How to switch a leo from crickets to mealworms?

[Kiara1125]

I got Viper from a local chain pet store and I know that they were raised on crickets. My question is what can I do to switch her from crickets to mealworms? Mealworms are easier to come by for me and are less expensive. Viper goes crazy whenever crickets are around and she'll end up eating like a pig. When it comes to mealworms, they don't capture her interest. It's not even the lack of movement because these guys can MOVE! Crickets are very expensive for me and I can't afford to order online and pay $15-30 for shipping whenever I'm paying $10 for 100 crickets. So, what can I do to transition over Viper? She will eat mealworms and phoenix worms, but they're very few and far in between. She might eat 3 every 2 or 3 days, yet she ate over 10 crickets during one sitting. I know she loves crickets, but I can't keep them because I don't want them to escape or chirp. Please help me with this dilemma.

 

[Akari_32]

Since she does eat them, offer only the mealworms. She'll figure it out. I tend to have to hold them gently by the head for Rowan, so they flip out and squirm. He's one of those won't-eat-it-unless-it's-moving pain in the butts LOL

 

[AlexT]

You could also try de legging a cricket and putting it in a dish with mealworms to possible help make the worms seem more enticing and soften the transition. Once he/she is big enough, you may want to try superworms since they move like crazy and are hard to resist, plus since they are big you can feed them less, thus saving money.

 

[Kiara1125]

You could also try de legging a cricket and putting it in a dis with mealworms to possible help make the worms seem more enticing and soften the transition. Once he/she is beg enough, you may want to try superworms since they move like crazy and are hard to resist, plus since they are big you can feed them less, thus saving money.

I honestly don't think she's big enough for super worms. I gave them to my beardie and I know how huge they can be. I think I might try the soft transition. That's a great idea.

Akari, the last time I did that, she screamed at me and attacked whatever was holding the mealworms, whether it be my fingers or tongs. xD

 

[AlexT]

Yeah, I don't think she is, i'd wait till she is an adult since small superworms can be hard to get a hold of.

 

[jaredricha]

Good luck on the transition to mealworms. I got lucky and my Gecko is lazy and wont chase crickets.

 

[AlexT]

Figures, I go to the local big chain petstore and find a rack of superworms, nowhere near the other worms nor reptile section at all and low and behold they had sizes! They offered small medium and large in various 12,50,70,100 and other odd counts. I don't know if they have been here before because I have never looked in the dog toy section for worms....but, they got them now! They are Timberline vita-bug superworms, may be worth taking a look or giving a call to your local stores, who knows, maybe it's a new product coming out!