question about pinkies

[leonewbie]

I know some on here feed pinkies to their leos....i have a 14g juvenile, is she big enough for a small pinkie?

Thanks!

 

[clear]

Pinkies are very fatty I would stay away from them unless your adult female laid eggs.

 

[Riyo]

Only adults should get pinkies (if you decide to give them pinkies once in a while). Regardless, 14 grams is entirely too small.

 

[leonewbie]

Thank you...i was worried she was too small...guess i was right

 

[Riyo]

Thank you...i was worried she was too small...guess i was right

Why are you worried? Pinkies shouldn't be fed often to leos, anyway (only very rarely - they are super fatty). If your young one is thin then just keep feeding insects like crickets, roaches, meal worms, or small super worms. Use wax worms very sparingly. If it is refusing food then you may want to mix up some of Marcia's slurry and start it on that.

 

[gordmit]

Beware of Pinkies - made me sad

My adult leo eats crickets and mealworms. She once bit the head off of a superworm but didn't eat it. Two nights ago I tried feeding a live pinky--she licked it but was otherwise uninterested. I will never offer her another pinky. Watching this little creature twitching in the tank under the heat lamp, squealing occasionally...it was cruel. If my gecko had quickly killed and eaten the pinky I'd be cool with that, but to watch it slowly die...after a couple of hours I had to end its misery--once you've taken an infant mouse away from its mother there is little you can do for it. Hell, I even tried to feed it drops of water off my finger. It was heartbreaking. I'm a huge fan of the whole natural order of things...animal documentaries (Marlin Perkins was an a-hole, but that's another story)...I've got baited mouse traps in my house and have no problem with killing vermin and insect invaders. This experience with pinkies has taught me that I personally have a line defined--no pinkies for me (or my gecko). There deosn't seem to be any real nutritional benefit either. So, if you're thinking about feeding pinkies to your leopard gecko, well, it just didn't work for me...BTW...I've worked with large reptiles in the past and have no problem feeding live mammals.

 

[leonewbie]

Why are you worried? Pinkies shouldn't be fed often to leos, anyway (only very rarely - they are super fatty). If your young one is thin then just keep feeding insects like crickets, roaches, meal worms, or small super worms. Use wax worms very sparingly. If it is refusing food then you may want to mix up some of Marcia's slurry and start it on that.

I guess concerned was the word i should have used...i'm unsure of her age because i "adopted" her from a family that didnt/couldnt care for her, and they bought her from a petstore...so i wasn't sure if she was just thin or a juvie. She isnt refusing food, just really picky, she won't eat mealworms and will only eat crickets and the occasional waxworm. I was planning on getting some dubias, but i live in the wonderful state of Florida where they are illegal :main_angry: :main_angry:

 

[leonewbie]

My adult leo eats crickets and mealworms. She once bit the head off of a superworm but didn't eat it. Two nights ago I tried feeding a live pinky--she licked it but was otherwise uninterested. I will never offer her another pinky. Watching this little creature twitching in the tank under the heat lamp, squealing occasionally...it was cruel. If my gecko had quickly killed and eaten the pinky I'd be cool with that, but to watch it slowly die...after a couple of hours I had to end its misery--once you've taken an infant mouse away from its mother there is little you can do for it. Hell, I even tried to feed it drops of water off my finger. It was heartbreaking. I'm a huge fan of the whole natural order of things...animal documentaries (Marlin Perkins was an a-hole, but that's another story)...I've got baited mouse traps in my house and have no problem with killing vermin and insect invaders. This experience with pinkies has taught me that I personally have a line defined--no pinkies for me (or my gecko). There deosn't seem to be any real nutritional benefit either. So, if you're thinking about feeding pinkies to your leopard gecko, well, it just didn't work for me...BTW...I've worked with large reptiles in the past and have no problem feeding live mammals.

Wow...that was a little traumatizing. Out of curiosity, what did you end up doing with the pinky? Yes, Marlin Perkins was an a-hole (new thread idea, lol!) My idea on feeding pinkies was trying to provide a variety since she won't eat mealworms, i wanted her to have something besides crickets, and every superworm i have found has been too big for her. I really don't want her addicted to leo-crack (waxworms) and dubias are illegal....SO i figured an occasional pinkie would be okay, now im rethinking

 

[gordmit]

Wow...that was a little traumatizing. Out of curiosity, what did you end up doing with the pinky? Yes, Marlin Perkins was an a-hole (new thread idea, lol!) My idea on feeding pinkies was trying to provide a variety since she won't eat mealworms, i wanted her to have something besides crickets, and every superworm i have found has been too big for her. I really don't want her addicted to leo-crack (waxworms) and dubias are illegal....SO i figured an occasional pinkie would be okay, now im rethinking

To make matters even worse it was my six year old daughter who suggested the pinky, technically its her gecko and we're learning A LOT about nature together. Once my daughter was asleep I removed the pinky and held it for a while, it wriggled and chirped, warmed in the heat of my palm...then flush. I debated snapping its neck or crushing it outside, or drowning it in a tiny thimble of water...I took the cowards way out. When my daughter woke the next morning she immediately checked the tank and thought Tangerine had eaten the pinky. I told her that the pinky had died in the night, which isn't really the whole truth but one day I'll come clean. Wow, this learning about nature is pretty tough!

 

[LizMarie]

I guess concerned was the word i should have used...i'm unsure of her age because i "adopted" her from a family that didnt/couldnt care for her, and they bought her from a petstore...so i wasn't sure if she was just thin or a juvie. She isnt refusing food, just really picky, she won't eat mealworms and will only eat crickets and the occasional waxworm. I was planning on getting some dubias, but i live in the wonderful state of Florida where they are illegal :main_angry: :main_angry:

Not all roaches are illegal in Florida any most roaches are better feeders than almost any worm. You should try seeing was legal and available and using those. Snakegirl posted a thread not that long about Roaches and FL. and i think someone posted the roaches that are allowed.

I personally stay away from Waxworms and Pinkies since they are high and fat and I believe a well balanced diet of the right food is better for adding weight instead of food that isn't nutrional but just adding on the grams.

She might not be "picky" but if she's young she likes to chase down her food instead of being feed from a bowl. They grab her attention and she goes after them. If a mealworm were as lively she would go after them that fast.

 

[TMF]

There are 2 species of roaches legal to have in FL with out a permit, those are Discoids (Blaberus Discoidalis) and Deathheads (Blaberus Craniifer). Both are pretty easy to get ahold of, i recommend www.buydubia.com

 

[leonewbie]

There are 2 species of roaches legal to have in FL with out a permit, those are Discoids (Blaberus Discoidalis) and Deathheads (Blaberus Craniifer). Both are pretty easy to get ahold of, i recommend www.buydubia.com

Thank you...i will check that out