[andylsg]

Hi again peeps just checking if anyone has fed waxmoths to their geckos before? Had some waxworks in as treats and quite a few have pupated into moths, I think I read sonewhere that geckos like hunting moths just wondered if it was worthwhile giving these to my vitattus instead of locusts or whether they're just not nutritious at all? Thanks in advance in for any feedback

[Riverside Reptiles]

I don't know the nutritional value of wax moths. But they would likely make for good stimulation and exercise for your gecko.

[Jmeyer]

Im not an expert on this or anything and i'm sure others will chime in but when it comes to wax moths they do other better nutritional value then there larval stage but only if you were feeding them as a pupae. So if you just left the little waxworms in the wood shavings they pupated with nothing in their gut so really they are no nutritional value. You can definitely feed them to your geckos but they aren't gonna get much out of them.

[Hilde]

I would avoid waxmoths and even waxworms themselves, just from personal experience.
Check out the rearing info at Rearing Waxworms | University of Kentucky Entomology
You'll see that the worms can chew through wood and soft things like plastic. Even though you're asking about moths, it doesn't take long for the moths to mate, and in no time you've go gravid females looking for places to lay their eggs. One female can lay around 1500 eggs. If even a fraction of them hatch, you can have a lot of waxworms chewing through the wood supporting your house, even your furniture. One mated female escapee is all it takes.
I had a problem with them many years ago and won't be using the worms anymore.
The moths that made it into the gecko enclosures or chamelon cage were great treats.

If you want to try moths, raise silkworms. I raise them to moth stage, let them mate, then feed off the females after they've laid eggs. Extra males are fed as they hatch, as are males when they're done mating.
Silk moths can't fly, they have to walk away, so they're easy to contain.

[Riverside Reptiles]

Hilde, do you spin the silk from the worms? I could use a new silk shirt.

[Hilde]

Sorry, I'm not that domesticated, was born a few generations too late.

[andylsg]

thanks for all the feedbck peeps. well they were being fed before they pupated just on fruits and veg, as it stands theres only about 10 so i reckon im just gonna pop em in the tank for the mental stimulation, and to give locusts the night off

[andylsg]

it went well soon as i put the moths in all 3 geckos went crazy!! they were jumpin from log to wood chasing the moths around, i put some mango in as well just in case they were still hungry too but definitley recommend this for anyone who wants to see their geckos display some natural hunting bahviour