Fattening up my geckos

[Sammag]

I have a few leos that I would Like to fatten up. I normally feed them 4 large crickets every other day. What is another food source that will fatten em up quicker?

 

[puppiesandkitties]

You can gutload the crickets and mealworms. That will add some nutrients and stuff. Also supers are a good source of protein. You can also feed occasional waxworms and pinkies.

I normally feed waxies once a week or every other week, depending on how skinny or fat the leo is, and pinkies once a month. I usually feed supers, which seems to fatten them up fast.

 

[Sammag]

I DO gutload the crickets but I dont seem to get good results. Also would the waies do the work and as far as pinkies I have never tried em.

 

[puppiesandkitties]

True, gutloading doesn't really help much with crickets. Waxworms and pinkies help a lot. I just wouldn't feed them a lot of them. Waxworms provide no nutrients, especailly for babies, since they need to grow. Too many pinkies can give them fatty liver disease, so don't feed them a lot of those. My best results came from when I started feeding supers. They fattened up fast that I have to lay a few off of them, due to fat rolls.

Here is a page showing the nutritional value of foods (protein, fat, etc.)
http://www.leopardgeckowiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Food

 

[Sammag]

All right so do you think if I fed superworms in between cricket feeding it would yield good results?

 

[Sammag]

Hey also can I keep a colony of superworms in those styrofoam containers that they sell fish in and what not or will they chew through it?

 

[mynewturtle]

Just keep feeding your geckos appropriete sized, and amounts of crickets and you will have a well built gecko. Fat geckos are like fat humans in my opinion and can have problems. Although if you have a well built gecko it will have a more healthy life. I do not think 4 crickets is enough food, let alone everyother day.

 

[bubblez825]

I do not think 4 crickets is enough food, let alone everyother day.

He's right. 4 is not enough. I believe what alot of people go by for crickets (please correct me if I'm wrong) is "A good feeding is the amount of crickets the gecko(s) can eat in 15-20 minutes." Most people keep mealworms or something in the tank at all times so the geckos can eat if they feel hungry. With my geckos, I leave the small crickets in the tank at all times(not too many so they won't spook the geckos) and offer a couple mealies every day near evening and at night.

 

[Sammag]

Allright so what do I keep the mealies or supers in? what if they escape?

 

[Geckeleon]

I agree as well, 4 crickets are not enough. My baby Leo's eat that many after a week of being born. Next time you feed add a couple more, if your geckos eat them all right away add more. Continue to do this until you get an average of how many they'll eat at one time. Always gut load and it's never a good idea to keep excess crickets in their enclosure. Mealies can be fed in a washed out mayo jar lid or something similar.

 

[puppiesandkitties]

I say keep them in a plastic container with airholes and a lid. The air holes shouldn't be too big.

I don't use styrofoam, ever since waxies chewed through theirs. I found them a month later in my closet all pupated and developed and stuff.

 

[LadyGecko]

This is how I keep my super worms
Plastic container with lots of meal

I have a top with a screen in the middle of it for air

I get them delivered in one of my containers (my bug guy is local) and they will last for a long time

I do put more carrots in than I have in there in the pic and I also use dark greens for moisture and I also add Vionate to the meal

Sandy

 

[puppiesandkitties]

She's right. Have food in them for them. That's how they will be already gutloaded when you feed them. I usually mix oats with my super's meal.