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GRHerptry
Guest
I have the male and female seprate from each other, I will leave him to free feed on Waxies, and will pick up small mealies tomorrow, do you think a pink will do for him tonite?
dragonflyreptiles
Resident PITA
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- Winston Salem, NC
pinkies are great for adding weight and nutrition, I can't tell from the photo if he is big enough to eat them so watch him to make sure he doesn't have trouble eating it.
Pinkies are unhealthy ad unsafe. They are very high and fat. Leopard geckos are insectovors meaning they eat a diet of insects, not mammals. They are unable to fully digest the bones which can lead to impaction. Not only can they cause impaction, but they can lead to fatty liver disease.
yellermelon
Rockin the Suburbs
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- Rock Hill, SC
I think if a gecko really needs a pinky, and you find a day old small one then it may be ok. but if fed to a healthy fat gecko, thats when fatty liver disease is a problem. From what I have read at least. Ive never fed a pinky..never needed too.
yellermelon
Rockin the Suburbs
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- Rock Hill, SC
When I first got into reptiles I had a friend that was a herp vet tech..lol thats why I dont feed them.
G
GRHerptry
Guest
So do you suggest to make the Slurry? and not feed pinks and daily waxworms?
I would NEVER use pinkies as a food staple, but do disagree that they are entirely bad in all cases. I don't think a day old pinky is high in fat (protein yes), but would agree that week old ones may be from nursing?
The parts I disagree with are stated and I do respect you opinion. You are correct about possibly leading to fatty liver if used weekly.
The parts I disagree with are stated and I do respect you opinion. You are correct about possibly leading to fatty liver if used weekly.
I would feed him crickets, gutloaded mealworm, pheonix worms, supers and maybe a day or 2 old pinky if all else fails. That's just my opinion.
Also house them seperate unless you plan to introduce for breeding purposes. Geckos are solitary animals by nature and don't need friends.
Also house them seperate unless you plan to introduce for breeding purposes. Geckos are solitary animals by nature and don't need friends.
G
GRHerptry
Guest
Ok, what about the slurry, he has shown no intrest in insects of anykind!
G
GRHerptry
Guest
Let me check them!
G
GRHerptry
Guest
His floor heat is 90..
cheeseball705
New Member
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- cattasauqua, pa
i would suggest no pinkies and wax worms for while. even thenpinkies at most once a month and one per animal. wax worms rarely maybe once a week as a treat if you can buy a small container (bait shops sell them generally in containers of 24 alot cheaper than pet stores and they stay alright in refrigerators). just keep giving them mealworms. infact if they wont eat them at first carefully hold the gecko and just tap his mouth a few times this will cause them to open and u can either place it in or they will bite the mealworm. just be gentle with your gecko and hopefully soon it will get a taste for them.
Golden Gate Geckos
Mean Old Gecko Lady
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I respecfully disagree with this. While a staple diet of pinkies is not a good idea at all, an occasional day-old pinkie is fine for getting weight on a skinny leo, or even stimulating a feeding response. In the wild, it would seem natural that a leo would stumble on to a litter of newborn mice when crawling into holes.
A leopard gecko is more inclined to develop hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) from being anorexic or from starvation. When they do not have the proper nutrition or are off food, their fat reserves mobilize very quickly and clog the liver with fatty lipids.
My slurry is not for the purpose of feeding a gecko that will not eat. It was developed to provide nutrition while it is being treated by a veterinarian on medication. It will not cure anything!
These geckos are very thin and are in need of veterinary attention. If their environmental needs are correct, ie: 90-94 degrees belly heat (not air temperature from overhead heat), on a non-ingestible substrate, and they are still not eating... there is something wrong and they need to have a fecal examination for parasites or perhaps a bacterial infection.
I hope you have each of these geckos quarantined separately, removing their feces with every deposit, and are disinfecting their water bowls daily so they are not re-infecting themselves.
Quote:I respecfully disagree with this. While a staple diet of pinkies is not a good idea at all, an occasional day-old pinkie is fine for getting weight on a skinny leo, or even stimulating a feeding response. In the wild, it would seem natural that a leo would stumble on to a litter of newborn mice when crawling into holes.
I do see what you mean. I also see that it could help an anerexic gecko and if I was in that situation, I would consider this. But for the people that do actually feed pinkies on a weekly or monthly basis when the gecko is already in good health, I feel this is unnecessary and there is no reason to take the risk. Thanks for the helpful info, like always! :main_thumbsup:
I do see what you mean. I also see that it could help an anerexic gecko and if I was in that situation, I would consider this. But for the people that do actually feed pinkies on a weekly or monthly basis when the gecko is already in good health, I feel this is unnecessary and there is no reason to take the risk. Thanks for the helpful info, like always! :main_thumbsup:
G
GRHerptry
Guest
Yes, I clean his water out daily, and take out any droppings right away,, he is living alone in a 20 L tank. right now he is in his humid hide sleeping... I'm giving him free takings to calcium and waxies..
G
GRHerptry
Guest
I just took him out, disinfected in water dish again, removed any dropping in the tank, he ate one waxie for me, and I soaked him for about a half n hour..I'm sending another fecal out to the vet tomorrow! Let you know what comes back!
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