Most Popular alternative feeders

[jschaf1]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering aside from crickets and mealworms which are the traditional staple foods of leopard geckos is there anything else I can give leos as a staple or as a treat. I have put some options in the poll. Let me know what you think. Right now I am only feeding my leo mealworms and she doesn't like chasing crickets (too lazy, LOL!). I am already aware of waxworms as a treat. I am just wondering what other options are out there for either staple diets or treats. Please indicate your choice as either a treat or staple if possible.
Thanks!!!

James

 

[gothra]

I like roaches + silkworm combo

They can be used as staple.

 

[jschaf1]

Thanks Gothra!!

In case people are wondering, My leo is about 10 months old, female and has been growing and gaining weight steadily since I got her.

Anyone else?

 

[Jheuloh]

Once my own gecko & I know each other better, I plan to breed Turkistan Roaches & Silkworms, with a "mystery meat" treat to keep the diet from getting too bland.

 

[Tony C]

The more variety the better, try to work in as many of those feeders as you can manage.

Edit: Not too heavy on the pinkies of course.

 

[jschaf1]

How old does a Leo need to be to start feeding her Pinkies? Mine is about 10 months old at the moment.

 

[jschaf1]

Also would butterworms be considered a treat like waxworms?

 

[Latlaw]

How about Phoenix worms? I use those at least once a week along with supers, crickets, mealies. I'd like to try the butterworms

 

[Redleg]

I started on crickets, then it was phoenix worms, and for a long while meal worms and cricket mix, now its dubia roaches. Love the roaches and so do the leos. Easy to keep and breed and they DON'T smell :main_thumbsup:

 

[NRG]

Dubias and wax worms for treats.

 

[Srt14292]

I use locusts quite effectively. Big upside they grow big for the bigguns and they don't stink. Also easy to keep and quite cheap over here.

 

[jschaf1]

I noticed a few people voted hornworm. I had never heard of anyone mention it before on gf but I noticed it was available at feederfactory.ca so that is why I included it in the poll.

Does anybody have any opinions on Hornworms for Leos? Is this a treat or staple food source? How long do they last and is there anything unique I should know about them? What is their nutritional value like?

Thanks!

 

[adam&nikki]

I noticed a few people voted hornworm. I had never heard of anyone mention it before on gf but I noticed it was available at feederfactory.ca so that is why I included it in the poll.

Does anybody have any opinions on Hornworms for Leos? Is this a treat or staple food source? How long do they last and is there anything unique I should know about them? What is their nutritional value like?

Thanks!

i would like to try hornd worms but i cant get them everywhere is haveing issues with them right now

i use crickets and silks and meal worms next summer im going to start a meal worm colony and phase out crickets becuz this would cut so much cost but for now id rather feed crickets to keep them active

i only give my females pinkies after they lay a clutch of eggs to help put weight back on also i give butter worms as a treat my girls love them and so does my chameleons

 

[OneFootedAce]

My main staple is mealies. And occasionally I feed waxies, butters, phoenix worms and supers, I usually dont feed crickets, but i have in the past.

 

[Taquiq]

How old does a Leo need to be to start feeding her Pinkies? Mine is about 10 months old at the moment.

They should be atleast a year old or full grown.

 

[GeckoNub]

+1 for Dubia Roaches :main_thumbsup: Really easy to keep and breed and my geckos yum them up.Theyre also very good for ur geckos, lots of protein and not much fat :2thumbsup:

Most of mine also like locusts. I get them once every few months and they love em. When Daisy was going through an awkward period locusts got her eating again

Atm i still have some mealworms as the youngest are still having those, but ive taken the others off them as they got really fat. Freya is a bit of a chubba but while shes still growing i dont mind it so much. Once they are big enough to be on the roaches i have (a lot have grown adult now so i either have adults or tiny babies) then ill prolly do away with mealworms altogether until my geckos breed and i have babies to feed. Even then id prolly prefer to feed em little roaches or small cricket/locusts. Mealies are just too fatening and make them lazy hunters

 

[AlexB]

mine have lobster roaches, mealies and supers and ocassionally some pillbugs

 

[ameh78]

Ive had a lot of issues in the past with my leo and waxworms. She gets bored easily with mealies so i mix in mealies and crickets. Two weeks we will do crickets, then switch two weeks of mealies. When i fed her waxworms as a treat she then refused mealies. It took 4 months to get her back into mealies.. such a pain lol.

 

[calabarpythonlover2]

i feed my gecko a staple of mealworms with a waxworm about once a week im going to start superworms and phoneix worms i have used butterworms before but they smell and they die quickly where do you guys get locusts from i cant find any in ohio

 

[T-ReXx]

mine have lobster roaches, mealies and supers and ocassionally some pillbugs

I would HIGHLY advise against feeding pill bugs to leos. All members of the millipede family(including pill bugs) are at least mildly toxic and some are down right deadly if eaten.

lobster roaches? *shudder* Nothing wrong with them feeder-wise but they're a nightmare to contain.