Meal worms

[GeckoTeach]

Okay, here is my first big question. As I am trying to get this whole feeding thing down:
1) Has anyone ever heard of mealies chewing through geckos? I read that in my gecko book and now I am hesitant to give them to my lil' guys.

2) They love crix, any problem with them if I am dusting and gut loading them? (raisins and store bought cubes?)

3) Wax worms... my albino loves them! How many and how often.. I want her healthy not rolly polly! My blizzard will take 2 once in a blue moon, the lil' guy, not quite sure what he is exactly.. too many catergories, won't touch them.
Advice is much appreciated!

 

[david13]

1) I don't think its possible for a mealie to chew through a leos stomach because when you drop them in water they die almost instantly. Just think what all the stomach acids would do. I have fed my leos mealworms for over a year and never had any problems.

2) I don't feed them crix but you might want to buy some gutload. See what other people say because i don't know the answer. There is no problem if you gutload them but i don't know what with.

3) You should only be feeding about 2 waxworms a week. It is like junk food.

hope i helped, good luck

 

[Surf_420]

they will not eat through a geckos stoumach, pure urban myth

 

[GeckoTeach]

Thanks, the author of that book must be seeing things that no one in this room has encountered. He made it sound like it was a frequent flyer thing!

 

[mynewturtle]

1. Mealworms cannot chew threw the geckos body. If you want to do a test: Have a glass full of water and put the mealworm in there. It will die in seconds. Picture that with body acids. The myth came about when someones gecko died from unkown reasons, and there was a loose meal worm. The meal worm just ate food aka the gecko.

2. There is no problem with crickets. Nutritonaly they are more healthy then mealworms. Mealworms are larvae and can't be gutloaded. Crickets are not larvae therefore when you gutload them it is actually 'gutload'. The best you can do with mealies is feed them well.

3. Waxworms mmmm.. I personaly love waxies. Everyone always says waxies are very fatty yet superworms are ALMOST as fatty as them. Waxworms also have a nice calcium level to them dust them, and it is a good weekly snack.

I hope I awnserd all of your questions.

 

[GeckoTeach]

Thank you to everyone who helped me with my feeding questions. I truly appreciate the assistance, I want my 3 beautiful geckso to be happy!

 

[Ccrashca069]

I feed my leopards phoenix worms as an occasional treat. You will have to find them in a Pet store that specializes in Reptiles.

 

[SteveB]

I feed my leopards phoenix worms as an occasional treat. You will have to find them in a Pet store that specializes in Reptiles.

Actually they sell them in petco as "calcium worms" or something to that effect.

 

[jmlslayer]

Actually they sell them in petco as "calcium worms" or something to that effect.

yes i have seen that but dont knw if they are safe so i have not bought any yet

 

[DLS Reptile]

Actually, mealworms can and do gutload. I have been feeding mealies to my geckos for 8 years with excellent results. If you want to see a mealworm eat, just place a carrot in with a bunch of them. It will be gone in a few hours.. As far as a mealworm eating through a geckos stomach, this is NOT true...The mealworm is partially chewed before it hits the stomach...then the stomach acids kick in...pure urban legend...:main_yes: :main_yes: :main_yes:

 

[CritterCrue]

I agree with carrots and the mealies. I always give carrots to my mealies and they tear em up. I keep them in oatmeal and wheat germ that they come with when I buy them. I clean out their containers and switch out the oatmeal, clean the shedded skins and pupae. And I agree with the others, the stomach acids will kill them off anyway once the gecko eats them.

I wish I could get my blizzard to eat more mealies, she loves butterworms. When she went on a 2-3 month hunger strike (temper tantrum) she would only eat waxworms. Those, acidophilliz and hydro drops were the only thing that kept her alive. The vet couldn't understand it. She is now back to eating mealies, now if I could only get her to eat a cricket or two. ugh, she is stubborn and stuck up haha.

I have tried the phoenix worms, but to no avail, she wouldn't eat em. She just played with em then looked at me like she was saying "you want me to eat this???" I haven't tried the phoenix worms with our other leopard (normal) but he tears up some crickets and mealies with the occasional butterworm for a treat. So why ruin a good thing.

 

[Gecko Ranch]

Thanks, the author of that book must be seeing things that no one in this room has encountered. He made it sound like it was a frequent flyer thing!

You need to jettison that book, post haste!!!! :main_rolleyes: I can recommend three others:

I wrote three chapters in this one.

The classic.

The tour de force.

and also covered in my book which teaches you all my gecko secrets: