Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So, I got two new females who were raised on mealies.

They don't want crickets.

Has anyone had a gecko who behaves similarly? Were you able to break the mealies only habit?

I have had the opposite problem- going grom crix to mealies, which are easier on me. Not sure how old the gecko is- you could try goingf to supers first, then mealies. The problem is often that the mealies don't move as much, encouraging hunting behavior. You can try offering the mealies on tweezers, and everytime you squeeze the mealworm a little, it will wriggle. That might do it. Most leos do seem to have a preference for some prey more than others, but eventually hunger wins.
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1.0 Hypo stripe, Het RW from JL (BJ)
1.0 HypoTang from Crested (Apricot)
1.0 Tremper Albino from Petsmart (Cloud)
0.1 Hi-Yellow Leopard gecko from Petco (Beatrice)
0.1 Stripe female (rehabilitated rescue)(Pepper)
0.1 Jungle het RW hatched by me! (Jungle Bunny)
0.1 SHCT Leopard Gecko from Petco (Brite)
0.1 Tangy Mutt Leopard Gecko from Petco (Rainbow)
0.1 RW Stripe hatched by me! (unnamed yet)
0.1 Leucistic rescue (unnamed yet)
2.1 Ball Pythons
RIP Peaches, Ghost, Bill
Adopted out: Goldie, Leucy, "Q"
Hatched: ~50

Sorry - rfead that post backwards, lol. If the leos are old enough, a couplew of days of no food being offered may do it. Or your leos may just be lazy? Are they eating from a bowl or what?
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1.0 Hypo stripe, Het RW from JL (BJ)
1.0 HypoTang from Crested (Apricot)
1.0 Tremper Albino from Petsmart (Cloud)
0.1 Hi-Yellow Leopard gecko from Petco (Beatrice)
0.1 Stripe female (rehabilitated rescue)(Pepper)
0.1 Jungle het RW hatched by me! (Jungle Bunny)
0.1 SHCT Leopard Gecko from Petco (Brite)
0.1 Tangy Mutt Leopard Gecko from Petco (Rainbow)
0.1 RW Stripe hatched by me! (unnamed yet)
0.1 Leucistic rescue (unnamed yet)
2.1 Ball Pythons
RIP Peaches, Ghost, Bill
Adopted out: Goldie, Leucy, "Q"
Hatched: ~50

Who knows, I picked the two girls up at NARBC. I know the one was raised on mealworms, but I hadn't asked about the second.

I'll give 'em a few days, and if they don't come around, stick to mealies.

since you got them from a breeder more than likely at the show they are probly use to being in a rack system and not use to nor do they like bright lites also a new gecko may be stressed from the packing and heading tot he show every1 picking him up looking at him etc etc etc give em a few days no handling no opening cage besides to offer mealies in a bowl and what not and try not to disturb them he should come around nice and good. or he just doesnt like you lol

Why do so many people prefer feeding mealworms to crickets? Smell and noise aside, do you not think crickets are better feeders?

i personaly feed both but to me mealies are easier to keep alive no noise and dont run around your house making noise all hours of night lol for all and any of my lizzards i try to offer as many diff thigns as i can for them

I hear that. I'm moving away from crickets to B. Lateralis roaches. They're easier to breed than crickets, so hopefully it should be easier.

Though I hear they move pretty fast. I hope my leopards and cresties can catch em!

when i got my leos they were on adiet of crickets and no mealies, i got them onto mealworms and now they prefer them to crickets so to get them onto crickets again i made sure they were nice n hungry by takin out the mealwom bowl for a day or two then chucked in a few crickets n they were eaten i soon began putting the mealies back after a while but not so many and not so often.