Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So my gecko was getting to big for her 10 gal tank, and I felt bad so I went out and bought her a 20 gal, a new cave/hide, new sand, and a new stand. So she got the works. I also bought some mealworms for her, and she had never had them before. So I put her in her new home and walks all over it for about an hour exploring. I give her some mealworms to see if she likes them. SHE LOVES THEM! Thats a good thing, i thought. SO according to our local herp store, we should mix up her diet. Some nights give her crickets, and some giver her worms. It makes sense to me, so why not. The only thing is, she will no longer eat the crickets. The same 5 crickets are still in her tank today that I put in there Sunday night. I got scared because she wasnt eating, and was about to take her to see a vet, or our local herp hero. But on a whim put a worm in the tank to see what would happen......IT DIDNT LAST A MINUTE! She was all over it like a fat kid on a cake. So i put another one in when she turned around, so she couldnt see me do it....that one was gone even faster. The moment i put it down she turned and pounced on it. One more, I kept it inbetween my fingers and she ate it right out of my hand. So can anybody tell me why my little pre-madonna of a gecko wont eat crickets any more? Does she really like works that much more?

She just may lke mealies better than crix. I believe they are better for them and melaies I believe have less of a chance to carry parasites too. Aslong as she is eating dont stress. Your lucky you only haveone like that I have 9 leos now and they all perfer different kind of foods and so forth. I got this going on with mine....

Lenny that will only eat mealies and waxworms

Skittle will eat anything u stick in her cage

Banana that will only mealies, supers (small) but she wont eat when people are looking at her or around so she could see them.

Serenity that is the same as banana but perfers mealies.

Winky that only eats from a bowl after all the lights are off
and its quit.

Sunshine that eats every 3-4 days only crix

Starburst that only like silkworms and pinkies

Daisy that will only eat what she wants

And Weemann that eats everything he can swallow.

so you should see all the feeder food I have lol

Good Luck
-----
3.6 Leos
Winky, Lenny, & Weemann
Sunshine, Serenity, Daisy, Starburts, Skittle, & Banana

So its ok to just feed her mealworms from now on? If thats the case I have no problem with that. I've just always fed her crickets and now shes rejecting them so I kinda paniced I suppose. Mealworms are easier to deal with and cheaper so i suppose everybody wins....

I almost forgot, how many should I feed her? Shes 7 months old, about 5-6 inches long... I was giving her 4-5 large crickets a night before.

I put out 15-20 mealies for my geckos every second night. Boo won't eat every day now but Dot will eat non stop all day if i let her. I feed her every day sometimes breaking it up to 10 mealies twice a day. She's not that small but man is she packing back the food....and no she doesn't appear to be gravid at all. Abby on the other hand will only eat a few maybe 3-4 a night if that. She's one that won't eat unless all the lights are out and its quiet. Nala is like that too, however i suspect that she is a HE. I was able to hold bronx my other blizzard and it looks like he is a SHE so i might have gotten them mixed up when i bought the group. Lily will eat everything in her bowl while Zoe usually leaves a few behind. Each of them are a bit different. So try just a few at first, if they eat them all put in some more until they don't eat any.

Red
-----
Crested Gecko Zeek:1.0
LEOS: Boo: 1.0 normal , Bronx & Nala: 1.1 blizzard,
Lily: 0.1 patternless, Abby: 0.1 albino, Zoe: 0.1 reduced pattern, Dot: 0.1 hypo
Chip: 1.0 papillion (small dog)

with putting 10 or so in there. If she eats more than that put in more keep doing this until she is full (about 15 minutes or so). after do this every day or every other day you should be able to figure out what she likes to eat. Mealies can be used as a stable diet with no problem, just make sure that u dust them every other feeding.
-----
3.6 Leos
Winky, Lenny, & Weemann
Sunshine, Serenity, Daisy, Starburts, Skittle, & Banana

my 2 babies about 5 months old will destroy 40-50 mealies in a sitting if giving the chance,they ate so much i had to cut them back to a max of 30 a night so my 1000 shipment will last the month to feed 4 leos.the other 2 (adults) eat 5-10 depending on thier mood but one of them is sick or something and rarely eats,1-3 on a good day but doesnt seem to be losing weight anymore but not gaining it either,ask my uromastyx what he thinks of mealworms?think the babies are bad he would eat the 1000 in a sitting and look for more,i never seen a animal gulp 20 mealies in under a minute flat.i learned not to give him so much so he's limited to a few a week plus whatever alien mealworms or beetles i find.
-----
1.3 Leopard Gecko's
1.0 mali uromastyx
0.0.3 tokay's(adults unsexed)

n/p

np
-----
1.3 Leopard Gecko's
1.0 mali uromastyx
0.0.3 tokay's(adults unsexed)

The leo could be bored of crickets, too. Crickets are supposed to be more nutritious, but often carry parasites when mealies rarely do. You could feed all mealies, though, or you could feed mealies as a staple and provide a couple of crix every once-in-a-while just as an extra.
-----
Got hips like Cinderella / Must be having a good shame / Talking sweet about nothing / Cookie I think you're Tame