[Dezy'sMom]

Ok, I got my handsome boy a while back and he's been doing great for me, except he won't eat meal worms. His previous mommy said he would eat mealies but not supers, the ones I bought were regular meal worms. I offered them and he's refusing them, but I know he's hungry because when I offer him crickets he'll eat as many as I let him. His tail is still pretty chunky and he's still trading his hiding spots throughout the day. My question is this do I cave and just put him on a cricket diet? or hold out through the hunger strike and offer smaller meal worms when my colony matures enough to provide them. I would much prefer to have him eating mealies since they are better for him and far easier to keep.

Thank you sooo much!

[Hilde]

Is there a chance she meant he'll eat superworms but not mealworms? I've had AFTs for over 10 years and never yet had one eat a mealworm, but they will eat supers (though a bit reluctantly).
Mealworms aren't all that fantastic as far as nutrition goes, so it's not a big deal if he won't eat them. Crickets would be a better choice.
Many people I've talked to have said they can't get their AFTs to eat mealworms, butterworms or phoenix worms. It seems like they particularly dislike silkworms. I don't know what it is about silkies, but my AFTs have never eaten them. One taste is all - they threw them down and never even licked one again - somewhat the same reaction as mealworms.
There must be something about the 'worms' that they don't like. Yours isn't just picky, he's going along with the majority of his species.

[Dezy'sMom]

Huh, all but two web site care sheets I've read say that meal worms are acceptable to them. Ok, here's an additive to the previous question, did you ever get yours to eat dried crickets? My Dezzmodeus has munched down the occasional dead cricket when going for a live and seeing as it's not always easy to get live crickets and keep them that way for me i'd been hoping he'd eat the meal worms seeing as they are easier to keep. I hate when he misses a feeding and would love to be able to offer him something he has a good chance of eating during the wait to get more live crickets. Thanks!

[IngaDA]

My ATF was originally on a meal worm diet but after a hunger strike the only thing he'll eat is live crickets. I had a friend who used one of those vibrating dishes to get her gecko to eat dried crickets, and it worked well, he wouldn't touch them otherwise. Meal worms are an acceptable food source but you have to make sure you supplement with a calcium powder. Your ATF may run into health problems if you don't supplement the minerals meal worms can't give it.

[reptilescreek]

My Aft's wont look at meal worms let alone eat them lol but they love there crickets ,mmmmm thats the thing about many online care sheets I find so many conflict with one another which is why these forums are the best place to find out all you need to know from the genuine advice from people who have either kept or are keeping Aft's I also agree with hilde unless you are feeding mealworms a fantastic supplementary diet there are very few nutritional reasons to feed shop brought mass farmed mealworms

[PassPort]

The general consensus is that caudicinctus will eat mealworms, but prefer crickets. I've never had much of a problem getting the to eat mealies, but I always use the regular mealworms. My fatties would never touch the giant mealies. Half grown super worms they were ok with, but not the full size ones.

I don't really use worms at all anymore, my geckos have been doing well on a diet of crickets and dubia.

[vegasgrl529]

My AFT's refuse to eat mealies, too. I've tried and they didn't pay any attention. I've noticed based on forum posts that a lot of AFT's don't like to eat worms. Crickets are perfectly fine