# New Leopard Gecko Not Liking Crickets



## TheGuvnor (Apr 26, 2013)

Hi all, I'm so chuffed I have found these forums. I have already had pleasure reading the info within. You seem a friendly bunch .:2thumb:
Anyways, got myself a leopard gecko 7 days ago, and so far she seems to have settled in fine. Got the Exo-Terra 30x30x30 Viv. Small heat pad on the underside glass (underneath obviously). The heatpad floor temp is around 30/32c, with the cool side being around 21/22c.
I have a hot and cool hide, and water.

My issue is this......she don't seem to like crickets. I have tried with a few every day, she shows no interest at all. I have even tried the canned crickets, she just not interested. She don't even look at them, dead or alive.
I have tried mealworms and she eats them, so at least she is eating. And she will hunt them if I let a couple loose out of the tray. But as soon as they stop squirming she don't touch them. She eats about 5/6i have noticed. Again, I am pleased she is eating.
I guess they go of food taste just as we would, but what do you guys suggest?.
And anything else you can suggest is much appreciated. Thanks guys


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

Hi and welcome to RFUK.

Congrats on the new little Leo! It is good that she is eating so soon - some take several days to recover from the stress of moving to a new home and starting to eat. It may be that she has been reared exclusively on mealworms - many Leos are - and doesn't really recognise the crickets as food. Although it is good for them to have a variety of feeders it doesn't really matter if she will only take mealworms. Just make sure they are well gut loaded with lots of fresh veggies before they are used and that you are using a good dusting powder such as Nutrobal and calcium or Repasheys calcium plus on them. You could try her with hoppers (young locusts) which Leos often love or roaches if you can get them. She won't eat the canned crickets as it is the movement of the insect which encourages them to strike.

I am assuming that she is very young. The size viv she is in is nowhere near large enough for a permanent home for a Leo. I would say she would have outgrown that by the time she gets to about 20g.


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## TheGuvnor (Apr 26, 2013)

Thanks so much for the reply and kind welcome.:2thumb: 

I think the Viv is to small too. So I will be investing in a larger one in a couple of weeks, although she I happy enough, it just seems a little to cramped in there, with only 2 hides and water/meal/cal dish, thats about it.
Id like her to have more room to explore without her feeling she getting lost.

But on the main note, What is good to gutload the mealworms on?. I did read fishfood or crush up a wheatabix, both of which would be easy as I have tropical fish, so the food is there, and the wheatabix is no worries, also any salad or veg I should try/avoid?.

Thanks again :notworthy:


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

An adult Leo really needs a floor space (height is not such an issue) of at least 2 square feet - that really is a minimum. 

Yes you can gut load with fish food. Weetabix is ok as a substrate for mealworms. You can also add dry cat food. This gives the mealworms protein. More important is veggies such as chopped green leafy veg, carrot, apple, hard pear, squash, parsnip. Avoid spinach, rhubarb, citrus, tomato.


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## TheGuvnor (Apr 26, 2013)

Quick update for you.

Got a new 42" Vivarium, It just needs a couple of things which I will get this week, then she will have a new home. Im a little dubious moving her as its only been just under 2 weeks since she in the one she in now. But its set up and its right next to her. And she does have a good old look at it when shes out.

I took on the advice about gutloading the Mealworms. All is ok there. 
But also, I tried feeding her crickets yesterday and today, but I removed her hides to give her more room to see them running around. She actually managed to strike and catch 2.......and eat them. Wooohoooo.
The remaining two I caught with the tongs after her not bothering for about 15min, just as I was removing the last one she got it right from the end of the tongs :lol2:. So, I think she is a little lazy:2thumb:.

Anyway, Im confident after she is in the new viv, with much more room, she should be just fine once shes settled in......again.

But again, thanks for the advice guys.


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

It's all sounding good!


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## Artisan (Mar 27, 2011)

She will love all the space of the new viv. Some leos take aaaaages to settle in and start eating well. When I first got my first 2 leos I was convinced they hated everything except locusts as they wouldnt even look at mealworms or other bugs.....forward 3/4 weeks.....and they were both munching anything that moved, especially at night when the lights were out and they would go into full on hunting mode to chase down any bugs id put in for them overnight. I remove any left overs in the morning so they dont nibble on sleeping geckos : victory:


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## TheGuvnor (Apr 26, 2013)

**Update**

Alot has happened since the last post :2thumb:. She went through a shed relitivley easy. I needed to help her with some shed stuck on her front feet. Sorted now tho.

She also has her new Viv :flrt:. Is still a couple things I would like to get. Im putting LED's in over the next week just to brighten it all up, and don't want any heat as the temps are fine. But, all in good time.

She is also eating crickets. I got a bigger size. So that, and more room to hunt really helped lots.

I think (Hope), she is a happy little Gecko.

BTW, the heat-lamp I use in the second photo was purely for the photo. It was used in the old Viv :2thumb:


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## TheGuvnor (Apr 26, 2013)

Rather than do another thread, just updating this one. 
I have moved from reptile carpet to slate. I'm getting a constant 30.5/32.5. It don'tmove fromthat nono matterwhat timeof day.So am very happy. 

She does have an eye problem. One is half closed. But it don't look stolen and no discharge, so I will keep my eye on that. But any ideas would be welcome from you good folk. 

Anyways, here is the slate viv.










Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

Is the eye like that when the viv is dark? Just that some Leos have a habit of only opening one of their eyes sometimes - like us squinting in bright light.

Another possibility is that it could be stuck shed skin. Leos don't shed over their corneas like snakes do but they do have movable eyelids and there is skin on the inside of the eyelid. If this isn't shed properly it dries and contracts, shutting the eye. 

Best course of action would be to check if both of the eyes are opening well while it is dark. If they are not then the next day give the Leo a sauna - use a cricket tub, put a folded kitchen towel in the bottom with about 5mm warm water. Pop the Leo in , put the lid on, and leave above the heatmat for 10 minutes. If the problem is stuck shed this should soften and the eye should open. Removing this is a bit tricky and unless you are very confident it might be best to let either a very experienced keeper or a vet do it.
If the eye stays closed then you need a vet visit. There may be nothing wrong with the eye - it could be a problem such as a mouth abscess. Hope this helps.


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## TheGuvnor (Apr 26, 2013)

Thanks very much jools. I will try the sun a later. And we'll keep you updated. Such a nice bunch on this forum 

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## Hardy87 (Apr 7, 2011)

Yea my gecko's eat locusts, i have 2 females together and one wouldn't eat crickets thought it was due to them being together then found out she was just fussy by mine have lived very happily on a diet of meal worms and locusts tried to offer crickets since but one of them is very snobbish. But it could also be due to them just moving so i would try feeding for a few days and see how it goes :2thumb:


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## TheGuvnor (Apr 26, 2013)

Right. Gave Beans a sauna. When she got out she was rubbing that eye along the wall of the viv and her hide. So there is definitely something the sauna has loosened. I think probably the old shed skin. Although I can't visually see anything. 

I spoken too my local reptile Centre, they said try the eye and skin ointment and it should help and if it is skin, it will probably come off on next shed. She has been shedding once a month, so it's due in the next week. If it's still the same after Shed, I'll take her to the vet their.

As for her eating. I do vary a lot. She eats locust, dubias roaches, and medium to large black crickets ( she likes them better than brown). And the odd meal worms and wax worms. And she eats every other day. 

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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

Make sure the eye stays moisturised. Hopefully it will come away with the next shed. If it doesn't, or if at any point it looks red, inflamed or has pus then you need to see a specialist reptile vet without delay.


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