offering food and water questions

[desertgecko]

Hi, I got 2 new hatchlings, 3 and 4 days old, when shall I give them a water dish? I've read a few posts saying that they can drown at this age so have just been spraying the humid hide so they can lick the droplets. Is this ok or should I have a water dish? By dish I mean bottle cap size.

Also, they are beginning to shed so I know I can offer them food soon (when I see poo!). I plan to feed mini mealworms but how many shall I give them? Just a couple to start off with?

Kinda noob questions but it's my first babies

Thanks!

 

[Kristi23]

I acutally put a small amount of water in there (very shallow), but I don't know if they drink from it or not. Usually, I wait to put worms in after I see them shed. The last two, I put worms in after 3 days since I thought I might have missed it. The second baby ate 3 worms and then I saw it shed the next morning. So he/she actually ate before the first shed. It really surprised me. But all my others didn't eat until after that shed. I just pick out small mealworms for them. I start with 3. Once I see that they eat that many, I up it to 5, then 8, and then 10. Some of the younger ones will only eat 3 or 4 for awhile, but I've had some eating 5-7 by the time they're 6days old. I used to start with 5, but I had one hatchling eat all 5 right away and then it regurgitated them. So I went back down to 3 and it did fine. It just over ate that first time.

 

[MSMD]

I also offer a very small, shallow water dish (a milk cap) for my hatchlings from day 1. I offer food after I see the first poo--small mealworms. Good luck with your babies!

 

[desertgecko]

Thanks for the advice, I shall give them a small water dish. It doesn't feel right for them not to have one but I'm paranoid lol!! The baby that was shedding is still trying to shed, so I'll wait until he/she has before I put food in.

Did you increase the food every day (if they ate it) or keep it at 3 mealworms for a few days, then 5 for a few days etc?

 

[desertgecko]

Thanks MSMD, you posted while I was typing lol They are so cute, it's hard to believe they will grow into little monsters hahaha

 

[Kristi23]

I usually increase it every few days. At some point, they'll just eat until they're full and leave a little leftover. That's when I stop adding. The most I've had them eat is 12 or so after a few weeks. Most of the time, I stop at 10.

 

[acpart]

I sometimes put in a lot more than they're going to eat so there's a lot of movement in the mealworm dish.

Aliza

 

[desertgecko]

Cool, thanks all. I've just seen the first poo from the second hatchling and the other has shed now so I'll start to add the food. Thanks for all your help

 

[Kelentari]

Good luck with your babies!