Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Remember i posted about my leo Boo eating alot of mealworms and i was told it was normal and to increase his meals to 10 mealworms twice a day????

Well i went searching for more mealworms, got the larger ones, posted all about that. What i didn't say was that the guy at the store freaked out when i said how much my leo was eating. He said that no one should feed mealworms like that, only crickets.

So, is it Ok for me to feed mealworms as a staple and crickets every now and then for a change? And as long as my leo is healthy and eating, its still Ok to feed him lots?

Thanks
Red

I have read that Ron Tremper feeds nothing but meal worms to his entire stock. I'm not saying this is good or bad but just that he has produced some great animals using only meal worms.

FYI
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JJay

This is Alma, my Bell Albino

4.5.3 leopard geckos (9 eggs incubating)
0.1 Map turtle

First thing you should learn is to never trust "the guy" at the pet store. I got my leo 5 years ago, and she was raised on crickets until she was 2. I hate crickets and switched to mealworms as the staple in her diet. When I first read up on feeding leopard geckos there was this big deal about mealworms having a shell that is too hard to digest. I switched anyways and have had no problems. She eats about 10-12 everyday and is still very healthy. I think either crickets or mealworms are equally as beneficial, mealworms are just easier to keep. Hope this helps a little.
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3 dogs,1 cat, and 1 leopard gecko ...**TARZANA**

Thankyou. And yes, i should know better than to get worried over what some *kid* tells me at a store. I just had to make sure.

I prefer mealworms as well, although i keep some crickets handy all the time too. What i hate is the beetles that the mealworms turn into......that freaks me out! I'm always worried they will get out and crawl all over the place. I'm really not a squeemish person just not a fan of bugs with legs LOL

Thanks again
Red

Red,place your mealworm container(s)in the refrigerator. This will stop them from molting into beetles. Unless of course you are starting a colony, and then you need the beetles for breeding purposes. Otherwise place the mealies you use for food in the fridge and get them out about an hour ahead of feeding time to let them warm up. Hope this helps. Oh yeah one more thing don't place superworms in the fridge that will kill them. Mealies only.

Tim
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LEOs: 3.2 2 High Yellows (Barney and Betty);2 Hypo Tangerines(Bam-bam and Pebbles); 1. Rescued Normal (Shleprock) more on the way
5 Eggs cookin
BEARDIES 1. Snow and Yellow (Fred)

Thankyou

I do wish to start a colony, so beetles are inevitable LOL My guy eats to many to be buying them all the time. At 10cents a piece it gets expensive. Plus i plan on getting more leos soon so i'm going to need alot

Thanks though. I'm pretty sure i'd get a blast from the rest of the family if i put them in the fridge hehehe.....would make for a good gag i'm sure LOL

Red

Yeah I should have mentioned that you should warn the squeemish people in the family. If you are paying 10 cents a worm that is way to much. You can order them from online reptile supply companies, such as LLL Reptile, or Cricket Ranch. I believe they are running around $20.00 per thousand with discounts for high volume purchases. I have been in Afghanistan and Iraq so I'm not really up on current prices like my wife is. I just wanted to suggest an alternative to breeding them if you were interested. also no matter which way you go, I would shop around for a small fridge. Wal Mart sell them for less than $200.00. That might keep you on better terms with the fam.

Tim
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LEOs: 3.2.0
2 High Yellows (Barney and Betty);2 Hypo Tangerines(Bam-bam and Pebbles); 1. Rescued Normal (Shleprock) more on the way
5 Eggs cookin
BEARDIES 1.0.0
Snow and Yellow (Fred)

I can buy them from a place close by, by the houndreds for a decent price, thats not a problem. Online......i would if there was a canadian supplier but right now i'm not home enough to receive any shipments.....working way to much!!!

I do have a fridge, a bar fridge, small, but i don't have any room for it in my room right now, i have to find some time to rearrange everything. Time, theres just not enough of it in a day LOL.

My mom is pretty much Ok with everything but snakes, my dad, hates bugs period......so what they don't know, i figure can't hurt them hehehe. (((they know i have bugs to feed the geckos, ijust don't get into details LOL and as of yet, no snakes hehe))).

Red

Sounds like you are good to go. I'm heading to the Daytona Show ( I hope) this weekend. Wife wants a Scarlet King and I want to check the deals on Beardies and Leos. Hope Uncle Sam sends me back to Afghanistan maybe I can find some wild Leos?
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LEOs: 3.2.0
2 High Yellows (Barney and Betty);2 Hypo Tangerines(Bam-bam and Pebbles); 1. Rescued Normal (Shleprock) more on the way
5 Eggs cookin
BEARDIES 1.0.0
Snow and Yellow (Fred)

I don't know if anyone in my family ezcept my mom knows I keep mice in the freezer and as for mealworm beetles escaping they don't last long. I'm always losing both the mealworms and beetles but they never turn up the crickets I have however are all over my basement I have convinced my mom though that the ones in the basement are a different species.

i also have crickets all over my basement.. of course my mom blames me ...but i told her no mom those are black crickets..i feed brown crickets... too funny..

My family only knows what i want them to, so for the most part they know nothing....its better that way hehehe (I had a water dragon a long time ago that they knew nothing about LOL)

As for the mealworm beetles i had, the darn things seemed to live forever hehehe
I've had pretty good luck with my crickets, no escapees yet LOL
I do have cherpers though.....The container was beside the bed but i had to move them cause i couldnt' stand the noise.

Red

I guess it can't be all bad then

Thankyou
Red