Frozen Pinkies

[Ishtar]

Do any of you feed frozen pinks to your geckos>

Thanks,

Patrick

 

[justin-branam]

No. they have to be thawed out and warmed up first

Really though, i have heard some people do by holding them with tongs and moving them in front of their gecko, but mine werent even interested. live they will eat though.

 

[Ishtar]

thanks for the reply.

I feed my snakes with frozen and dont even need to move with tongs, but I had not heard much with geckos.

thanks again

 

[ReptileMan27]

Some people feed them, I personally dont because they are very fattening and hard to digest. If you want to feed them, make sure only to do it once in awhile.

 

[Ishtar]

ReptileMan27-

The question was, Have you fed frozen pinkies?

So you think frozen pinkies have more fat than live? or didn't understand the question?

Don't take that literally, I know the answer.

 

[steve75]

I know this is an old post, but I figured I'd post in it rather than make a new one.

I recently picked up some frozen pinkies and tried a couple out.

My biggest girl (90g) ate one and wanted another immediately (she didn't get it). It took no moving with the tongs, I dropped it in and she licked it and struck. My 2nd biggest (80-85g) that usually only eats mealies from a dish also ate a pinkie without any movement from the pinkie (mind you, she usually does not eat when I feed her, only on her own terms).

I tried giving one to my newly adopted, gravid (infertile), female hybino (she's a Golden Gate Geckos girl apparently) also. She was uninterested, but did lick it a couple times. I hope she comes around, because her tail is thinner than I would like and she needs to put on weight.

I'm going to try one on my "runt" tonight. I think she may go for it and if she does, this would surely put necessary weight on her very quickly.

 

[Lyndsey]

Um...no

Mealies, crickets, and wax worms are one thing...

I could never feed a pinkie to mine. Frozen or alive

That's why I don't have snakes or other reptiles that eat rodents

 

[steve75]

Some people feed them, I personally dont because they are very fattening and hard to digest. If you want to feed them, make sure only to do it once in awhile.

Just a note, compare a pinkie mouse to a superworm:

Superworm
Moisture: 59%
Ash: 1%
Protein: 20%
Fat: 16%
Fiber/Other: 4%

Pinkie Mouse
Moisture: 80%
Ash: 11.8%
Protein: 44%
Fat: 17%
Fiber/Other: 2%

As you can see, the fat percentages between a superworm and a pinkie mouse are very close to the same. Also, the protein from the mouse is more than twice that of ANY other common feeder insect. The only problems I see could be digesting bones, BUT even the slightest squeeze from the forceps collapses the soft bones of a pinkie mouse.

 

[Gregg M]

As you can see, the fat percentages between a superworm and a pinkie mouse are very close to the same. Also, the protein from the mouse is more than twice that of ANY other common feeder insect.

This is true but, mammalian fats are different from insect fats... Also the protein is as well... And high protein feeders are not always the best feeders for insect eating reptiles...

 

[steve75]

Touche.

I am in no way, shape or form a herpetological nutritionalist so I couldn't really defend my post. I can only give the information from the labels.

I have used crickets, mealworms, superworms, phoenix worms, silkworms and now pinkies on these two girls. One thing is for sure, the feeding responses from the two that ate the pinkies were just superb (mind you both of these girls are about a year old and 70-90 grams).

I breed my own feeder insects, so these pinkies were really just treats I impulsively bought. I would REALLY like to hear/read any scientific information anyone has on pinkie feeding to adult, leopard geckos (NO MORAL "BABY KILLER!" POSTS PLEASE).

 

[ReptileMan27]

Just a note, compare a pinkie mouse to a superworm:

Superworm
Moisture: 59%
Ash: 1%
Protein: 20%
Fat: 16%
Fiber/Other: 4%

Pinkie Mouse
Moisture: 80%
Ash: 11.8%
Protein: 44%
Fat: 17%
Fiber/Other: 2%

As you can see, the fat percentages between a superworm and a pinkie mouse are very close to the same. Also, the protein from the mouse is more than twice that of ANY other common feeder insect. The only problems I see could be digesting bones, BUT even the slightest squeeze from the forceps collapses the soft bones of a pinkie mouse.

Leos are insectivores, its not really just how fattening they are but more that they are hard to digest, leos arent made to digest bones, once in awhile or for gravid females is fine but not something I would reccomend often..

 

[steve75]

Leos are insectivores, its not really just how fattening they are but more that they are hard to digest, leos arent made to digest bones, once in awhile or for gravid females is fine but not something I would reccomend often..

You're right on all counts. I most certainly wouldn't consider pinkies as a staple or anything of the sort. But like you said they're a treat and should serve their purpose of putting mass on the egg-laying girls.

Further note, neither of my girls that ate the pinkies have defecated yet (its been just under 24hrs).

**And a personal note, my geckos have superb diets of very well-gutloaded insects. These girls that ate the pinkies are large girls (70-90g), both over a year old. They have never had waxworms (this is their first fattening treat) and their diet currently consists of home-bred mealworms and superworms. Just so noone gets the wrong impression of my attitude or my husbandry.

 

[HepCatMoe]

on gecko's being insectivores:

while im sure this is the standard in the wild, im sure it is more accurate to label them as opportunists. thats is they will eat anything they come across that will fit in their mouth.

of course feeding them soley pinkys would be unhealthy, as their bodies are not made to live off them. but i doubt it actually hurts the geckos in any way to eat them.

edit: i actually froze one of my geckos a semi-frozen discoid once. id say it was probably about the same size as a pinky. she walks up to it, licks, and went for it right away.