Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone!

I'm posting mostly because I need to vent with people who can understand. LOL We've had our pair of crocodile skinks for about 2 months now and have tried offering several feeders: darkling beetles, crickets, mealworms, hissing roaches (nymphs), silkworms and small hornworms.

So far, the only thing the little bugars will eat are mealworms! At first, they ate the beetles quite enthusiastically because that's all we were offering them (we didn't have any worms yet and the crickets were still just pinheads). Then, when the worms got big enough, we started feeding those, and now, it seems like they're addicted to them. They won't touch anything else, not even the beetles. Well, they'll eat them when there's nothing else available and they're starving.

Obviously, I'm worried that they're not getting enough variety. I mix in a bit of greens and mulched veggies so they get *some* nutrients (other than what's in the mealworms) but they dig it all out and shake off whatever happens to be on the worm.

I'm getting a little tired of buying a new set of feeders and having them not eat it. It's not necessarily a loss, mind you, because our chameleon is LOVING the new treats, but I'm running out of space to store rearing containers. Our entertainment center is starting to look like a bug buffet!! LOL

On a happier note, I've been trying to get a colony of isopods going and just noticed some babies in there today. Hopefully, the tribs will like those.

What else do tribs typically like to eat? Given their origins, I figure it would make sense that they would go after worms and any other "earth-dwelling" insect such as beetles, slugs, and... isopods.

Any input or consolation would be appreciated.

Julie, Justin, Loki and Sigyn: "Where are the mealworms???"

My Trib would only eat Mealworms as well. He wouldn't touch anything else, but he loved the mealworms and would anticipate the little dish of worms at food changing time. Alas, he did stop eating the worms and one week later I found him dead, before I could even get him to a vet. As this was an unusually friendly Trib (would scramble onto my hand and up my arm to play in my hair and would try to go up again if I removed him to his cage), I don't think I want another, don't think I could have another like him.

Do you know why he died? My vet told me that tribs do need uvb lights so im puting mine in the sun for 15 minutes everyday at 8am.Where i live is very hot so to dont overheat her i only put her under an opened window at that time in the morning.

To IRWANA

OOOOOOOOOh, so your trib ONLY eat mealworms.Guess what? Mine too!LOL!!

As i have a Leopard Gecko too im raising mealworms in a room we have next to the kitchen.Its an empty room (maid's room)and im raising the mealworms in a large plastic box there.I feed them oats and cat/dog food and i add vitamins.I think raising your own mealworms is better because like that you know the mealworms are properly fed and your trib will be too (gut loading the mealworms).

I found him late one night acting much more sluggish than normal ... didn't run up my air to my hair as he usually does, just crawled up there determinedly. I was going to bring him to a vet the next day, but as he was chewing on my hair, he either fell or leapt off my shoulder (which he has never done, it is usually difficult to pry him off me at all) and died. I am still missing the little guy, don't know why he jumped/fell.

He had a basking spot, and he loved to swim in his two pools, one wide and shallow, another smaller and deeper.