Eatin' Them ROACHES!

[LeapinLizards]

Here are a few videos of my geckos eating some adult male dubia that I needed to feed off (my colony is overridden). Needless to say, THEY LOVE THEM! Sorry a couple vids are dark...they were taken with the tubs half pushed in, so as not to disturb the geckos

LadyBug (yes she's hefty):


Cinder - in shed. She tried to eat it sideways first time around, then got it straightened out :


and Piglet (Marcia, I LOVE HIM!):

 

[LizMarie]

Those videos are too funny.. i took a vid of my leo eating mealworms, I tried to do it for the roaches but they were gone before I got the camera.

Cinder is a complete beast when she eats, LOL!.. When my Leo eats roaches she eats like her. Looks as if LadyBug likes torturing poor roaches. Piglet on the other hand seemed to find the proper technique to eat a male dubia.

I've heard about leos having a hard time digesting wings, have you seen a problem?

 

[LeapinLizards]

I haven't seen one problem with the wings. My temps in my tubs are 91-92*, so plenty warm for good digestion They are large poops, I'll tell you that! No undigested wings though.

Yah, that video is of the first time Cinder got a Dubia adult. She went psycho...flew at it, and went nuts!

 

[LizMarie]

I haven't seen one problem with the wings. My temps in my tubs are 91-92*, so plenty warm for good digestion They are large poops, I'll tell you that! No undigested wings though.

Yah, that video is of the first time Cinder got a Dubia adult. She went psycho...flew at it, and went nuts!

thanks.

When Lana first ate a roach it was on its back so she grabbed it by all its legs and was trying to figure out how to put the entire thing in her mouth, lol

 

[gothra]

Wow, thanks for showing the videos! With the size of the roach, I think you'll be rewarded with some VERY large poop...lol. I don't worry about the digestion of the wings, but I'm a bit concern with the spikes on the roach leg causing injury in the mouth.

 

[hoppslover]

you do get some nice size poos. Arent roaches just the best.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

LOL. Piglet's roach was as big as his head! Great vids, Heather!

 

[LeapinLizards]

Haha yah Marcia, the adult males are about the limit. The females are a NONO because they are much more wide and different shaped. They have no problems getting those males down though!

 

[Gregg M]

Hey, look at those poor geckos choking on those big roaches... LOL

Great vids Heather... It shows just how easy those roaches go down and how that "no longer than the space between the eyes" rule is not really a rule at all... Plus, look at the body condition of your geckos... Absolutely perfect...

As far as the wings go, with the proper belly heat and ambient temps, there is not much a leos digestive system can not break down...

Now for the spines on the legs... That is not a problem either... Injury will be a non-issue... I am certain that in the wild they eat animals with more to worry about including scorpions with pedipalps and stingers!!! So dont worry too much Bonnie...

 

[LeapinLizards]

Hey, look at those poor geckos choking on those big roaches... LOL

Great vids Heather... It shows just how easy those roaches go down and how that "no longer than the space between the eyes" rule is not really a rule at all... Plus, look at the body condition of your geckos... Absolutely perfect...

As far as the wings go, with the proper belly heat and ambient temps, there is not much a leos digestive system can not break down...

Now for the spines on the legs... That is not a problem either... Injury will be a non-issue... I am certain that in the wild they eat animals with more to worry about including scorpions with pedipalps and stingers!!! So dont worry too much Bonnie...

Thanks for the comments Gregg

I think people just get scared because of the difference in size between a meal worm (the "straight from the book" feeder) and the roaches (a little newer of a feeder).

Sadly, I cannot take too much credit for the body condition of my leos, as my latest group of 6 came to me a little less than a month ago, ALREADY in great health BUT, I can say that my few that were here before have slimmed down to more of a lean muscle. The roaches high protein is doing them WONDERS!!! I've posted this before, but here it is again...the difference a month of roaches makes to a sick little gecko:

And this is her now, 2.5 months later:

Goes to show you what a steady diet of roaches can help to accomplish.

 

[Lady_Kiya]

Haha, thought it was going to take a while for the first one to get it down. Next thing I know, I blink, and it's gone. Lol! i think I may try some roaches with Kiya. She could use some protein.