Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,

A while back i got another gecko, similar to Leo in colouring (lavender body with darker lavender spots). I've named him Boo cause he plays peek-a-boo from his hide and behind the plants in his tank. I've kept him far away from Leo and so far all checks out fine.
This guy is a huge PIG too!!! The first day i had him he ate 10 mealworms and 2 waxworms all at once. Since then he gets 6 mealworms twice a day. At first he would run and hide anytime i came to the tank, but now he'll sit by the dish and wait for me to put in the food. Then he eats everything, i even have a pic of him after taking 3 mealworms at once into his mouth (its blurry though, i just wish i could have got the pic one second earlier too-3 mealworms sticking out, it was funny!)
My question is should i be concerned that he's eating to much? If i feed him all at once, instead of twice a day, he has HUGE poops, that i'm sure must be uncomfortable hehehe, and then he's at his dish again looking for more. So how much is to much? Should i just keep feeding him until he stops taking it? I don't have a scale yet, picking up one this week, so i don't know how much he weighs, but from the time i got him to now, he's grown alot and is really fat.

Thanks in advance,
Red and Boo

np
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azureus06 I keep: Eublepharis macularius, Phelsuma M. Grandis, Phelsuma Laticauda, Stenodactylus Petrii, Rhacodactylus Ciliatus, Anolis sp., Agalychnis Callidryas, Hyla Cinerea, Mantella Aurantiaca, Mantella madagascariensis, Dendrobates Azureus azureus06

Boo is a leopard gecko. I'll take some more pics once he comes out to eat again, and post them as soon as i can

Red

...than no, you shouldnt be worried, babies/juvies are pigs, but dont eat as much as they mature...
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azureus06 I keep: Eublepharis macularius, Phelsuma M. Grandis, Phelsuma Laticauda, Stenodactylus Petrii, Rhacodactylus Ciliatus, Anolis sp., Agalychnis Callidryas, Hyla Cinerea, Mantella Aurantiaca, Mantella madagascariensis, Dendrobates Azureus azureus06

...are you going to the "The Totally Pets Show" in the Hershey Center in Missisauga (TO)?
http://www.portcreditpets.com/expo.html

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azureus06 I keep: Eublepharis macularius, Phelsuma M. Grandis, Phelsuma Laticauda, Stenodactylus Petrii, Rhacodactylus Ciliatus, Anolis sp., Agalychnis Callidryas, Hyla Cinerea, Mantella Aurantiaca, Mantella madagascariensis, Dendrobates Azureus azureus06

No i don't think i will be. I want to. I was even talking about it today. I don't recall when the date is, nor do i think i'll be able to take the time off work......things are rather insane right now.

Will you be going?

Red

Oops.........you mean the reptile expo? (i just checked out the link you left). I am hoping to attend that one yes. My plans to get off work that day (Sept 7th right?) is still shakey with all the crap going on but i should be able to take at least one day off. I have absolutely NO clue how to get there, ya theres directions and all but me and the QEW ha ha ha.......ya right lol

But yes that one i hope to attend. Theres a larger pet show in TO with all sorts of pets, that one i'd love to go to but i have no info on that one.
Sorry for the confusion......its been a long day at work and i'm wiped out!
Red

Feed him as much as he'll take... Keep count though.. Usually they won't take more than they can handle though you'll get the occassional one who makes a pig of themselves and ends up regurging a few.. In that case.. cut back the amount you gave him that time by 2 or 3 prey items and keep him on that for a couple weeks before trying increased amounts again.. Mine I just give free access to a dish of mealies.. changed out once a day for fresh ones.

Thankyou I was worried that this was abnormal behaviour

Red

6 mealworms a day is probably not near enough for him. You should feed any healthy growing leo as much as they will eat. Next time, try putting 15 mealworms in the dish and see how many he eats in an hour. Occassionally hatchlings will heat more than their stomachs can hold and vomit but it usually takes them only once or twice to figue out how much their tummies hold. I've seen leos eat as many as 20 mealies a day.

Thanks, its good to know youngsters are supposed eat like pigs lol

I feed him 6 twice a day, usually before i leave for work and when i return. He's usually out of his hide when i get home and waits by the dish (like he is right now lol). I feed 6 at a time cause he did vomit shortly after eating 12 at once. This guy will grab lots in his mouth at once too.

I'll do as you suggest and see what he does.

Thanks again.
Red

Means they are healthy and growing. And most subadult gex can handle way more than 6 mealies at a time. I have found BTW that juvvy/subadult geckos will eat even more, and grow even faster, if you feed 2x a day, so if you are on that schedule you could try feeding 10 mealies 2 x a day and see if he eats them all.

Trust me, and if you even have a sick gecko you will know, a gecko with a hearty appetite is something to be grateful for.

Thankyou for posting.

I posted cause i wasn't sure if it was normal for a gecko to eat that much. Having HAD a sick gecko, yes, sadly he passed away, Leo never ate that much to begin with (maybe 5-8 crickets at a time), so seeing Boo eat so much was new to me. Also, he (Boo) never seemed to be satisfied, so now i know to feed him lots more The way he's going i'm sure he'll reach full size in no time, i can't believe how much he's grown already.

Thanks again
Red

Hmm. I know a lot of people that only feed their adult leos every other night. I feed mine every night. My male only eat 3-4 crix anight so thats why I feed him every night he is a finiky eater. And well Sunshine eats everything that moves. I noticed she formed some fat bubbles under her arms which is ok. But she has packed on weight like no ones business. When I bought her about 3 weeks ago she weighed in at 35 grams and 3 weeks later she is at 52 grams. All I have to say is wooowww. I started to cut her back to every other night, because leos can get obese and that isnt good at all. So try taking him off so much food if he doesnt look to fat then try cutting off some of the fatty foods like the wax worms and just give him those as a treat like once a day or every other day.
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2 male leos: Winky HY & Lenny TangCT & 2 Female Leos: Sunshine Super tang & Serenity Tremper HY Jungle Albino

Thankyou

Boo is still quite young (no idea of exact age though). I don't think he's overweight yet, but he will be if he continues with the way he's eating lol.

Anyone have pics of an overweight gecko so i know when to start cutting him back?

This is wonderful though, having a gecko that wants to eat and eat and eat. Sure beats having one that won't eat at all!!!!!!!

Thanks again
Red