spoiled by crickets

[aquamentus_11]

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It didn't take long to ruin Scorpio's good eating habits. He got two days of crickets in a row and now he won't eat his CGD. He stakes out the dish with food in it waiting for crickets to come eat from it He did just get a tank upgrade but he was eating well from the first day he was switched to it. I know he can find the food because he's using it as bait....I hate playing the waiting game with herps, but it looks like he just needs to fast a bit.

[WildWildMidwest]

What about transitioning via CGD dusted crickets?

[aquamentus_11]

What about transitioning via CGD dusted crickets?

Never thought of that....how ingenious of you

[WildWildMidwest]

Glad to help... let us know how it works with Mr. Scorpio.

[cassicat4]

I'm having the opposite problem with my Garg...I have to trick her just to get her to eat crickets!

If the cricket-in-CGD trick doesn't work, you could also try adding a little bit of honey to the CGD to sweeten the flavor. This works on some difficult eaters.

[aquamentus_11]

ok cool. it's weird that he just stopped eating the cgd like this. he wolfed it down before.

[Geitje]

The opportunity for a specimen from this genus of mis-fed animals to eat a more naturalistic dietary item - has been revealed for what it’s really worth – yes, these animals have evolved in nature to eat live insects, to have and exhibit natural hunting behaviors and once they have “reverted” back to a more naturalistic way of living – they do not want to return to their ivory tower feeding stations and food troughs. Wild geckos have not evolved to do so. Nature, and it’s due course, has never provided powdered diets in a clean dish and said this is a more preferable evolutionary line for all to follow.

I haven’t fed powder to any my Rhacodactylus ever since the first R. auriculatus I bought from Tom Crutchfield in 1983. Mine love to chase and eat insects, mice, etc. Some of the Rhacodactylus that I’ve purchased from breeders who use powder-puff diets are not that interested in chasing insects. No wonder. Their specimens are usually fat, lazy and disconnected and prefer to slowly approach a free meal, than to get outside and hunt for one’s own meal – just like a lot of the humans in today’s world. I hunt, so do all of my animals.

Scorpio is a modern day hero for future generations of Rhacodactylus. He just might be the poster child for dietary change for the Rhacodactylus future of tomorrow. Toss the bugs in, and toss the powder OUT!

Jon

[NicKtheGreeK1997]

The opportunity for a specimen from this genus of mis-fed animals to eat a more naturalistic dietary item - has been revealed for what it’s really worth – yes, these animals have evolved in nature to eat live insects, to have and exhibit natural hunting behaviors and once they have “reverted” back to a more naturalistic way of living – they do not want to return to their ivory tower feeding stations and food troughs. Wild geckos have not evolved to do so. Nature, and it’s due course, has never provided powdered diets in a clean dish and said this is a more preferable evolutionary line for all to follow.

I haven’t fed powder to any my Rhacodactylus ever since the first R. auriculatus I bought from Tom Crutchfield in 1983. Mine love to chase and eat insects, mice, etc. Some of the Rhacodactylus that I’ve purchased from breeders who use powder-puff diets are not that interested in chasing insects. No wonder. Their specimens are usually fat, lazy and disconnected and prefer to slowly approach a free meal, than to get outside and hunt for one’s own meal – just like a lot of the humans in today’s world. I hunt, so do all of my animals.

Scorpio is a modern day hero for future generations of Rhacodactylus. He just might be the poster child for dietary change for the Rhacodactylus future of tomorrow. Toss the bugs in, and toss the powder OUT!

Jon

There is a season when fruits fall off the trees and the geckos eat them... Fruits and insects is the best diet for them. For the not so experienced owners, feeding only CGD is a way to make sure that the gecko gets the proper supplements, with occasional fruits and insects.

By the way I'm afraid you are wrong if you think that feeding mice is healthy for them. No reason to do that. And how would a gecko reach a mouse in the wild?

Other than that you are right, natural food is.... more natural!

[aquamentus_11]

The opportunity for a specimen from this genus of mis-fed animals to eat a more naturalistic dietary item - has been revealed for what it’s really worth – yes, these animals have evolved in nature to eat live insects, to have and exhibit natural hunting behaviors and once they have “reverted” back to a more naturalistic way of living – they do not want to return to their ivory tower feeding stations and food troughs. Wild geckos have not evolved to do so. Nature, and it’s due course, has never provided powdered diets in a clean dish and said this is a more preferable evolutionary line for all to follow.

I haven’t fed powder to any my Rhacodactylus ever since the first R. auriculatus I bought from Tom Crutchfield in 1983. Mine love to chase and eat insects, mice, etc. Some of the Rhacodactylus that I’ve purchased from breeders who use powder-puff diets are not that interested in chasing insects. No wonder. Their specimens are usually fat, lazy and disconnected and prefer to slowly approach a free meal, than to get outside and hunt for one’s own meal – just like a lot of the humans in today’s world. I hunt, so do all of my animals.

Scorpio is a modern day hero for future generations of Rhacodactylus. He just might be the poster child for dietary change for the Rhacodactylus future of tomorrow. Toss the bugs in, and toss the powder OUT!

Jon

lol i like the idea behind this response and would love to be able to provide crickets and fruit for him all the time. in the past, i've chosen my herps based on their hunting behavior; it's actually one of the things that i enjoy most about them. unfortunately, i chose this species because in the coming months I won't always be able to ensure a steady supply of crickets and everything i have ever read or heard claims that cresties should be fed CGD. i definitely plan to add real fruit to his diet as an adult, but i don't want to take any chances with him while he's young and growing. as a moderately experienced reptile keeper, the CGD makes me feel more confident that he's getting the proper nutrition. rest assured that he will receive crickets regularly though

[Hilde]

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By the way I'm afraid you are wrong if you think that feeding mice is healthy for them. No reason to do that. And how would a gecko reach a mouse in the wild?

I doubt Jon would post that info if he wasn't sure about it. He's got more gecko experience than all the rest of us put together.

Mice live underground, on the ground and above ground. The nests aren't all that hard to find, so a pinkie or two can be an easy meal.
Geckos don't get to raid mouse and other rodent nest often, but when they get the chance they'll happily do so. The nutrition provided by that meal is worth the risks.

It doesn't take much to find 'real' info about geckos (and lizards) eating nestling birds and mammals.