# Do you have to feed crested geckos live food?



## orchidmantis (Apr 25, 2012)

Do you have to? Can you just keep them on baby food and repashy? My family dont really like live food? Thanks


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## Chris18 (Mar 22, 2009)

orchidmantis said:


> Do you have to? Can you just keep them on baby food and repashy? My family dont really like live food? Thanks


IMO Crested Gecko diets should contain animal protein regularly.
Baby food should be avoided.
I find in the CGD the Geckos grow so much slower which makes me which it's lacking in protein or other essential ingredients.


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## pippin9050 (Dec 20, 2011)

yes you can but they wont grow as fast but that is fine however i would not recommend baby food as it is not good for them. just repashy would be fine:2thumb:


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## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

I would personally always advice feeding live along side the CGD.

Like Chris said, babyfood should always be avoided. Cresteds fed soley on CGD grow slower which would indicate there is something they need which they're not getting in the CGD. 

As well as the protein provided in the live food it also provides the Crested with enrichment and the hunting stimulates their mind. 

Personally, I would say if you (for whatever reason) do not wish to feed live food don't buy a Crested.


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## orchidmantis (Apr 25, 2012)

But can they live without it pipin5090 said it only effects their groth?


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## Chris18 (Mar 22, 2009)

orchidmantis said:


> But can they live without it pipin5090 said it only effects their groth?


It completely depends who you're talking too.
I don't feed any 'complete' diets too mine, they now live on 99% insectivorous diet with the odd pureed supplemented fruit.
But to others that diet may look like satan.
To be honest I don't think anyone truly knows which is why there is so many mixed opinions on the ratio that should be fed.
IMO the complete diet was a very clever marketing strategy to encourage more Crested Gecko keepers.


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## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

orchidmantis said:


> But can they live without it pipin5090 said it only effects their groth?


Yes, but surely that shows that the CGD alone doesn't give them all the nutrients/proteins/vits that they need.


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## Vectis (Dec 3, 2011)

I am a one-gecko-gal and wasn't that keen on the idea of live crickets to start with. My lad eats Repashy's with enthusiasm, but as the others have said the crickets give him so much exercise and interest. Mealworms (which I had previously for my furries) aren't as interesting to him. He's absolutely rocketed in size! 
Live crickets aren't hard to look after and feeding them isn't too icky after all. Just try not to give them names... Jiminy one, Jiminy two....


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## 53bird (Sep 30, 2009)

i agree with the above, avoid baby food, not right for them at all.

then the other foods really do lead to a debate, if you were to go on alot of the US forums an said you feed livefood you would not get a nice welcome at all, many in this country do feed a mix of livefood an CGD (repashy or clarks are the better ones) my cresties an mossys get the CGD 3 times a week with livefood fed the rest of the time, you will find with each gecko some prefer differant things, some will prefer there CGD an have the odd live pray now an again or you get some that will only eat livefood
if your botherd about crickets, dubia roaches are a good choice and most geckos love them

fresh pureed fruit should be offerd as well now and again for a treat, i only have one that turns it down


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## Lilly Exotics (Oct 10, 2008)

orchidmantis said:


> Do you have to? Can you just keep them on baby food and repashy? My family dont really like live food? Thanks


Repashy CGD contains all the nutrients a crested gecko needs, so yes, you can sustain a Crestie perfectly well without feeding insects. One of the joys of this species is that they can be kept and enjoyed by those who are squeamish about insects.

As others have said, avoid baby food. Thanks, Nick

Repashy Super Foods


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## Chris18 (Mar 22, 2009)

Lilly Exotics said:


> Repashy CGD contains all the nutrients a crested gecko needs, so yes, you can sustain a Crestie perfectly well without feeding insects. One of the joys of this species is that they can be kept and enjoyed by those who are squeamish about insects.
> 
> As others have said, avoid baby food. Thanks, Nick
> 
> Repashy Super Foods


In your opinion it does.


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## SuperSpeedyWheels (Jun 23, 2011)

Our crested gecko showed little to no interest in livefood in the first 6 months we had him, would eat only repashy, he had hardly grown at all really. 

Recently he has started taking red runner roaches, his growth has really shot up noticeably since.

Which makes me question the 'complete' diet. You can get canned crickets, canned snails etc. Maybe mixing that in with the repashy can give it some of the protien it needs?


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## UKCrestie (Sep 9, 2011)

I have 2 adults who just will not even entertain eating live-food.
They have been offered it regularly for over 2 years but are just not interested, but both will readily eat 3 different flavours of CGD, and/or mashed fruits.
I bought them as sub-adults and they were previously fed on a 99% CGD diet which would possibly explain their disdain for all livefoods.
They both seem to be in perfect health and are the same adult size as my others, I have never had 1 issue with either of them.

I personally try offering livefood to all of mine, but I wouldn't want to impose that on someone else. At the end of the day its your choice OP, and if people have had success with CGD only diets I don't see a reason why you shouldnt be able to sustain a crestie on that alone.
Although as already mentioned, there is a noticeable difference in weight gain with cresties fed livefood as-well.

If someone compiles some definitive evidence that the CGD powder is not suitable as a complete diet then I will change my opinion entirely.
At the minute I don't think that the slower growth is enough of an issue to avoid feeding a CGD only diet, especially since I very much doubt young cresties grow at the rate they do in captivity in the wild - plus aside from this there doesn't seem any obvious detriment to doing so and as adults they seem just as healthy too.

Given a year or 2 I'm sure we will have a definitive answer but for now I'd say do whatever you feel.


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## JamesJ (Apr 12, 2008)

I think a diet varied with CGD and livefood is best.

As mentioned geckos on just CGD alone tend to grow slower but imo thats not always such a bad thing, any animal that grows very quick in the first year or so of their lives can suffer with bone weakness etc because their body couldn't cope with the rapid growth rate, it's not a common problem but it does occur. Some geckos won't eat livefood anyway, just as some won't eat CGDs.

Many cresties won't eat mealworms but the majority of mine will without hesitation and they are nicer to deal with than jumpy crickets/locusts which freak alot of people out. There are other varieties of worms you can get too like calciworms and butterworms but they do cost more. Roaches also cost more but dont really smell like crickets and locust and they dont make a noise or jump/climb so there's much less risk of escapees annoying your parents.

Don't bother with the can-o'-worms/locust etc or dried crickets / mealies there is barely any nutrition in them at all and because they don't move most geckos wont even bat an eyelid at them.

Again don't bother with baby food its all sugar/manufactured your much better off buying fresh fruit and blending it and you can freeze it and use it as and when.

My geckos have CGD available most the time, then they get dusted mealworms twice a week and crickets / locust a few times a month.


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## Lilly Exotics (Oct 10, 2008)

Baby crested geckos will certainly grow quicker being fed insects. However the question is do you need to feed live food, and I believe the answer is no. Crested Geckos can be fed Repashy CGD from birth into adulthood exclusively and will thrive and breed.

Thanks
Nick
Repashy Super Foods
Lillyexotics ::crested gecko, gecko, crestie,gecko breeder,ciliatus,panther chameleon,chameleon breeder,vivarium


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