My Leo is not eating mealworms anymore!

[tomcatguy74]

Hey all, I know it's kind of strange that I have just joined this forum and had everything great to say about my gecko but I have run into a problem that I need reassurance upon.

Ever since I switched my Leo over to a bigger cage approximately 5 gallons larger she has not eaten her mealworms yet. I have given her crickets which she chases around the terrarium and usually eats about five before she's full and doesn't seem interested anymore. Normally I would leave I'll bowl of about 8 to 10 medium-sized mealworms in her terrarium. She would eat all those mealworms in one night and not have a problem with it.
Now, I have a bowl with eight mealworms and her terrarium and she has not touched them for about 36 hours. I have even gone as far as putting one in front of her when she's walking around the terrarium and she just looks at it and walks by. But if I put a cricket in there next to her she'll chase it and eat it. The mealworms have always been coated with calcium and that vitamin D supplement.
The only difference in her cage now that it is larger is the addition of a large rock structure that she can climb in and out of, the reptile carpet is tan instead of green, and that her food bowl is on the opposite side of the terrarium.


Here are my questions:

Has she lost the taste for the mealworms because of the calcium and vitamin D coating, or just the mealworms Or is it that she has to get used to her bigger surrounding still?

Can I get her to like the mealworms again or will she do that on her own?

The mealworms have been her staple diet for this long that is why I am worried.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Robert

 

[NikkiC223]

Well if you weren't coating them before and are now, she probably isn't used to the taste. Maybe try giving it to her without the calcium and vit d coating and see if that does the trick. It might also be her getting used to her new space. Just keep trying different things and I'm sure she will come around. Good luck!

 

[tomcatguy74]

Hi Nikki. I have always coated them. She never had any problems eating them. I'm new at this so I'm not sure how long it takes for a Leo to come around to being like she was. I'll keep trying.
Hey if I have fed her a few crickets at a time would that turn her off from eating mealworms?

 

[B&B Geckos]

Nikki makes a good point, but I understood that he has always dusted. if you're trying a new supplement, it is best to introduce gradually by mixing it with the old supps.

I find that as juveniles get older some become more selective about what they eat. They're each different, so it's hard to predict if they'll like mealworms again. I've tried reintroducing mealworms to my geckos that stopped eating them and they'll usually eat one, without realizing what they are, and ignore the rest. If indeed your gecko has lost interest in mealworms, try letting it go hungry for 2-4 days and offer a medium size superworm. if it likes them, then you can add it to its diet for variety. They're also hardier and longer lasting than mealworms and thus easier to keep.

 

[NikkiC223]

Oh ok, I misunderstood. Well, it might just take some time for her to adjust to her new home. I would still keep offering her the mealworms to see if she comes around. I know that when I first got my Leo, he was strictly on crickets but with me...he didn't eat any. Now he eats supers every 2 or 3 days. He wouldn't even touch mealies so that was out of the question. Just keep trying...but if she is eating enough crickets I'm sure she will be ok.

 

[tomcatguy74]

Okay, then I will just continue trying to give her mealworms and hoping that she will start eating them again. I will however continue to cook them with the calcium and the D supplement because that is what she was used to eating before.
I really appreciate all of your inputs thank you very much.

Robert

 

[DrCarrotTail]

How big is she? Do you have a picture you could post? My first guess would be that your leo is growing up and/or is overweight and needs fewer calories and is therefore being picky about her food. That plus the stress of moving and a new supplement may cause her not to eat for a few days or even a couple weeks. As long as she is not underweight and over 25g a week or even two weeks of not eating should not harm her. For my guys I feed those over 25g every other night and those over 40g twice a week. Usually about 10 mealworms each time.

 

[tomcatguy74]

I have not weighed nor measured her yet. I have never stopped the supplement since I brought her home but just moved her from a 10 to a 15 gallon tank and added a new hide and tan carpet instead of green. But here's a few pics. These were taken 2 days ago.