Getting fatties to eat mealies......

[dprince]

OK, I've got a question. I've had leos for a while, but I've just gotten my first AFT from Paul Sage (thanks Paul!!) and he eats exclusively mealworms (woo hoo!!) AFT's are addicting .........I'd like to get some more. Are younger AFT's easier or harder to switch to mealies? Is there a certain "schedule" to help them acclimate faster? I really hate doing the cricket thing.........

I've done some reading, and I know people have had success doing this.....any help would be appreciated!!

 

[GeckoGuru]

I generally have much better success getting them to eat mealworms when they are young. The adults that have been eating crickets don't want to go to mealworms.

I start the hatchlings on small crickets, then I gradually give them more mealworms while weaning them off the crickets. That has worked probably 95% of the time for me and my geckos any way.

 

[dprince]

Excellent!! That gives me hope. Thanks so much!!

 

[Stitch]

My male eats mostly Super worms and crix. The female eats only crix, she never had much taste for worms, even wax worms. But yes you have a better chance at changing their feeding "habits" when they are young.

 

[brandy101010]

I had a pair of AFTs. I could not switch them to worms no matter what I tried. I got them as adults though and they were fed on nothing but crickets all their life. I wanted to stop buying crickets all together because of the hassle, smell, and escapes. they are annoying little bugs! I got all my Leopard geckos switched to superworms, mealworms and roaches. But I still had to buy crickets to feed the Fat tails. I ended up giving them to a friend who didn't mind feeding crickets. I think I'm sticking to leos from now on. lol

 

[LeopardGeckoMom52688]

I have one aft. I bought her when she was 6 months old and to this day I have still tried feeding her mealies. She is only a year in a half. I love her to death. So twice a week I go and buy a dozen crickets just for her. And I treat my babies to crickets once a week as well. I don't care that they smell and everything, I love my geckos more then anything and I will keep her no matter what!

 

[Gecko]

Once mine went to crickets they refused to ever touch a mealworm again. . .

 

[ReptileMan27]

I tried some mealies when I first got Anubis(my male) and I only got him to take a one mealie and that was it lol. He destroys cricks though.

 

[LeopardGeckoMom52688]

It is possible to even switch an adult to mealies. I just got my aft to eat them and she LOVES THEM. She eats almost 20 every other day. Sad part is, she is lazy so I have to drop them in front of her nose and make them move for her to eat them! LOL