Fattening up my geckos

[Fedebon59]

Hey guys I have a quick question about fattening up my male and my female leopard gecko. How many waxworms should I give them and how often. Also how many Pinkys should I give them and how often?
Thanks!!!

 

[Dimidiata]

That would all depend on the size, weight and age of the animals at current. WHY are you fattening them is also a question in play. Get some pics of them for us maybe? Also, i doubt pinkies will be needed.

 

[Fedebon59]

That would all depend on the size, weight and age of the animals at current. WHY are you fattening them is also a question in play. Get some pics of them for us maybe? Also, i doubt pinkies will be needed.

He's about 7 inches. Weighs 41 grams. Am not sure about the age I got him at a reptile show about 2 months ago. And I was thinking of breeding him a few months down the line

 

[lillith]

You should never "fatten" up geckos quickly on purpose, IMO. Feed them at a normal rate and let them grow at a normal rate. What genetics does he have? Do you have a female? Do you have a hatchling rack or individual setups for each new gecko? How will you feed a dozen new geckos?

Before breeding, honestly, spend at least a year perfecting your husbandry and hanging around here to see how it goes.

I'm about 3 almost 4 years in, and I am maxed out on what I can manage alone.
So this year, I'm scaling way back. There are already too many leos out there. It's not just a hobby, these are little lives you're putting out into the world. Please give it more thought, they live for a good while, and once they are out of your hands, you can never be certain of their fate.

 

[Fedebon59]

You should never "fatten" up geckos quickly on purpose, IMO. Feed them at a normal rate and let them grow at a normal rate. What genetics does he have? Do you have a female? Do you have a hatchling rack or individual setups for each new gecko? How will you feed a dozen new geckos?

Before breeding, honestly, spend at least a year perfecting your husbandry and hanging around here to see how it goes.

I'm about 3 almost 4 years in, and I am maxed out on what I can manage alone.
So this year, I'm scaling way back. There are already too many leos out there. It's not just a hobby, these are little lives you're putting out into the world. Please give it more thought, they live for a good while, and once they are out of your hands, you can never be certain of their fate.

I've breed them as well and all my other Leo's are up to weigh. I use 15qt tubs and I keep all my Leo's separate and put them together only to breed. This is just my youngest couple so I wanna get them up to weight so they can also breed he's a tremper patternless albino and she's a sunglow and she's about 46 grams

 

[lillith]

Patternless stripe or murphy's patternless male? Is she a confirmed tremper sunglow?
I'm glad they're all set up individually now, but do you have a hatchling rack ready?

How long have you been breeding? I'm just wondering, since you're asking the kind of question you asked in the first place. I'm glad you're asking, but you can't just go out and buy tons of geckos and start breeding and make money. It doesn't work that way, not with leos. Why do you want to breed?

 

[Dimidiata]

I believe you are correct in wanting to get them up to weight, most breeders prefer their females(not sure on the males) at 50g+ So id assume 50g being the minimum that it'd be nice to have them a tad bit higher if possible(some Leos just dont get big). It may be a matter of just a good rich diet and time to let her grow up a little you know what i mean? So long as shes getting a good diet(just supply her with a bowl of mealies to eat as she wishes along with whatever other foods she getting) she should get their in her own time. Obviously, i wont make any recommendations as far as actually adding fat to her diet such as wax worms, i dont have that kind of experience.
You are aware of QT, you are asking the right questions, i haven't seen you make any folley comments yet imo. I dont see why when someone doesn't announce that they are a new breeder we have to drag it out of them like its a bad thing and then shove information down their throats, unless they are acting irresponsibly or in a way that would cause harm to themselves, others or the Leos. Besides, from the sound of what you just said, you've been breeding, you just wanted some second opinions and advice on diet.

However, i completely agree with lilith in terms of husbandry and how long one should wait till breeding, study study study. As far as fattening, shed know more then i. I would also be curious about the Morph aswell, i think i see what lillith was getting at there.

 

[Fedebon59]

Patternless stripe or murphy's patternless male? Is she a confirmed tremper sunglow?
I'm glad they're all set up individually now, but do you have a hatchling rack ready?

How long have you been breeding? I'm just wondering, since you're asking the kind of question you asked in the first place. I'm glad you're asking, but you can't just go out and buy tons of geckos and start breeding and make money. It doesn't work that way, not with leos. Why do you want to breed?

I've been breeding two seasons. Am in my third now. I have 2 more racks that I made my self from melamine wood. I breed because I love making new morphs. Only part of the money I care about is to at least make what I spent. I have a job on the side. I've neve ask these questions because I always buy gecko that are 50+g all my geckos I buy are adults. I sell all my hatchling. And half of my adults and with that money I buy different ones. To me that's better than waiting for the hatchling to be ready to breed

 

[katie_]

IMO, I would never feed a pinky mouse to a gecko.

Waxworms are okay as OCCASIONAL treats, as they are very high in fat and some geckos get "addicted".

My females get a couple wax worms a month, and males get even less.

 

[marauderhex]

Katie, I would agree with you, but I had an adult female giant come to me 35 grams and gravid. We fed one pinkie a week, as a dietary supplement, to help her maintain weight. It wasn't every meal, but without the extra fat, she might not be here today.

 

[katie_]

Katie, I would agree with you, but I had an adult female giant come to me 35 grams and gravid. We fed one pinkie a week, as a dietary supplement, to help her maintain weight. It wasn't every meal, but without the extra fat, she might not be here today.

My question is to you, how the hell did she choke that back?? Lol!
I have some females that size now, and I would be amazed if they could take on a pinky.
There are always excepts to the rule, but if you have a healthy gecko - there is no need for pinkys.

 

[marauderhex]

I used the smallest of small pinkies. We we're feeding our 2 week old Children's Python with them, and their heads are super tiny.

 

[lillith]

I do NOT recommend using pinkies for accelerating fat reserves or growth in general.
But, as marauderhex mentions, sometimes judicious use in breeding females can be the difference between health and death. Thanks for answering my questions; it was not my intent to be rude. We see lots of people join, buy 10 geckos, breed before they know what they're doing, and get out of the business as fast as they picked it up. So I'm sorry if that came across as snippy or anything. The reason I asked about the sunglow is that a sunglow can be any albino strain, it's basically an albino+SHTCTB. If you have a tremper male and cross to a rainwater or bell sunglow, you'll have problems. That's why I was asking.

Breaking even is my goal, too. It'd be nice to turn a profit, someday. But I'm not worried about it too much, I just adore my scaly lovables. =)

 

[Fedebon59]

Alright guys thanks a bunch!!!