pinkies

[TWC]

i have always read that leos can eat pinkies, but when i go to the pet store they look too much for my geckos. i wanted to get some as a treat for them, but i dont want them to choke or explode. they are adults, do you think they can eat pinkies, or are those only for the huge leos? it would be kinda creepy too to see them eat one.:inquisitive: :shocked:

 

[The Sunset Gang]

I just used the search button on the top of the screen and got some information. Don't know how much is right though. In my opinion, I wouldn't feed pinkies to females unless they just got done laying eggs. If you are looking for a treat for your leos try waxworms, but be careful because they are known to be addictive.

 

[Leopardbreeder]

What is peoples obsession with feeding pinkies? Just feed waxies as said above. The bones are VERY hard to digest.

 

[CSgecko]

pinkies arent really neccesary even as a treat for leo. like said try some waxies or even just a little variety now and then. if you do feed ur leos pinkies it would be females who just finished breeding. even then i would ask to hand pick the pinkies and find the smallest one possible. if you can of course. i have never fed my leos pinkies.

 

[mayabear52]

I picked up a snow female from a friend to try and breed her to my male snow. She was not in breeding weight and was underweight for my standers. I fed her crickets and mealworms with pro geckos gut load (great stuff). She really didn't take to them (1week), so since I have pinkies for my snakes...I gave her one to see she would take that. She went to town on them...she ate 2 pinkies (1 day old) after that she just started eating every cricket i gave her. She gained some nice weight in the 3-4 weeks I had her. I never gave my geckos pinkies, but after that experience I've only done it once more and it has helped put some hunger in those leos. I'm not planning of feeding them pinkies...but its nice to know that if have problems gaining there weight back or arent' eating that I can always try giving them pinkies.

 

[Ipsl]

I want to do it once just to see a reptile eat a mammal:beadyeyes2: Only females from what Ive gatherd so far and to be honest Im in no rush since I plan on doing this for a while.

But seriousely, how friggin cool was it to watch it for those who have? :devil:

 

[TWC]

that would be really cool/creepy

 

[GoGo]

Adult leos can eat pinkies, it may looks like a lot more then they can stuff in their face, but ive seen my geckos stuff their faces with more superworms then the pinkie would take up space. We've fed our leo's pinkies before to gain some weight, they passed them just fine, and they love them usually.

Edit: If you really wanna see reptile mammal carnage, give some land turtles a few pinkies, they make a huge bloody mess.

 

[Leopardbreeder]

Or get a snake.....

 

[MichaelJ]

Pinkies are actually a nutrition packed little morsel; that said leopard geckos are insectivores. Pinkies are also high in fat; which most mammal young are, because of the need for extra energy to grow to adult hood.

Pinkies are a personal choice. Many feel it is cruel, many feel that they are not a part of the normal leo diet, and many are just terrified of mice.

I feed pinkies about once a month to a handful of my leos and it's not a nice experience, but I feel it helps them gain good weight and gives them variety to their diet. But the poor little things scream in pain and it takes the leo about a minute to get it down. Sometimes they just mutilate them and the poor pinkie crawls around for awhile until it finally dies from it's wounds.. It's not a, "fun", thing to watch when you think about them as living creatures; which they are..

I read someone say the bones are very hard to digest... i'm not sold on that one considering these animals contain some of the same gastric chemicals we do and digest Chitin of many types of worms and the exoskeletons of roaches and crix without issue.

 

[mayabear52]

I have totally agree with you MichaelJ on that pinkies give them that extra energy. When I have fed them pinkies they have been frozen ones, haven't given my leos live pinkies. From what I have to clean up from the frozen ones I would think that live ones would be a lot more messy.

 

[rhino43grr]

i just saw a video on youtube of a leopard gecko eating a pinky. that might satisfy your reptile vs. mammal fix for a while, ipsl. :main_laugh:

 

[GoGo]

One of our females once ate a pinkie that didnt die untill it reached her stomach, the foot was still kicking all the way down.

 

[HepCatMoe]

i feed my fatties pinkies, they all love em.

it definately makes them even more fatty (and cute)!

 

[Ipsl]

i just saw a video on youtube of a leopard gecko eating a pinky. that might satisfy your reptile vs. mammal fix for a while, ipsl. :main_laugh:

I saw it like 5 times already. Have you seen the turtles. man they go banannas. :devil:

Let me clarify on this: Im not into causing anything excess pain but I appreciate the food chain and undertstand that death is a natural part of existence. But if its gonna happen I wanna see it. Its like pushing the soft spot on a babies head. I WOULD NEVER EVER DO THAT!!! But if some sicko did it I would kinda wanna see it to satisfy my morbid curiosity.:skull:

 

[HepCatMoe]

ipsl, i dont think your helping your point...

"pushing a soft spon on an babys head"

roflmao

 

[98bcobra]

I had a nice discussion with a Exotic Reptile Vet. that told me Pinkies/Fuzzies/Hopper bones are not at all that hard for reptiles to disgest and that they are so much better for them nutrition wise then just a pure bug diet. I would give them as a primary diet but every once and awhile maybe 1 time a month would be fine.

 

[Wezul]

I feed pinkies to my guys when I can afford the extra, once a month or so.... It does seem to help their overall appetite. My leos will only eat a live/moving pinky so I don't think I would have much success with frozen. I feed MOUSE pinkies, not RAT pinkies, there is a difference in size.

 

[TWC]

what if they wont eat it?

 

[Leopardbreeder]

1. ISPL I think its about time to see a doctor. lol

2. Leos should only have pinkies if they absolutely need them.

3. I think its time this thread dies.