Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've been feeding my leo Jak a diet of crix and mealworms, and he loves um both. Should i stop feeding crix? He hasn't had any problems yet, but should I stop to ensure that he doesn't develope problems? He's also a Petco leo (yeah i know, don't buy from there blah blah blah, i didn't know better) but like i said he's doing well. His tail is fattening up and colors are changing nicely. I've had him for 6-7 weeks now, should I bring him in to the vet to get checked out? (I knowi asked this earlier, but the post got burried, and I think there was only one response)

I also have not noticed Jak out at night, he seems to spend most of his time in his humid hide. He knows when it's feeding time, and will come right out for that, but then spends the rest of the night in the hide. I know he could be out when I'm asleep, but i've woken up at 3 in the morning before, and he wasn't out. Also, being a college student, i tend to be up late at night doing work on my computer, I always leave the lights in my room off, but is the glow from my computer monitors still too much light at night?

Thanks for your input, hopefully this post doesn't get burried too quickly like many of my other ones.

This pic is a little dark, but you get the general idea of what he looks like.

After I read it, I got worried too - it's a good thing I switched to a diet that consists of mealworms only! I think if you want to keep crickets, make sure that their feed doesn't get wet and then placed in a warm/humid area. That may decrease the chances of the poison growing in the feed for the crickets to ingest as GoldenGateGeckos was referring to. Also, be sure that you get it from a really good, experienced, and well-known seller (hopefully they have a smaller chance of having bad crix). But then again, you'd never know. It may be safer to stick to mealies, but it's totally up to you. You can bring your leo into the vet if you're worried about him and want to do a bacterial or a fecal exam - but if his tail fattens up and he doesn't have any wet/runny stools...then he should be okay

When Jak comes out of his hide, try and 1) pick him up :r:: 2) let him walk on your hand and just let him roam around your hands/arms - he'll get interested in exploring and may become more active. Try this before you feed him, then when you set him down, put the mealies or crix in and when he's done eating he'll settle into his warm hide OR roam around the cage and try to go through or climb the walls of the tank. I'm also a college student and have noticed the same things in my leo as you noticed in yours. I tried this out and it worked...now he's more active and loves to walk around. He'll go back in the hide sometimes - but while you're sleeping, he'll be out - and you'll know that too if you have some mealies missing from the food bowl if you leave some extra in during the night. The glow from your computer monitor shouldn't really effect Jak unless it's right up against the tank (which I doubt coz you need 2 see it!) If you notice it does bother him though, you can leave the computer on, but the monitor off... but I highly doubt that's the case. Mine roams around on my arms and shoulders during the night with my bedroom light on So hopefully all works out and let us know if anything improves!! Take care!!

Aimee
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1.0 Albino Leopard Gecko (Melvin)
1.0 Black Lab / Pitbull mix (Mikey)
1.0 Blue Fighting Fish (Blue Balls)

Don't worry about the computer monitor bothering him. My friend keeps his leos in a room that has a lamp on almost the whole night, and that doesn't keep them from being active. I know my leos will go back into hiding if I keep my bedroom lights on for more than 5-10 minutes, but that's because the room is brightly lit.

If he's eating, pooping, and acting fine, you probably don't have to worry about bringing him into the vet. Bringing his poop in for a check isn't a bad idea though, especially if you have other herps.

It looks like he's still pretty small, so personally, I'd give him more time to adjust before trying to handle him. However, I know some people would recommend holding him regularly for short periods of time until he gets used to you.
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chickabowwow

3.2 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)
and 3 eggs a' cookin'

It is my belief that mealworms are a much cleaner food source. I do not know of any diseases or parasites known to be transmitted by mealworms. That being said, I don't go as far as to say "don't feed crickets". I do think a varied diet is beneficial for leos. Most infections transmitted by crickets are curable. However I do believe that leos fed crix are more likely to need medical care (worms, bacterial infections, etc...) than leos fed only mealworms. The choice is up to you. I do not believe it is wrong not feed crix, you can get some variety into a mealworm diet by varying your mealworm gutload, and you can also feed silkworms, butterworms, supers, and occassionally pinkies for adults. You can also feed waxworms occassionally but they can be more trouble than they are worth because they are addictive, and your gecko may refuse other food afterwards, hoping they'll get more waxworms.

The problem with the mold toxin happenned to Marcia before she recieved the crix, it was being fed on corn-based food from supplier in the South. Though she wouldn't tell me which supplier it was, she did tell me that is wasn't American Cricket Ranch and they are in California so I plan to get future orders from them.

Avoiding corn-based feed for your crix (and mealies) at home seems prudent. Try oatmeal instead, along with fresh fruits and veggies, and make sure the oatmeal stays dry and well ventilated. I also think it is beneficial to add some ground flax seed, but change it out every few days or weekly (flax seed oil is full of omega threes but can go rancid after awhile of exposure to air). If it smells nutty and sweet it is fine, if it smells like turpentine it is rancid. Linseed oil is rancid flax seed oil.
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Sarah Stettler aka Starling
Sarah@stargecko.com
StarGecko.Com COMING SOON! Star Quality Leopard Geckos
Specializing in Hypotangerine Tremper Albinos

for cricket feed i actually use the prepackaged gutload from Flukers. And for water, i use there orange gel stuff, quencher i believe it's called. See anything wrong with using that?I keep the feed and the quencher in two different "dishes" so the feed never gets wet. Any problems here?

I agree Jak should have a varied diet, because I know that I would get bored eating the same thing every day. But I also know I wouldn't want a varied diet that consists of something potentially deadly to me. If I were to get mealies, butterworms, superworms, silk worms online, how long do they last? Every where I've seen sells in minimums of 50 usually. WHile i know i can refrigerate the mealies, I know the supers can't be. What about the others. I dont want them turning into something else before I get to feed them to Jak. He's only one littel gecko, and while he is a pig (has no problem eating 6-8 mealies in a sitting, 4-5 with 4 crix other feedings) I'm ont sure if I'd be able to use the bulk amounts sold online. Any suggestions?

Can't comment on the Fluker's feed, I haven't used it and don't know what is in it. I do use "cricket bites" for my crix and mealies sometimes, it's a cube with moisture and vitamins/nutrients.

With just one gecko, at that age, crix and mealworms, with varied gutload, will produce enough variety. Silkworms are soft-bodied, but fairly large, better for subadults and adults. Mealworms will last a month or more in the fridge. Take out small quantities the day before to gutload. I don't refrigerate mine at all now, I go through them very fast with the number of gex I have here. Even when I only had one gecko I would buy the 500 qty, and store in fridge- they lasted a long time and are cheaper in greater qty. Now I need to get them in 5,000 qty...that should last me a week or two!

Superworms last a fairly long time, especially if you buy them half-grown. I usually don't keep silkies more than a few days, but then I buy them fresh at a local store as an occassional treat for variety. I have not used butterworms, though they are supposed to be good for leopard geckos.

Pinkies are for adults only, and those I feed immediately- same day.
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Sarah Stettler aka Starling
Sarah@stargecko.com
StarGecko.Com COMING SOON! Star Quality Leopard Geckos
Specializing in Hypotangerine Tremper Albinos