Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi. In the past I had a leopard gecko that I ended up giving away because I couldn't deal with the crickets. I was so worried that the crickets would be able to jump out of the cage that I decided to rip off the crickets back legs before feeding them.

This became a extremely gross pain in the butt and I decided I'd rather give the gecko a new home rather than freak out about crickets. I know it's sounds pathetic, but I was actually to the point of crying when thinking about dealing with those freaking insects.

Now after about 2 years, I've decided I would ask some people who regularly deal with crickets, because I am entertaining the idea of getting another gecko, this time a Crested.

I NEVER want a cricket to be loose in the house. Is this something I can get around? Or if I keep them inside are a few bound to get loose?

If I keep the cricket bin out in the garage all year, will they be able to live (in the cold of winter and the heat of summer)? Would I need to provide heat or a fan? (I live in Northern Ohio.)

What about in my gecko's cage? If I use a feeding bowl, like "mikecosia" suggests, can the crickets get out of the bowl? I'm guessing that they can get out by jumping, but is it likely? Or do they just stay in the bowl?
If the cricket does get out of the bowl, is it likely that it would stay on the ground rather than venture up on the vines and other cage decorations? (Basically I'm worried that if a cricket isn't eaten it can get up to the top of the cage and then jump out when I later open up the cage.)

What about roaches instead of crickets? Would they possibly be a better feeder insect for me to deal with than crickets? How do they compare regarding escapes? I know that all roaches have the ability to fly, but do they fly in actuality?

I know that Cresteds are one of the few geckos that can get by with just fortified baby food or the Crested Gecko diet, but I'd rather not leave out the insect part of their diet just because I think they would be missing something.

Sorry if sound like a baby when it comes to these insects, but they really creep me out. Ironically I was the one who made things worse for myself, because I never had a problem with crickets until I tried to break off their back legs.

Thanks in advance. Any help is appreciated. I really like everything I've read about Cresteds and would love to have one.

Crickets are bound to get out if they're alive. It's just a fact of life I've come to accept. Even if you put them in a bowl, some will jump out. They can't crawl out because of the smooth sides, but once the gecko of you hand reaches towards it, some "panic" and jump out. And they love to go hide in crevices, above or below.

You do have alternatives. Feeder roaches and several others don't climb so they're an alternative. I think another very good alternative and nutritionally superior source would be silkworms. They're cheaper if you buy them in bulk like at www.mulberryfarms.com. Also, adult crested geckos need much less insects than the babies seem to need.

Aren't silkworms huge though?

What is the smallest size of a silkworm?

There are two ways I have read here on this forum to feed crested geckos a non-insect diet. One is using the Crested Gecko Diet (sorry, 'can't recall who makes it but a search of this forum should produce that answer and other information about CGD). Or using a mix of fruit and meat baby food.

The only problems with non insect diets is a slower growth rate in crested geckos. They seem to eventually reach the same size and weight of insect fed geckos, just takes longer. Others here who have experimented and/or used the non insect diets for crested geckos will be better able to provide details than I. Searching on this forum should produce the past threads discussing this vary issue for you to browse as well.

If it's insects that bother you, than Cresteds are the perfect gecko for you. None of my Rhacs have seen a cricket it quite a while. I have had my last 12 babies on the Gargoyle Gecko Diet right out of the egg. They do absolutely great on it and they are very active. What is the something that you think they would be missing? Is it something nutritional or are you thinking emotionally?
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Bill DiFabio
Azteclizard.com
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I figure that if they are only eating fortified baby food or even the crested gecko diet that they will be lacking something nutrient wise. Even if they are getting all the nutrients they need, I'm sure they will be getting way too many unnatural food items such as preservatives, etc. that I'm sure are added to the CG diet. If I'm wrong about this please let me know (I've never looked at the contents of the gecko diet).

There is nothing nutrient wise that your gecko would e missing on the CGD. In fact, the diet makes it easier to insure that you gecko is getting all the nutrients it needs, plus other good stuff like probiotics and plant extracts. There is abslolutely zero artificial preservatives in the diet and all ingredients are natural human food grade. Here is a list of ingredients. The calcium casienate has since been replaced with isolated whey as the primary protien source. Hope this helps and let me know if you have any more questions. This list was originally posted in the old forum by Allen Rapeshy, the person that formulated and researched the diet on his own colony of Rhacs

Ingredients:

Banana Powder, Honey Powder, HempSeed Meal, Bee Pollen, Calcium Caseinate, Fig Powder, Wheat Germ Meal, Alfalfa
Meal, Nutritional Yeast, Amaranth Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Yeast Culture, Spirulina Algae, RoseHips
powder, Kelp meal, Haemotococcus Algae, Marigold Extract, Rosemary Extract, Yucca Extract, Natural Mixed Tocopherols
(as a preservative), D-Activated Animal Sterol (Source of Vitamin D-3) ,Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried
Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Thermophilum
Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Longum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation
Product and Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product.

Crude protein, min. 20%
Crude fat, min. 4%
Crude fiber, max 15%
Moisture, max 10%
Ash, max 6%
Calcium (Ca) min. 1.8%
Calcium (Ca) max. 2.3%
Phosphorus (P), min. .7%
vitamin D-3, min. 3500 IU/Kilo

Net Weight 50 Grams (1.75 oz.)

Makes over 1/2 pound of food!

Complete Food, no supplementation needed!

Eliminates the need for insects in diet!

All natural human grade food ingredients!
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Bill DiFabio
Azteclizard.com
Email Me

Thanks for the info.

I guess I was wrong.

Now all I need to do is fine a breeder who is feeding crested gecko diet to their babies and not just crickets.

That's the problem that happened to me previously. The leopard gecko I got was an adult and it had never eaten anything but crickets. It would not go near wax worms or mealworms at all. Actually, it seemed afraid of the worms. I learned this after I bought it, when I was later talking to the breeder. Serves me right for not asking what he fed the gecko before buying it.

That would be me. All the babies I have now are all feeding on the Gargoyle gecko diet. The diet is basically the same as the crested diet, just higher in protein.
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Bill DiFabio
Azteclizard.com
Email Me

I would just like to add that the crested gecko diet was just released in the market and it's not like people has been using it for years. So it's still something that I would consider "experimental". I'll admit I still use it, but I also use baby food along with crickets.

It's hardly experimental. It was tested for years on the largest crested gecko collection in North American before being released to market. Nutrients are nutrients, there is nothing in the formulation that could harm your gecko. It contains protien, carbs, and fats which covers macro nutrients. It contains vitamins and minerals which covers the micro nutrients. I'm not following why or what you think is "experimental" about the diet.
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Bill DiFabio
Azteclizard.com
Email Me

I just wanted to stress that this is a new product on the market.