Waxworms for picky eaters or new leos

[Geckonut]

I know waxworms are a bit maligned here due to fat content, but in actuality, they don't have that much more fat content than other worms....do a nutritional comparison.
They are awesome to help a new leo adjust and get eating so they maintain their weight....also great for leos that have appetite issues to help stimulate their appetites.
Leos love these things!!!!!
Once you've adjusted your leos appetites with them, you can wean them back onto other feeders and just give waxworms as a treat. I myself like a hefty gecko with a big honkin tail!

 

[Chelsbrown]

I agree, a little extra fat won't necessarily hurt them, but the key is careful supplementation. Just as you would never feed a dog ONLY treats/ biscuits, or a child ONLY candy & chips.

Two much fat in a leo's diet can cause fatty liver disease, so keep that in mind, also ALWAYS dust to up vitamins/minerals and calcium content. Many geckos tend to be stubborn, picky eaters, so you have to make sure to avoid any change in feeding routine that might form a nasty waxworm habit thats tough to break.

I have a large female that went through a period where all she wanted was waxies. I tried making her quit cold turkey, but she was just a fiend for the things and wouldn't eat anything else. I started feeding my roaches Honey Nut Cheerios and FINALLY she would take them

She like they taste of them because they were sweeter, I'm guessing. Waxworms feed on a honey/bran mixture. The sweetened breakfast cereal emulated that in the roaches diet, and now all my animals REALLY go nuts for them.

 

[Mel&Keith]

I personally wouldn't recommend starting a new gecko on wax worms just to get them eating immediately. It can take longer to get them to switch back to regular feeders than they would have been not eating while they settle in. It's counter productive in my opinion.