Gecko turned off by calcium?

[Vargblod]

My gecko seems to show a certain dislike for calcium dusted food it would seem... This COULD just be that it seems that way from them only having been hungry when they weren't that dusted, but it seems whenever a mealworm or cricket is totally dusted, they get excited upon seeing it, lick it, then completely stop caring and walk away. They have also never eaten mealworms out of the bowl with calcium in it (one gecko is totally new but the other I've had over a month now). They have eaten plenty of undusted insects and some that had a little on them. The brand I have is Repti Calcium with D3.

So... Is there any chance of this actually being the case or do you think it is just luck that they havent been hungry whenever they were covered?

 

[wings2fly]

I have seen and heard of that happening with crickets.
You might try feeding them phoenix worms because they natually have a lot of calcium... so they don't need to be dusted.

Carin

 

[fallen_angel]

Maybe they are dusted too much? I am not sure, but the Calcium with D3 should only be offered 2-3 times a week, you will need to get Calcium without D3 to offer daily.

Leos also lick calcium when they know they need it, so maybe they just don't need as much. You can also try putting just the calcium in a dish by itself, and the mealworms undusted

 

[Vargblod]

Thanks.. I have put some mealworms in the dish undusted, and I'm leaving them to see if they ever take any.

 

[GeckoGathering]

Calcium, too little, too much?

Geckos know when they thirst, they know when they are hungry, they know when they crave / need calcium. If you supply it separate as you do the food and water, they will lick it when the need is there. I believe it does screw up the taste of meal worms or crickets for them. They tolerate it if they are hungry. Depending what and how often you feed your geckos will help determine their need for it. Take care / HJ

 

[Vargblod]

I've been basically keeping the worms in there all the time (I used to take it out during the day).. I used to make more of an ordeal for feeding them because I kept reading that you are supposed to let them know when its time to eat, so I would open their magnetic rock hide (which I really feel freaks them out too much...) and drop a worm in front of them. But they keep seeming overly stressed about it and its hard balancing stress over the fact that they need to eat.. I mean one gecko pretty well didn't eat anything for 2 weeks except 2 mealworms one day..

So basically now I'm leaving them entirely alone and just letting them eat when they want and seeing if they will get into that habit.

I think I stress too much over these guys eating I keep feeling as if they are just going to starve themselves to death because I'm not feeding them in the right manner, when really they probably just want me to bugger off

 

[GeckoGathering]

Gecko says, "I think my human is stressed."

I think I stress too much over these guys eating

You got it...."If You Build It, He Will Come"......or "supply it and they will use it." Take care. / Hj

 

[GeckoGathering]

Forgot/taste tested

Hey Jesse....try adding to your gut loading of meal worms a fresh pineapple skin (if you eat pineapple)...otherwise use a orange 1/2 fruit side up and skins face down.. Its gecko taste tested. T.C. / HJ

 

[Vargblod]

Well I'm happy now, I seperated the mealworms and the calcium into seperate dishes and the second night I left them there, all 12 that I left in were gone That is the first time they have ever eaten from the dish themselves, so I am quite relieved.