I HATE SUPERWORMS!

[tlbowling]

I always try to be so careful when leaving feeders in with my animals.

2 1/2 years ago...I actually learned the hard way, I had read time after time about NOT leaving crickets in with my bearded dragon while he slept. So when he was a baby, I had put a few tiny crickets in while I was at work, planning on taking any uneaten ones out in the evening when I got home...but instead of him eating them, they ate him! They had chewed off ALL but 1 toe on his foot! I was SO upset, my new little perfect baby, wasnt perfect anymore

So I have been even more careful ever since.

And NOW for my leos...I have to feed them in the evenings, I have a bowl of mealies in for each one at al times, but a few nights a week I put supers in there, and if they arent eatten by the next day, I take them out.

Anyway...one of the supers ended up getting out of the bowl last night, and CHEWED on my geckos nose! I'm SUPER mad at the superworm, but Im also mad at my gecko too! Are they THAT dumb to just sit there and let this happen? Do they sleep that soundly that they dont know whats going on?

I didnt blame my bearded dragon, b/c I can see them not realizing it, I personally dont think they are that bright (even though I love mine to death...sorry Spyro...but your dumb). But I just thought geckos were a little brighter than that.

Should I even be scared to leave mealies in there now?

 

[Dog Shrink]

Honestly I never leave live feed in with my leo. I always hand feed him his meals to avoid just such an issue. IDK if I'd call it stupid but I don't think leos are pleasure killers... a type of animal that will kill something just because it's pestering it. I think they're more the play dead and hope it goes away types. Depending on the size of your collection hand feeding may be a better way to go. After all with Eros it's 3 supers 3x a week, takes about 15 minutes to feed, spray his tank, refresh his water and calcium if needed and shake out his litterbox. Oh, I also stun the supers before I feed Eros. I give their heads a ittle pinch so that they don't trhow that pointy tail at him when he bites them.

 

[tlbowling]

Honestly I never leave live feed in with my leo. I always hand feed him his meals to avoid just such an issue. IDK if I'd call it stupid but I don't think leos are pleasure killers... a type of animal that will kill something just because it's pestering it. I think they're more the play dead and hope it goes away types. Depending on the size of your collection hand feeding may be a better way to go. After all with Eros it's 3 supers 3x a week, takes about 15 minutes to feed, spray his tank, refresh his water and calcium if needed and shake out his litterbox. Oh, I also stun the supers before I feed Eros. I give their heads a ittle pinch so that they don't trhow that pointy tail at him when he bites them.

Do you leave in mealies?

I DO hand feed all my geckos, but if they are sleeping or disinterested at feeding time, I leave one or two in the bowl, assuming that they be hunting later that evening.

I knew that she woudnt kill it just b/c it was pestering her, I just thought she'd have the sense to walk away if it was bothering her, and she didnt want to eat it.

But I've learned my lesson...if youre not up at feeding time, you'll wait until the next scheduled feeding day...you snooze you loose I'll have to try the stun method too

 

[Dog Shrink]

Hahaha you snooze you lose Eros never misses a meal because he's sleeping. The minute he hears me dishing up the dogs evening meal (around 8:30 pm) he is up and poking his headoutta his hide lookin for food.

I had tried leaving mealies in a dish for him but he never ate them, I think 'cause he was tub raised and hand fed since he was a wee one by his breeder, he just didn'tknow what to do. Besides I enjoy the hand feeding I think it creates a bond What time are you feeding your leos? Is it after dark? You would think they'd walk away when getting nibbled but you'd also think a ball python would fight back being nibbled by a mouse but...She didn't... I really think they do take the place of mind that "If I ignore it and play dead they'll go away" kinda like a passive protest

 

[tlbowling]

Hahaha you snooze you lose Eros never misses a meal because he's sleeping. The minute he hears me dishing up the dogs evening meal (around 8:30 pm) he is up and poking his headoutta his hide lookin for food.

I had tried leaving mealies in a dish for him but he never ate them, I think 'cause he was tub raised and hand fed since he was a wee one by his breeder, he just didn'tknow what to do. Besides I enjoy the hand feeding I think it creates a bond What time are you feeding your leos? Is it after dark? You would think they'd walk away when getting nibbled but you'd also think a ball python would fight back being nibbled by a mouse but...She didn't... I really think they do take the place of mind that "If I ignore it and play dead they'll go away" kinda like a passive protest

I feed as soon as I get home from work (5:30-6pm) They eat before my family gets dinner, lol. I spoil them silly, I do have my favorites there are some that really like the attention with hand feeding, and some would rather be left alone and not watched at feeding time. They are all different.
I have a few who just come out when they see me...and even if it's not feeding day, I slip them a super I love spending my time with them

 

[T-ReXx]

Why not just use a dish that the worms can't get out of? That's what I do.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Why not just use a dish that the worms can't get out of? That's what I do.

Better safe than sorry

 

[Desdemona]

My gecko won't eat if I'm there, she is too focused on me. I've watched roaches run over her toes and she just shifts her foot a little and keeps on looking at me. I put mine in a dish too now (just started a couple of days ago). Hopefully she won't get nibbled on. I don't know if dubai roaches do that, but I could imagine if there is no other food they might.

 

[tlbowling]

Why not just use a dish that the worms can't get out of? That's what I do.

Because a lot of them are too dumb to actually LOOK inside the dish. I have some that will look into a deep one and some that wont.

 

[jerry]

I Keep Mine In A Dish That Has A Little Ledge That Comes Off So They Cant Climb Out, But My Leo Wont Eat From There I Have To Drop Them In Front Of His Face Lol

 

[gothra]

I have all sorts of bugs escaped from the feeding dish before, and the worst they did was chew and bury into the wood. My geckos will shake them off immediately even if they made the slightest contact with their toe or something. Its kinda hard for me to imagine a healthy gecko will let an insect eat his nose...

 

[tlbowling]

Alright...here's a few pictures. She is SUPER calm, and a great eater, but yesterday when I went to feed her...I lifted up her hide, and THIS is what I saw! I searched everywhere for what could have caused this, and there was a loose superworm...so I blamed him. Is there anything else that this could be? And can I do anything for her to help it heal...it looks sore
Other than her little nose...she looks healthy to me?

 

[roger]

Alright...here's a few pictures. She is SUPER calm, and a great eater, but yesterday when I went to feed her...I lifted up her hide, and THIS is what I saw! I searched everywhere for what could have caused this, and there was a loose superworm...so I blamed him. Is there anything else that this could be? And can I do anything for her to help it heal...it looks sore
Other than her little nose...she looks healthy to me?

Hmm IMO a cricket or super worm would do that kind of damage if the leo is already hurt or unable to ward off a prey from nibbling.your leo looks healthy and would move if the prey got to be an annoyance.i dont think the super worm did that.Maybe someone else can chime in

 

[Jordan]

it looks like a bad scuff to be honest, not the doings of super worm.
IMO the gecko has ran into something, it seems like that from directionality of the cut.

is he housed alone? so no chance of a squabble with another gecko?
and thing a bit rough or sharp?
sometimes reptiles (im not sure if geckos do) rub their noses when stressed, i think as some sort of stress relief.

Just putting some alternatives out there. because IMO that doesnt look like a super worms doings, and as others have mentioned he wouldnt just sit there.

 

[tlbowling]

it looks like a bad scuff to be honest, not the doings of super worm.
IMO the gecko has ran into something, it seems like that from directionality of the cut.

is he housed alone? so no chance of a squabble with another gecko?
and thing a bit rough or sharp?
sometimes reptiles (im not sure if geckos do) rub their noses when stressed, i think as some sort of stress relief.

Just putting some alternatives out there. because IMO that doesnt look like a super worms doings, and as others have mentioned he wouldnt just sit there.

She is housed alone, in an 18 qt sterilite container, with a "zip-lock" brand humid hide, a half fake rock (totally smooth) warm hide, and 2 plastic dishes for water and calcium/worms(now just calcium). The container has about 15 holes burned into it from a soldering iron. I really dont know what she could have ran into or scraped that hard against. All of my geckos bins are set up the same way, she's the only one this happened to? Im really puzzled:main_huh:

She did she about 2 days before this happened, not sure if that has anything to do with a diagnosis?

PS...she doesnt seem stressed, shes one of the CALMEST geckos I've ever seen! She's SUPER MELLOW! I shoulda named her "mellow yellow"

 

[Jordan]

She is housed alone, in an 18 qt sterilite container, with a "zip-lock" brand humid hide, a half fake rock (totally smooth) warm hide, and 2 plastic dishes for water and calcium/worms(now just calcium). The container has about 15 holes burned into it from a soldering iron. I really dont know what she could have ran into or scraped that hard against. All of my geckos bins are set up the same way, she's the only one this happened to? Im really puzzled:main_huh:

She did she about 2 days before this happened, not sure if that has anything to do with a diagnosis?

PS...she doesnt seem stressed, shes one of the CALMEST geckos I've ever seen! She's SUPER MELLOW! I shoulda named her "mellow yellow"

There's a chance she could have scraped it during shed, ive seen that happen a few times.
But if your sure there's nothing that she could have injured it on then im stumped to be honest.

i suppose we'd have to go back to the original idea of superworms chomping on her, but ive never had any experience with that happening so dont really know what to say sorry.

 

[Jade Icing]

That is what we suspected happened to our AFT. This just confirms it in my book.

 

[gothra]

I'd say scraped from shedding too. In fact, I just had a gecko that scraped his nose during his previous shed too, looked pretty much the same as yours, except the wound is not as deep. Usually the raw area will appear light pinkish at first, then it'll turn darker red after a couple days and form a scab. The scab will probably get peeled off in her next shed. It may take several sheds for her to completely heal.

p.s. You don't need to put anything on it, just keep her enclosure clean. She will heal in time.

 

[Quantumhigh]

I'd say scraped from shedding too. In fact, I just had a gecko that scraped his nose during his previous shed too, looked pretty much the same as yours, except the wound is not as deep. Usually the raw area will appear light pinkish at first, then it'll turn darker red after a couple days and form a scab. The scab will probably get peeled off in her next shed. It may take several sheds for her to completely heal.

p.s. You don't need to put anything on it, just keep her enclosure clean. She will heal in time.

Yup I agree it was probally a scrap from sheding. A superworm would not do that to a health leo. Beautiful gecko BTW!

 

[Desdemona]

I just wanted to say, that really is a pretty Leo!!