Which is healthier?

[geckos9]

Crickets or mealworms? what are some other feeders that are healthy for leopard geckos(as a staple food)? Thanks

 

[Russellm0704]

Crickets have more nutritional value but I personally feed mealworms because they are easier to deal with, keep alive, don't smell, etc. I know a few members have asked this before and some quality nutritional analysis charts have been posted so the search function may be your best friend.

 

[marauderhex]

Roaches!

 

[vinnie-gecko]

dubia roaches

 

[getgeckos]

A variety of insects is the healthiest. I use mealworms as a staple and rotate in crickets and dubia roaches weekly. I try to add an occasional butterworm if I can get them as well.

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[OnlineGeckos]

A variety of insects is the healthiest. I use mealworms as a staple and rotate in crickets and dubia roaches weekly. I try to add an occasional butterworm if I can get them as well.

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+1 I agree, variety for the win. Crickets are lower in fat than worms, a bit better protein value, and better calcium to phosphorous ratio. But it's a pain to keep crickets due to the smell, noise, how they just love to die randomly, and the fact that they jump making it more difficult to clean their tanks. An alternative to crickets are dubia roaches, they've got the same healthy nutrition but less the smell, jumping, and noise. Plus they rarely die and live a long time.

We're feeding dubia roaches and superworms as staples, mealworms for hatchlings. Crickets are used off and on as "treats".

 

[grboxa]

I used silkworms as a strict staple for a little while until I offered variety, they are very nutritious and have many advantages from health benefits over other feeders.

 

[contracteryin]

I have crickets and silkworms as my most common. On the occasion I feed mealworms and hornworms. I'd LOVE to use dubias or some kind of roach but my parents won't allow it. So, they're all pretty good, but it always comes down to preference.

 

[Makatak123]

I so far use Crickets as a staple and superworms as treats. I would like to get some dubias roaches but dont know where to get them.

 

[geckos9]

What are some good places to get dubias from?

 

[athdaraxen]

There is also Phoenix worms. If your gecko likes them. They are great and are high in calcium!

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[Digby Rigby]

Variety in and of itself has no advantages nutrionally. Variety that brings different things to the table, so to speak does. For instance the one who uses crickets and mealworms as staples and dubia as treats would be better served using dubia instead of crickets and mealworms because nutrionally the crickets and mealworms dont offer anything the dubia doesnt, and the dubia offer more nutrionally.

Variety that would mean something would be silkworms, roaches and say mantids. All three of them bring good and different nutrients to the mix.

So in conclusion variety where each item brings something different means something. Feeding items that do not offer nutrional diversity does not. I can tell you that people who use dubia alone get better results than those who use crickets, superoworms and waxworms for variety. People who offer say discoids and say fusca roaches are not offering any variety as far as nutrition goes.

 

[SORROW89]

Crickets, silkworms, hornworms, phoenix worms are the healthiest, hands down!

 

[Ozy]

I get my roaches from westcoastroaches.com They are amazing. Just got my dubia starter colony in yesterday (from them of course) so I'm hoping for babies soon. I was leery of the idea of roaches at first, but they are SO much better than crickets. They don't smell, don't jump, are quiet and quite lazy. Plus they are SUPER easy to keep alive.