Hi Everyone, a quick question on feeding

[sycko]

Hi there,
im new to keeping Geckos, i bought 2 females from my local pet shop on Friday aft were the woman advised me not to feed them for a couple of days while they settle in and advised me to feed them on Crickets,
so its now sunday and i have just dropped a couple of Crickets in the viv after powdering them but the Geckos dont seem intrested at all, infact they have barely left there hide since Friday. One cricket was right next to them and they turned away and walked off.
after reading a few posts on here i have learned this is pretty normal and it can take aslong as up to 2 weeks to settle in and start eating.
but as im still learning any tips would be great especialy when it comes to feeding? how many crickets,what time of day and how often also how long have i to keep the Crickets in if the Geckos havnt eaten them? and do i have to vary there diet between Crickets and Worms?
also is it best to remove the Geckos from there viv and place them in another smaller tank while eating or drop the crickets in there viv and let them hunt them down
Thnx in advance

Jon



Leopard Geckos
not sure on the age but there pretty small and was told there young
Viv is a 27 gallon tank
small wood chippings and heat mat under the glass
eating and pooing - i havnt seen any of it yet
temps are 89-91 on warm side - 79-81 on cool side

 

[acpart]

Yes, it can take them awhile to get used to a new environment. Most people recommend putting the crickets in for 15 minutes and taking out any that don't get eaten because there's a worry that the crickets will nibble on the geckos. I often leave crickets in because it hasn't been a problem and I want to give the shy ones a chance to eat in the dark on their own whenever they want. If you're worried about the crickets bothering the geckos, leave a small container of cricket feed in the tank and the crickets will eat that.

A varied diet is always best, but the geckos don't always think so and may stick to one type of food. Many people feed crickets daily and keep a small dish of mealworms in the cage at all times.

I think it works best to put the crickets in to their habitual environment. I find that when I take the gecko out and put it in another cage to feed, it needs time to get used to that cage and doesn't end up eating.

Based on your notes at the bottom of your post, I'd highly recommend getting rid of the small wood chips. Most people feel that very young geckos will not do well on a particulate substrate, though some people keep adults on sand. I fostered a pair of geckos for a month where one dropped her tail just before she came to me. Her owner couldn't figure out why this had happend, but the next day, I saw a few wood chips in the poop area. I think the gecko (who was a full-sized adult) ingested some wood chips and when they began to hurt her as they passed through her system, she got so agitated that she dropped her tail.

Aliza

 

[sycko]

Thanks for the advise Aliza its greatly appreciated,
i did read beforehand about the wood chippings and some recommend it some dont but my local pet shop owner that breads them says he has used it for years with all manner of Reptiles and never had such problems so im a little confused about it to be honest
i have left 2 Crickets in over night to see how they get on and will check in the morning if they have been eaten, im realy hoping they have
what time of day would you recommend i feed them? i just havnt seen them come out at all during the day

Regards

Jon

 

[acpart]

Feed them in the evening. They should be asleep during the day.

Aliza

 

[pawsible]

Feeding Tips and Substrate Tips

Hi-
This is my basic info for feeding:
The best times to feed your gecko will vary according to the individual. However, until these lizards are a year old, you should feed them five to seven times a week, using crickets or other insects appropriately sized for their mouths. (evenings after dark are best)
Once they reach adulthood, geckos can be fed anywhere from every other day to two or three times a week. The geckos should stay healthy looking and have fat tails.
Types of Gecko Food
The most common feeding insects are crickets - either black or brown, meal worms and wax worms. Large meal worms, also called super worms, are sometimes fed, as are locusts and roaches.
Leopard geckos will take some pre-killed food, but generally prefer it to be offered live. This is because the movements of the insects are stimulating to the lizard's hunting instinct, and encourage its appetite. Unless there's another reason not to do so, offer all insects alive.
Finally, No food should be longer than half the width of your gecko's head, to prevent choking. Another rule that can help you choose the correct prey size is to make sure that prey is no larger than the distance between your gecko's eyes. It's also important to supplement your lizard's food with vitamins and calcium, which can be gut loaded into insects, or dusted on before feeding.
As far as the substrates (wood, sand,etc...) please read this article so you can make an informed decision:
http://leopardgeckocaresheet.blogspot.com/2010/08/leopard-gecko-substrates-and-ongoing.html

Good luck, you seem like a very responsible Gecko parent!!

 

[sycko]

thnx for the advise pawsible
i watched my Geckos eat for the 1st time today one chased a Cricket around the tank b4 finaly snaffling it and the other one ate a Waxworm that had wonderd out of the pot and next to his hide so it saved me having to chase it to put back in the pot
i had left a couple of Crickets in over night then couldnt find them in the morn so was guessing the little fellas had snaffled them but it was great watching them hunt there food