# How to feed mealworms



## cssh0599 (Feb 15, 2010)

Hi new to this site, and reptiles.

Got my first Leopard Gecko on Saturday. Very excited. Pet shop gave me wood chippings for substrate, but after reading this site have changed to a stone tile. Thank you.

My question is how do I get my gecko to eat meal worms. He is eating crickets fine about 6 - 8 a day, but wanted to get him on to meal worms as well. He just looks at them and walks away. Any tips that could help. (He is aprox 1 month old) Many thanks for all help given. This seems a very cool site. Thanks


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## mustang100893 (Nov 16, 2009)

Hi and welcome to the site, good that you have changed your substrate as chippings it's not suitable at all. Firstly if they are the larger mealworms then he may not take them as they could be too big and he would just regurge them, some places do much younger smaller mealworms (and before anyone comments by big mealworms i don't mean morios just larger mealies) and these are more suitable although there's no problem with keeping him on crix for now just remember to calci dust them, i do this every other feed, so every fourth day, i feed them 5-8 every other day as i found mine to become obese if fed too many or daily. When he becomes older and larger he may take them and if he doesn't this shouldn't be a problem, but when he is near fully grown about seven inches try waxworms or even a pinkie and locusts, but waxworms and pinkies should be given only as a TREAT as they are very fattening and according to some people waxies are very addictive although mine will eat anything greedily anyway. Hope this helps mate. :2thumb:


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## cssh0599 (Feb 15, 2010)

Thanks for advice. Wanted to get him on to mealworms as thought this would be a good alternative. Also if I go away for a couple of days, I thought I could leave a load on meal worms in a bowl, as my wife is not keen on crickets.


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## mustang100893 (Nov 16, 2009)

Dunno really if they can escape then they could cause harm to the lizard although i have never had a problem with this, if it's only three, four days then it shouldn't be a problem to just give him some before, as long as it's not ages like a week or more, if you think about in the wild it is unlikely that they would have food daily. But if he doesn't like mealworms then just keep putting some in, keep an eye on them and see if he takes some if he doesn't then thats the way it is, one of mine won't take crickets and will only take mealies, the other take anything and everything, just the way they are.


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## cssh0599 (Feb 15, 2010)

Cheers. Will keep trying to see what happens with them.
It makes sense that in the wild they would not eat every day. Normally I am not away for more than 1 or 2 nights, so should be OK. Cheers


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

Hi - welcome. If your baby has been reared on crickets he may not recognise mealies as food. I would keep him on crix for now, or try locust - much nicer, as he really needs to eat *every day* at this age. Put a bowl of mini-mealies in the viv 24/7 anyway and curiosity may get the better of him and he may try them. When he is older and more able to withstand going hungry then you could try witholding the crix and just feeding mealies.
Every feed should be dusted. Use a pure calcium 5 times a week and a multivit / mineral supplement which contains D3 (such as Nutrobal) twice a week.
When he is an adult it would be possible to only feed him 3 times a week or so as long as someone is available to check water and temperatures each day. 
I hope this helps.


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## cssh0599 (Feb 15, 2010)

Thanks for all the advice. Will see how we get on over next few months. Cheers


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