# Leopard Gecko and locusts



## Veyla (May 24, 2011)

My Leopard Gecko, Bob, doesn't seem to like eating crickets. I have tried different sizes and types but he really isnt interested. I have not had him for long but he is fine with mealies and of course he relishes waxworms. Tonight he tried locusts which he loved but I still have to offer it with tongs. I think his previous owner has never let him hunt properly. Will he be ok with just locusts and mealies plus how do I encourage him to catch his own food.


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## McToons (May 7, 2011)

How long is 'not long'?

What are his temps like?

Anything else that might be stressing him out?

Do you know anything about his feeding habits before you got him?

And how many/often waxies he had?


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

All very valid questions by McToons that could have a bearing on the reply as to whether there is a problem.

What I would say in addition is that I never feed crickets to any of my Leos - purely because I hate them. What is most important in a feeder insect is that they are well gut-loaded with veg, fruit etc. and then dusted with calcium/vits. He will be fine on a diet of mealies and locust. Wax worms are VERY fatty and can't be well gut loaded so should be used very sparingly - if at all. Roaches make another very nutritious feeder that most Leos like.


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## Veyla (May 24, 2011)

McToons said:


> How long is 'not long'?
> 
> What are his temps like?
> 
> ...


 
1)I have had him only two weeks.
2)His temp is between 30-32 in the day.
3)He has been moved to a much larger enclosure, had his two ladies taken away and has to put up with my dog licking his tank (which admitedly he doesn't seem to fussed about)
4)I was told he ate crickets and thats all the info I was given.
5)He has had two in a fortnight and thats it.


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## Veyla (May 24, 2011)

jools said:


> What I would say in addition is that I never feed crickets to any of my Leos - purely because I hate them. What is most important in a feeder insect is that they are well gut-loaded with veg, fruit etc. and then dusted with calcium/vits. He will be fine on a diet of mealies and locust. Wax worms are VERY fatty and can't be well gut loaded so should be used very sparingly - if at all. Roaches make another very nutritious feeder that most Leos like.


I am gut loading the insects although after having a look through the forum again, I realise that I need to give more variety to them. Whats the best to give mealies by the way?

I have been dusting all of Bobs food with calcium but once a week I have been using vitamins too. I am feeding him every 3 days. He likes his mealies which I have only given a few as a snack at night so he can munch. I was stunned tonight when he ate 10 locusts!:gasp: Don't worry I know the wax worms are a treat, he only had two and I have no more to give him anyway.


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## McToons (May 7, 2011)

Well firstly I'd say he is actually eating albeit hand fed, so no need to actually panic.

Since he's only just moved to his new house he could still be settling down. It can take a few days or a few weeks, every lizard settles at a different rate. You say he isn't fussed about the dog, but I'd be inclined to discourage the dog as much as possible, Bob will still see him as a potential predator.

I'd keep hand feeding out of need (and will help build up trust), but still keep giving him the options of letting him hunt. Just make sure whatever he is eating is nicely packed with nutrients.

One thought I've had (and had experience of), you've moved him to a new viv as I understand. Was his old one glass and new one wood? If so have you taken into account he might not be getting day/night cycles via natural light as he might have had before? This happened to Gogo and he stopped eating and being active at all. To remedy this I added a small energy saver bulb to his viv so I could give him daytime and night.


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## mandyT (Aug 23, 2007)

he might not be eating brilliant because there might still be a certain amount of stress from the move. Our cookie stoped eating for almost a month, before she settled (but in all this time she didnt lose any weight)

Having your leo on just locusts and mealworms are fine. Obvi the more things you have in their deit the better it is, but there isnt a problem with two items. Thats all I feed mine (with the odd waxworm)

one of my males was in with a female, he was shooting blanks and the forum said they are better on their own, so they was seprated. Since him being on his own she stoped eating for about a week or so, but soon returned to his normal self.

If you are at all concerned about him generally you could always get a stool sampled done, this rules out any problems and sets your mind at rest


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## Veyla (May 24, 2011)

Many thanks for your help. Your confirming what I thought but Ijust wanted to check his nutritional needs were being met. :2thumb:


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## Jeffers3 (May 18, 2010)

Mealworms are fine as a staple for leos. Keep offering other feeders as well ideally, but don't worry too much, so long as the mealies are still being eaten.

One thing I would suggest is that you increase the number of multivitamin doses. Ideally, it should be "little and often", so that they can utilise their calcium properly. I use nutrobal at every feed, but sparingly. Calcium, on its own, is not much use to leos.


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## Veyla (May 24, 2011)

Jeffers3 said:


> Mealworms are fine as a staple for leos. Keep offering other feeders as well ideally, but don't worry too much, so long as the mealies are still being eaten.
> 
> One thing I would suggest is that you increase the number of multivitamin doses. Ideally, it should be "little and often", so that they can utilise their calcium properly. I use nutrobal at every feed, but sparingly. Calcium, on its own, is not much use to leos.


Oh ok, thank you. There is so much conflicting information that it is sometimes awkward to sort through it.


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## sazzle (Jun 3, 2008)

the easiest way i found to ensure they are getting the right amount of calcium and nutrabol is to have a pot with a 50/50 mix in it which i use to dust every feed and it is also in the milk bottle top in their vivs 

mine eat locust, mealies, morios and dubia's  waxies are the devil in my house lol x


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## Jeffers3 (May 18, 2010)

sazzle said:


> the easiest way i found to ensure they are getting the right amount of calcium and nutrabol is to have a pot with a 50/50 mix in it which i use to dust every feed and it is also in the milk bottle top in their vivs


You're over complicating things - nutrobal is mostly calcium carbonate, which has been carefully balanced with the other nutrients required (hence its name!). All you are doing by mixing it 50/50 is diluting the supplements that were carefully formulated by the veterinary biochemists who developed the formula. If they thought the supplements should be at lower concentrations, they would have added less (especially since these are much more expensive ingredients than calcium carbonate!).


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