Feeding a Crested Gecko

[L-G-C]

I am confused because I've seen many caresheets on the internet about feeding but everyone is diffrent. I was thinking about getting a juvie but I want to figure all the info out first.
Most said baby food was a treat, is that right?
What stage of baby food should you use cause I never saw that?
The flavors you can use are banana, applesauce, apricot, and peaches right?
How many times do you feed crickets, cause I've heard very other day to once a week?
Oh and I'm also confused on how much CGD you give it.
Anything else there is to know on feeding?
Sorry for bothering but I want to get it straight cause I am confused.

 

[MrTantalizin]

Ok, hi and no bother. We all are here to share knowledge and answer questions like someone did for us (at one time).

1st Topic
Baby food in my opinion is capable of keeping your geckos alive, but will not supply all of the neccesary "vitamins". I wouldnt feed it at all not even as a treat.

2nd Topic
Crested Gecko Diet is a COMPLETELY BALANCED diet. And if fed solely you will not need any supplementation of calcium powders or insects. Ammount wise for a juvie a capful should be adequete. I saw someone on the forums using a gatorade cap as a feeding "dish". If you put a quarter inch thick layer of CGD that should be more then fine for the day. I do recommend offering fresh CGD atleast every 2 days.

3rd Topic
My feeding pattern is simply, 5 days CGD and 2 days crickets. 1 of the 2 cricket feedings Id dust lightly with calcium (without d3). DO NOT leave uneaten crickets in the cage as they can be quite bothersome and stress out your gecko. Some people do not feed insects at all because as I said CGD is complete, eliminating the need for insects and "vitamins". I personally, like to offer diversity in their diet and I know for a fact crested geckos LOVE TO HUNT CRICKETS.

-Shawn

Anymore questions ask away ^_^

 

[darkridder]

But alive and thriving are 2 different things. Although Shawn is right, it will keep the geckos alive, but not for very long. Geckos fed a baby food diet will end up getting MBD. It is also not nutritionally complete even if you offer crickets. And if you buy a gecko who was fed it, it is a hige pain in the butt to get them to switch, and the worst thing to do is offer them half and half until the switch.

When feeding CGD, as stated it is a complete diet, there is no need to add anything to it at all, including insects. Normally you want to feed every other day, leaving food in the cage at all times. For babies start out with a pop cap, and fill it up about half way, that is plenty enough for a gecko 5g or less. For 6g-12g I would suggest a full pop cap. For geckos 13g or larger, obviously go larger yet. Each house is a little bit different, those with dryer houses if you feed less it dries up to quickly, so you kind of have to find your knitch, but you will always be safe with half full.

As stated you dont need crickets. If you do feed crickets, once a week is all they really need, and they will usually eat 4-5 crickets. If you feed daily you run the chance of your gecko not eating enough CGD to get the proper nutrition that it needs. If you offer crickets twice a week (roughly 3 a feeding), be sure to dust the crickets at least durring 1 of those feedings with either CGD or a calcium dust. But like I said it really isnt needed, I rarely offer crickets simply because well, I prefer roaches...lol

 

[acpart]

As you can see, there are a variety of methods. The common denominators are:
--the gecko doesn't necessirily need to be fed every day
--crickets are optional, as long as CGD is used
--most of the nutrition should come from CGD
--baby food is not a great idea

That said, here is my feeding regime that I"ve been using every since my now 4 or 5 year old crestie was a baby:

Mon, Wed, Fri 1/2 tsp CGD mixed with 1 tsp water
Tues, Sun 3-5 crickets, usually dusted (calcium plus)
Thurs, Sat: no food.

It is difficult to see your crestie eating CGD --I've never seen mine eat it but he's big and healthy. Often the only sign that it's getting eaten are the CGD footprints on the sides of the cage after it's eaten and stepped in it. Many babies seem to prefer the crickets but are more into the CGD as they get older.

Aliza

 

[darkridder]

really poop=eating is a better way to look at it as I have had geckos who ar enot eating trample through the food. If there is feces, there is eating.

CGD also can be made up in larger portions as it can be difficult making a single serving when feeding smaller geckos. If you use something like a well cleaned old pill bottle or even in small 2oz deli cup, you can make a few days worth of food up and it will stay fresh in the fridge. Personally I make 2 batches, 1 batch in something like this except mine is not from Pangea
http://www.pangeareptile.com/store/image.php?object_type=detailed&image_id=1575&window=popup

And then my part 2 diet I make for 2 particular geckos it gets made in the small 2oz container which feeds 2 adult geckos twice.

As stated everyone does things a little differently. And one of the things to take into consideration is how repeditive it is, and by that I mean if you are finding but a small handful of people do it this way, yet you find 100's of people do it this way, your odds are good the larger group of people are doing it right when it comes to forums.

 

[L-G-C]

Thanks everyone, your info was very helpful!

 

[mom2twinsplus2]

You can also offer the CGD in powder form to your Cresteds. I haven't tried it myself but the person I got my Cresteds from does it and they came big and healthy from him.

Mine will lick the CGD mix from my fingers...I do that sometimes if I am worried that they are not eating enough plus it is fun to do. I can't get mine to eat much in the way of bugs...I wish they would occasionally but they just don't seem to like them. They showed no interest in babyfood the one time I tried that as a treat. CGD is just easy to do and they seem to like it. I also go more on the poop to assay eating that food disappearence...it is hard to tell how much CGD gets eaten especially in winter where it dries out faster.

Alison

 

[L-G-C]

thanks Alison, any other opinions I'll look at