Question about worms

[Jadie.Glitch]

I bought freezedried mealworms for our new (and first) gecko, but she refused them. We then bought some 1/2" crickets and she readily ate those but my husband hates crickets and doesn't want them escaping in the house and being gross so we picked up some live mealworms today. When we got home we set one outside her hide she snatched it up immediately as if to say "FINALLY! Some real food!", lol. So I think she's happy with the change too (I think her previous owners actually only fed her mealies, so the crickets were weird for her anyway... though she did eat them.)

We then put the rest of the mealworms in a small dish. Now I have some questions

1. I put some apple slices into the mealworm dish so they don't starve, is this right?
2. The mealworms are approximately an inch long, this isn't too big is it? (my gecko is between 5-6 inches long)
3. I heard superworms are great, but when I opened the container at the petstore to see them I was taken back by how big they were. I decided to stick with the large mealworms because they seem less huge and dangerous; am I being silly?
4. What is a good internet worm supplier? I want to get some more variety (plus not pay petstore prices). My gecko is kind of skinny and it was suggested that I feed her some wax worms to her to bulk her up quickly.

 

[Jadie.Glitch]

Also, I found the following pictures of this little gecko devouring a huge beetle! (cited from this website: http://www.flickr.com/photos/elapid/2711643870/in/set-72157603922434714/) I had no idea it could eat such huge things! It would be neat to find a supplier for these as well, anyone know of a good internet beetle supplier?

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Mealworms are fine to get her going again and settled into her new home. Especially since she was accustomed to eating them before. They will not starve in the dish, just change out the uneaten ones daily. No need to bulk up on waxworms, a consistent diet of nutritious feeders is all they need to be healthy. Waxworms are gecko crack, and there are other more suitable treats to offer as variety after she is established with you. There's a lot of threads on feeder sources for you to check out using the forum search function to get plenty of opinions and ideas, as well as how to take care of different feeders, and even breed some. I'm with you on the crickets! Nasty things!

 

[Wowoklol]

Thats a Blaptica Dubia roach. Can be found online as well. I just bought some from Philly Feeders and had great results. I don't like superworms. Too big and nasty. Maybe if I crushed their heads but who wants to do that?!

I spoil my pets which is why I recommended the waxworms

 

[Dog Shrink]

You don't bulk up a leo quickly if they're under weight. A slow consistent diet and proper supplementation will put weight on properly. You should keep feeders at a size that is no bigger around than the gap between their eyes (the feeders girth that is).

 

[Jadie.Glitch]

Okay, see I thought I heard someone say that at one point (the thing about the gap between the eyes)... so does that mean that the person who fed their leo that silver dubia roach was doing the wrong thing? It looks a tad wider than the gap between it's eyes, imho, but I suppose it could just be the angle I'm seeing it at.

 

[Dog Shrink]

Imo that roach was a bit large for that leo, but then again it did look like a LOT of wing and those are soft. I wouldn't have been comfortable feeding a bug that large.

 

[Jadie.Glitch]

Okay, that's good to know. Thank you

 

[Dog Shrink]