Waxworm Addiction

[Dakota_Ghost]

Hi all,

Here’s the story... I purchased a new leo a little over two months ago and when I first got her she was eating mealworms, even from a bowl. Her appetite was average I suppose, considering that she had to adjust to being in a new environment.

Couple weeks later, she then started ovulating, and lost a few grams. To help her gain the tiny bit of weight loss I gave her a few waxworms. She then refused mealworms, and I continued to give her just small amount of waxworms over a week or so, just because I was conscious of her losing weight. At the same time, I was still offering her mealworms, to which she refused. Incidentally, I ran out of waxworms and thought, well she’s going to have to eat the mealworms or go hungry.

She refused to eat anything for just over a month. She had minimal weight loss, until recently it was slightly more visible in her tail. Thus, the other day, I offered her a waxworm just because I thought the weight loss just isn’t worth it, and would you believe it, she ate it. She’s obviously holding out for waxworms. I have tried different feeder items like crickets, but she’s not interested. I have even tried to ween her back onto mealworms, by cutting one in half and let her taste the insides. Yes, disgusting I know. Her temperatures are fine, everything is ideal.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Many thanks,

Dakota

 

[bman123]

It's not worth it to feed a Leo wax worms, I think if it's fed a good diet of mealworms crickets and superworms then it should put the weight back on just fine.
How much does it weigh now?

I've seen alot of threads about leos refusing other food after eating wax worms, just keep trying to offer mealworms and crickets.

 

[Toasty84]

Cut up a wax and put the juices in her mealie bowl. It might be enough to get her back into mealies.
If not, maybe try concocting a slurry or trying new feeders.

 

[Taquiq]

If she's hungry she will eat the mealworms. Maybe not right away but she will eat when she gets hungry enough. Waxworms are just to high in fat and it is not worth feeding her them because they get addicted.

 

[Dakota_Ghost]

I agree. I've now learnt that feeding waxworms, even just a few to prevent weight loss is a bad idea. If she ever has a period in the future once she has got over her addiction when she loses a few grams, it will be obvious then not to get too concerned and offer a waxworm because it will help her put the weight back on. That was initially, just what I did, offered her a few and now she's hooked.

But yes, that is a good idea about making the mealworms taste like waxworms. I shall try that. Cutting a waxworm in half is not the most appealing thing to do, but if that's what it takes.

Does anyone else have any suggestions? If she goes another month without food (which she will, in the hope I'll offer her a waxworm) I can predict her weightloss may become more serious than a few grams. On the other hand, if waxworms are the only thing she will eat at the moment, I just don't know what to do. Some people may argue that leo's will not starve themselves, and after they have realised they wont get anymore waxworms, they will eventually be hungry enough for mealworms. Perhaps that's the case with some animals... I guess others are more stubborn.

Dakota

 

[Dakota_Ghost]

If she's hungry she will eat the mealworms. Maybe not right away but she will eat when she gets hungry enough. Waxworms are just to high in fat and it is not worth feeding her them because they get addicted.

I guess it's going to take longer than a month of not eating for her to be hungry enough to eat mealworms then :/ In the meatime, the weightloss may be a problem, which I don't want to occur.

 

[Taquiq]

Toasty84's method might work.

 

[Imperial Geckos]

try crickets...if a gecko is not eating mealworms, its probably because they do not know it is a food source. Dont feed it anything for like 5-7days..then toss in 5-7 crickets...and LEAVE THEM IN OVERNIGHT, if it does not eat them right away. Leos are noctural and are most likely to eat overnight...that should work

good luck!

 

[shadowdragon619]

this is what i do when they decide they only want waxworms.....

drop a waxworm in front of them, the drop mealies...if they're hungry enough, food is food and it should eat the mealworm.

sometimes you need tough love. dont feed her any waxworms and give her only supers, crickets, or mealworms....and say either you eat those, or starve! lol

once she's hungry enough, she'll eat them.

 

[Imperial Geckos]

ohh and by the way...the whole "waxworm addiction" thing....IT IS ONLY A MYTH!!! lol

There is no controlled substance in the waxworm..hence the gecko can not be addicted. Once the gecko is hungry it will eat. Reptiles are not stupid, they will not starve themselves...do you think in the wild a gecko will try one sort of prey item and say....im addicted!, i will not eat any other insect except for this type..NO! when they are hungry they will eat, they will not starve themselves, it is as simple as that. Try crickets like i said, and im sure your gecko will eat ...

All these myths make me laugh sometimes =p

 

[Dakota_Ghost]

Thanks for all your comments so far guys.

I have tried the method shadowdragon proposed, by putting mealworms and waxworms together, but she is very selective, and will pick out the waxworm amongst 10 mealworms. Only once has she accidently eaten a mealworm by doing this.

As for crickets, I mentioned that I have already tried them, not just once, but many times. Both of my leo's don't seem to like crickets. Even when they are disabled so they can be caught easily, they just don't recognise them as a food source, and seem to be more scared of them.

Again I stress that I only offered her mealworms and other feeders for a month after she had finished ovulating, and she refused to eat them. So, she had no food whatsoever for a month. I did not continue to feed her waxworms, until two days ago I presented her with a waxworm to see if she was merely holding out for them, or if she had completely gone off her appetite. She ate the waxworm, which confirms that she is willing hold out for weeks without any food just to have one waxworm.

As for describing her behaviour as an 'addiction', perhaps that is the wrong word. Let's just say she won’t eat anything but waxworms, and that she is indeed very stubborn. My main concern is not whether she is hungry enough. She may not be hungry, but that doesn't stop the weight loss. Although this loss is not a problem as yet, I can imagine it may develop into one.

Dakota