Hatchling food dish (mealworm-proof)?

[JordanAng420]

Today I came home from work to find that my little hatchling had his first poo. So right away I offered him a mealworm. He looked at it, seemed to see it, but showed no interest in eating it. He seems hungry, and I think he might hunt by himself in the dark, but he's afraid of the big scary feeding tongs. I figured I would put a few in a gatorade cap and leave them in there with him. Well, THAT didn't work. The @#$% things crawl right out. So then I tried the cap to a vitamin bottle. NOPE. The stupid things crawl out of everything but the gigantic ceramic dish that my 3 gram hatchling can't see over.

What the heck is the trick to feeding these guys? Is there some sort of special, top-secret dish that you all feed your hatchlings out of? I'm beyond frusterated.

 

[5HiddenLizards]

How big is your tank? You could try one of those small clear tupperware containers, or any clear food storage containers. Since he's little, I'd get the smallest, lowest one you can find. If its a little high that should be fine too...as long as he can see the mealworms they can usually figure out that they need to climb over it to get them. This is what I use for my juvenile...

It was just a small container. I used the black container for crickets when he had caps over his eyes. He would listen to the crickets moving around & that's how he caught them. I also used the clear lid for mealworms. As long as its clean & there's nothing to get a grip on, they can't climb out. Hope this helps.


I've tried those special worm dishes that have a lip at the rim, but they still got out. This lid works better.

 

[T-ReXx]

I use glass tea-candle holders. They're clear, so the gecko can see the worms, a bit higher but they figure it out ok And since they are glass they are too smooth for the worms to climb out of.

 

[acpart]

I use jar lids, like the lids of the Flukers cricket water. I put some gutload in with the mealworms and they do climb out but not all of them and not always.

Aliza

 

[robin]

personally to get them feeding i just put a few worms on the paper towel. they will hunt, it may take a couple of days. some people use petri dishes (which you can get a progecko)

 

[sammer021486]

another thing is to take souffle lids and press the center of the lid down to form a dish. I barely had any escapes, more so grab the mealworm, spit it out or fling it escapes.

 

[Tony C]

personally to get them feeding i just put a few worms on the paper towel. they will hunt, it may take a couple of days.

+1 I like to make them hunt, I'm not a fan of fat lazy geckos lounging around a food dish.

 

[Keith N]

I just put them on the papertowel in front of their hide and they will find it every time

 

[thegeckoguy23]

Petri dishs are spousto work well.

 

[jermh1]

I use clear plastic cups the kind you can cut with scissors, that wont shatter. I cut them down to about 3/4 to 1 in. they work for small roaches and mealies. only problem is when the geckos hit 8-12 grams they start knocking it over. Then I go to small stainless steel dishis from W Mart for $.99 In the cat section. I do like to use big jar lids for water.
also one thing is not to worry about the hatchlings eating right away, im at well over 100 hatched and grown, and they all seem to find the food and water on their own sooner or later.

 

[neubauer geckos]

I use glass tea-candle holders. They're clear, so the gecko can see the worms, a bit higher but they figure it out ok And since they are glass they are too smooth for the worms to climb out of.

+1 these only cost $.50 a piece at walmart.they also come in see through red,that i use for my males so i can easily tell by glancing which geckos are my males.the best part is,the geckos can't tip them over!!!

 

[5HiddenLizards]

Maybe I'll get some of those. The plastic stuff IS always wobbling.

 

[GeckoMomNewbie]

Can anyone say for sure when a hatchling should start being interested in food. I have two hatchlings right now that are officially one and two days old. Tried to feed them this morning as the older of the two was wandering around his cage, but both refused to hunt (baby crickets). Any ideas on how long before I should feed, or what I should be feeding them would be greatly app. for these babies are my first and I think exceptional specimens of leopard geckos. I would hate to mess them up with my lack of knowledge.

 

[JordanAng420]

Feed them right after their first sheds. If you can't tell when they've shed, look for their first poos. After they've pooed, they should be ready to eat. Your babies may not have pooed yet. My hatchling decided to poop on day 4 or 5. Didn't eat for me until day 7, which was yesterday.

Thanks for all the awesome ideas for the food dishes! I think i'll try them all, and see which one works.