no substrate or paper towels in tubs?

[lytlesnake]

I was talking to a gecko breeder who works at amazon reptile center. I asked him what's good to use for a hatchling food dish that small superworms can't climb out of. He said he just puts them on the floor of the tub and doesn't bother with any paper towels or other substrate. He said he tried paper towels last year but it was a pain in the @ss, and this way the geckos can get to the worms easier.

So far I've been hand feeding my first hatchling, but I've got 3 more that are gonna start eating tonight. I've been keeping them on paper towels in 6qt sterilite tubs. Should I try the "no-substrate" technique, or do you think they'll freak out if I take the paper towels away now? I do have some little plastic lids that might work okay, so I might try those first, but these little superworms are awfully squirmy. What do you think?

 

[GeckoJunkie]

I use paper towels and put a bottle lid in there and put the worm in those. They do get out but the little geckos still seem to find them without problem.

 

[Malibu Barbie]

With our hatchling I have sometimes experienced that the wormies have crawled under the towel, but 95 % of the times they stay in their lid or gets eaten during the escape

 

[tangerineman]

no substrate for babies

i don't use any substrate for babies unless they hatch with the umbilical thing...then it's damp paper towels...

-out of over 40 babies so far, only 2 have hatched with the umbilical thing.

i also remove any mealies crawling around as they will eat anything, including the styrofoam trays that i cut and use for hides, and gecko feces..

D

 

[cooter]

I used paper towel for my baby and found that a small coated clay plant bottom works awesome. Even crickets with their back hind legs pinched off cant get out. But if I put too many in they pile up and escape, but are attacked and ate before they can hide.