Holy Crap That's a Lot of Food

[hrford]

So yesterday Alice ate 24 sm/md crickets and 3 mealworms. Today she ate 8 mealworms and 15 sm/md crickets. That's all within 8-10 min. I don't know if I can afford her if she keeps eating this much! I'm sure she'd eat more if I let her.

So a couple ?s. I know she could do with some weight put on but is this a realistic daily food intake?? Maybe superworms would be a better choice? She's not huge and the superworms look so big but everyone here seems to not have an issue with the size of them. I really truly can't afford that many crickets a day. I can keep this up for a while but not forever. Her previous owner only fed her 24 crickets a week!

Here's a pic so you know what I'm dealing with.

 

[Fencer04]

She doesn't look unhealthy, how old is she? Do you have her current weight? I would actually say to feed her less even if she wants more. I wouldn't feed more than 12 to 15 small to medium crickets.

I feed my adults 15 mealworms 4 to 5 times per week. Some of them always clean their bowl and others don't.

 

[hrford]

She's a bit over a year and only 20g.

 

[marauderhex]

Let her eat as much as she wants. She is a growing gecko and for being over a year and only 20g, very underweight. I have 8 month olds that triple that easily double that weight. You might want to consider a dubia roach colony, so that you'll be able to produce your own feeders in the future.

 

[GeckoDude31]

Superworms are just fine for her. As long as they go down straight she will be well off. You don't need to feed her crickets, too. If you can't afford feeding one gecko, you can't afford a medical bill if she needs a vet--food for thought.

 

[hrford]

I was being a bit hyperbolic with the affording thing. But at 13C a piece and 24 crickets a day that's not cheap to feed day after day. She's already been to the vet and had a clean bill of health.

 

[abrahamavelar]

u could check other pet stores if i was to get them from petco or petsmart i get each for 12-14 cents depending on the size but if i go to other pet store i get 15 for a dollar and no tax included, and there is one that is 20 for a dollar cuz they raise theirs, so u have to look around, or u could try raising your own crickets

 

[hrford]

There are no local pet stores in my area petco and petsmart are it and they charge a fortune for feeder (IMO). I know I could get them much cheaper at my exotic pet store in Syracuse but alas I live there no longer. I'm pretty sure somewhere in DC there's a local store that sells them but not one that is near me. I'm thinking of switching to superworms and roaches, but we'll have to see on the roaches.