Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My AFT, Corwin (some of you may remember her) still will not eat live food. The temps are good, humidity, etc. She has been taking jump start from an eyedropper and she will lick the jump start off of a cricket or a worm, but refuses to eat the actual food. She wont take the crickets if you put them free in the tank either. Recently, I talked to someone at the pet store who has like 9 reptiles himself, and he said that reptiles can get "addicted" to jump start. Is this true? Also, he recommended giving her ground turkey in little balls or romaine lettuce. I just wanted some feedback on this before I tried anything. I was considering taking her to the vet again but it has been bitterly cold, and I didnt want to take the chance of taking her outside.

Sorry to hear. I wouldn't use lettuce or any kind of vegables or fruit in his diet. turky baby food would be fine, see if he'll lick by himself, a little calcium and vits can be mixed in with that also for probably much needed nutrients. I'm not positive but seems I've read something to the same effect you mention with jump start, don't know enough about it to really comment but i'd be careful with it, it's not a replacement for food but a food stimulater. some kind of pedyalite(gatorade) can help to.
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My posts and replies are my experiences only
1.2.15 Tokays
1.4.10 Leos(13 albino)
1.2.0 AFT's(amel male)
0.2.0 Stenodactylus Petrii(Dune Geckos)

THanks for the input. I am actually mixing a little electrolyte stuff with the jump start. I didnt want it to be a replacement for food, and have been offereing live food with it- she just doesnt want it. i mean like turns her head its strange. i'll try the turkey babyfood though. thank you.

You can also buy dried Crickets.
Smash them up in a baggie
Add pedia-lite
and feed it that paste mixture

Also try smaller crickets that are alive.

Dont feed it by hand more then once every few days, let it get hungry to encourage it to eat live food.
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Mark
Our Site

I tried smaller crickets and she refused them as well. She only gets fed by hand every few days, because we try to get her appetite up as you said. She gets hungry, but refuses live food. do you think using the freeze dried cricket paste might stimulate her to eat real crickets? what do you think of the ground turkey?

Well its low on fat, high on protein, but digesting the animal protein may cause you more problems.

Try dried crickets or you could mash some live ones.

We have had one reptile that once it got used to being hand fed, it took forever to break the habit.
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Mark
Our Site