New to Leopard Geckos... Food choices?

[CourtneyAnn]

So I am still new to leos and I have a little one (no idea on gender, way too young for me to tell). I'm currently feeding small (1/4") crickets daily, powdered with calcium w/o D3 (only powdered 3x a week). She also has a bowl of calcium powder. How many crickets should she be eating daily? Is there anything else I should be giving her food-wise? Thank you all so much!

 

[tb144050]

Google "leopard gecko care sheet" (read a couple of those) and "crickets or mealworms" to read those debates. I choose crickets because they are more entertaining to me, more thrilling for the Leo's, and less chitin(??), the undigestible stuff.

Theres alot to learn about them and their best care. Please google. Also make sure the calcium in the tank doesnt have d3...theyll overdose. And feed crickets once or twice a day as babies.....only what they eat in 15minutes each time. Remove uneaten crickens so they dont attact Leo. Mealiees can be left in a bowl fulltime.

 

[CourtneyAnn]

Yup, the Calcium is without (w/o) D3. I can definitely feed more than once a day. I will do more research, too.

 

[Dinosaur!]

does the calcium your dusting with include D3? and do you have a vitamin supplement? sounds like your doing good with this little guy! and welcome to the forum!

 

[tb144050]

does the calcium your dusting with include D3? and do you have a vitamin supplement? sounds like your doing good with this little guy! and welcome to the forum!

Monday: Multivitamin Monday!! (mixed with calcium+d3, per directions)
Tue: cal-d3 (no d3)
Wed: cal-d3
Thu: cal-d3
Fri: cal + d3 (WITH d3!)
Sat: cal-d3
Sun: cal-d3

So that's multivitamin 1/wk, actually d3 2x/wk, and calc with NO d3 on every remaining day of the week.

 

[CourtneyAnn]

I don't have a multivitamin. Can anyone suggest a good one? Also, do you mind if I borrow your supplementing schedule?

Monday: Multivitamin Monday!! (mixed with calcium+d3, per directions)
Tue: cal-d3 (no d3)
Wed: cal-d3
Thu: cal-d3
Fri: cal + d3 (WITH d3!)
Sat: cal-d3
Sun: cal-d3

So that's multivitamin 1/wk, actually d3 2x/wk, and calc with NO d3 on every remaining day of the week.

 

[tb144050]

I don't have a multivitamin. Can anyone suggest a good one? Also, do you mind if I borrow your supplementing schedule?

Just see what multivitamin is available at your local convenient petstore, and then GOOGLE it to see if people are satisfied with it. I use the one from Pets_art and haven't heard too many people unsatisfied with it.

I don't mind you using the schedule, it's the common guidelines for "leo supplementation." I will let you know, I have only owned Leo's for 2 months, so I am there is always the possibility that I am doing something wrong too. So if you find out, that my schedule isn't quite right, please let me know in a PM??

From my understand, the guidelines are:
1. D3 twice/week
2. Multivitamin once/week
3. Calcium-D3 on all other feedings

Note: Since my multivitamin directions say to mix with +D3, I count that as one of my "+D3 days". (This is the part that I am not 100% sure about..)

 

[leopard love]

Now u guys say left in a bowl for mealworms? Mine doesnt look in the dishes I have nd they sit there all day but when I hand feed is when it comes outs slowly nd eats the worm then goes back in its cool hide nd does that for a while

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

 

[lisa127]

What type of dish are you using for a mealworm dish? It has to be smooth and shallow so the gecko can see into it. A clear, see through dish helps as well.

 

[tb144050]

Staying in the cool hide is sometimes normal, but it indicates something: Your leo is not digesting quickly if it stays on the cool side (because of the lower belly temp). This may be why you Leo isn't very hungry.

For example, I may not be hungry enough to get out of bed and go to the refrigerator....but if you bring me food in bed...well, I might just go ahead and eat some of it..

Again, this can be perfectly normal. If you feed with mealworms, put them in the bowl and wait to see how many days it takes before your Leo gets hungry enough to move around and look for food.

I would put 5 fresh mealworms in there each day so: 1) they are still gutloaded if eaten; and 2) your Leo will see you putting them in the dish. After all, your leo may not look for food if it ASSUMES there is none out there.

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If feeding with crickets, wait until your leo is awake in the late evening and drop in 2 dusted crickets. If they aren't eaten before you go to bed, remove & discard them and try again tomorrow.

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As long as your Leo's tail isn't getting skinny (over the course of weeks), then just let them eat when they want...but I wouldn't spoil them by hand-feeding or "dropping mealworms right in front of them."......make them work for it.

 

[OnlineGeckos]

I don't have a multivitamin. Can anyone suggest a good one? Also, do you mind if I borrow your supplementing schedule?

Zoo Med Reptivite with D3 and Repashy Calcium Plus are both quality multivitamin supplements, either one will do fine for you. Once you start dusting with one of these all-in-one multivitamin supplements, you can skip dusting with calcium completely.

Also see here for easy dusting & supplement routine. Hope that helps :main_thumbsup: