your finger along their spine, both will arch their back up into it. Lastly you might want to lay out a towel or something to set them on or in if they get squirmy. Most geckos are good with holding, but ones that arn't handles much with be move inclined to try and crawl around rather then sit and chill. Also, babies are kinda fast so if your gecko is young be warned. Lastly, males tend to be less moody then females and are more handlable.
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1.0 African Fat-tailed Gecko (Mike)
0.1 Leopard Gecko (super hypo tang - Autumn)
1.1 Red Ear Slider (Dirk The Daring and Iria)
2.0 Cats (Scruffy and Sonic)
3.7 Dogs (husky mutts ; one timber wolf [german shepard hybred?])
Salt and Fresh water fish

Truthfully, I find it easier to just avoid the pinkies altogether. They aren't necessary and there is still a risk of impaction, no matter what the age of the gecko.

As for the staple, it has been found that geckos who live soley on mealworms live longer than those on crickets. BUT the very BEST staple on the market for a leo is silkworms. THey're sometimes hard to find, usually needing to be ordered from a website, but they're great and have barely, if any, chitin (the stuff that makes up an insect's exoskeleton). Now, be careful with mealworms that you don't give your leo a worm that is too big for it. A baby gecko should best eat medium or small mealies. I didn't give my leo any large mealies until he was around 7 inches long. Never get giant mealworms or superworms. Superworms are not mealworms, just to inform you.
I currently feed my male albino a mixture of crickets and mealworms.
The key to remember is...no food bigger than the space between your leo's eyes! ^_^ Hope I've helped! Feel free to email me if you any questions or even just want to chat about your leo. leogeckogirl@gmail.com