Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a pair of adult leos and 4 babies about 1.5months old at the moment. I useally head up to the pet store about every other day and get a couple dollars worth of 1" crickets an a couple dollars worth of pinheads. The adults useally eat all the crickets but the babies useally have a few left. I know the babies cant eat superworms which is the only worms my pet store carries. I know worms are suppost to be a treat and not all the time but here's the thing when I buy worms which is useally about 15-20 for a buck should I still buy crickets or wait til next time im at the pet store? I was giving the adults worms and crickets on one trip to the petstore and the other 2 visits in the week just crickets is this a fairly balanced diet? Any input would be great. I cant see my self raising crickets plus a thousand box for my 6 geckos is more than I could use in a couple week plus i need size variety. But I could see my self with a rubbermaid full of worms any suggestions would be great.

I feed superworms and mealworms for a staple meal and my leos get fat. I feed the adults super worms and the juvies and babies mealies. I start hatchlings on crickets because they move more. I keep superworms and mealies in Baby Chick starter. I have a few rubbermaids with about 3 inches of chick starter in the bottom. Put in a couple hunks of potato or carrots,apple. Twic a week. Instant food. I order 1000 of each off of suppiers here on the net, When they get low I order more. Chick feed and laying mash are so high in calcium that you don't even have to give the chickens calcium for laying eggs, plus all the vitamins and minerals. Mealies,supers and crix gut load off this stuff to the max they look like they are gonna pop. I dust with Leopard Gecko Dust from T-Rex and they are good to go.

depending on who you ask, it is ok to feed your geckos a diet of nothing but mealworms. ron tremper does so, and his geckos look great! so that is an option for you.

mealworms are also super easy to breed yourself.

i breed my own mealworms, but i also like to give crickets and even waxworms for variation. i don't feed them superworms anymore...i think they just get too big for my babies. one or two have gotten sick from eating them in the past.

how much are crickets at your pet store? another thing for you to do would be to go through flukers (i don't know if any other feeder company has this same service) and you can order small amounts of crickets to be shipped to your house every week. that way you could get the different sized crickets and you don't have to go to the pet store so often.

hopes this helps (somewhat,)

amanda