Gecko Feeder Research

[clear]

Hi, i am adding a new section on my page. The section is called "Suggested Feeders". On this page i will have Different pets such as snakes, dragons, gecko's and arachnids with a chart of feeders from highly recommended to not recommended. I dont know alot about geckos so i am reaching out for help!

Roaches - High
Crickets - Moderate
Superworms - Moderate
Silkworms - High
Waxworms - Low
Phoenixworms - High
Hornworms - High
Butterworms - High
Mealworms - Low


Is this correct or what should i change or add to it? Thanks!

 

[Baker14]

Well, in my opinion, mealworms would be high on the list. They are great feeders and are quite healthy. Also mention when to feed the moderate, and low feeders. Like waxowrms should rarely be fed becuase of their high fat content, and are addictive, causing some geckos to go off their normal diets and strictly eat waxworms.

 

[clear]

ok i will add that.
mealworms: 10% protein 13% fat
waxworms: 16% protein 11% fat

 

[Greyscale_Geckos]

Mealworms should be high, roaches should be moderate or low. I only know of a few breeders that feed roaches.

 

[mynewturtle]

Roaches - Moderate
Crickets - High
Superworms - Moderate
Silkworms -High
Waxworms - Moderate
Phoenixworms - Moderate
Hornworms - Low
Butterworms - Low
Mealworms - High

JMO

 

[roaches42993]

personally I would have :

Roaches - High
Crickets - Moderate
Superworms - High
Silkworms - Moderate
Waxworms - Low
Phoenixworms - Low
Hornworms - Low
Butterworms - Low
Mealworms - Very High

all I feed mine is mealworms with an occational roach or two. Just about everyone does mealworms thats why were hating the shortage right now .

 

[Baker14]

I agree 100% with Roaches42993. Also, roaches are a great feeder, they have low chitin to meat ratio and are great!

 

[clear]

Thanks for the reply's anyone else agree with Roaches42993?

 

[ataber]

yup roaches are great feeders and mealworms are probly the most common

 

[clear]

Great one part down a few more to go!

 

[Kotsay1414]

Are you ranking them based on what majority of people feed, healthiness, or easiest to feed?

 

[clear]

I decided to break the chart down to, nutrition, keeping, acceptance, breeding.

 

[mynewturtle]

Phoenix worms are known to be good for tough eaters to get eating because they wiggle so much not sure why there low acceptance.

 

[wings2fly]

I think the low acceptance is because they are so small. They don't get very big before they change into the pupa stage.
They are also pretty expensive compaired to crickets or mealworms. 100 med or large for $10.00.
Carin

 

[clear]

wings2fly stated the reasons, they are small and expensive?

 

[mynewturtle]

I think the low acceptance is because they are so small. They don't get very big before they change into the pupa stage.
They are also pretty expensive compaired to crickets or mealworms. 100 med or large for $10.00.
Carin

It isn't about how much they cost. It's about the acceptance of them. They are greatly accepted by smaller geckos, the chart is not just for leopard gecko it says "Feeder chart" Pictus geckos, Bibrons geckos, Day geckos, Small leopards, Small fat tails, Anoles, chinese cave geckos, japenese gave geckos, Crested geckos, Gargoyle gecko ect. Are all smaller and they love phoenix worms, just because there small for big species doesn't mean there small for a small pictus gecko.

I also bred phoenix worms at a time and large ones were great for even adult Leopards. SteveB might come along this topic and he has the same opinion on phoenix worms as they are great and he does breed them aswell.

Back to geckos accepting this feeder item.
This isn't for popularity, if you get your gecko silkworms, Horn worms ect once a month and they eat them thats still good acceptance, Correct?

 

[clear]

acceptance is the ease of getting your pet to eat the item, most dragons wont eat insects that are not moving = dead crickets arnt good feeders

 

[roaches42993]

Are you ranking them based on what majority of people feed, healthiness, or easiest to feed?

I did mine on what majority of people feed as I thought thats what this was about.....

 

[SteveB]

I also bred phoenix worms at a time and large ones were great for even adult Leopards. SteveB might come along this topic and he has the same opinion on phoenix worms as they are great and he does breed them aswell.

Speak my name and here I am

I concur with everything you have said on the issue. Phoenix Worms are truly fantastic!

There is also no reason for the high price, in my opinion. They breed VERY fast and any commercial operation should be able to find an efficient method of producing them in large numbers.

 

[clear]

Acceptance

Roaches - High
Crickets - Moderate
Superworms - High
Silkworms - Moderate
Waxworms - Low
Phoenixworms - Low
Hornworms - Low
Butterworms - Low
Mealworms - Very High

Nutrition

Roaches - High
Crickets - Moderate
Superworms - High
Silkworms - Moderate
Waxworms - Low
Phoenixworms - Low
Hornworms - Low
Butterworms - Low
Mealworms - Very High

Look Good?