What Fruits do CGeckos like/can eat?

CrestedL

New member
Very good. I'm glad. :D

It's hard when going back and forth quickly to catch everything. At least I am NOT posting from a cell phone.

There is a huge amount of erroneous information on the internet. For instance, some insect and worm breeders post nutrition levels of their feeders as well as the other feeders "out there"?
For this reason exactly is why I'm glad there is places like GU that have people who will give the correct info ^_^
 

Aimless

Super Moderator
It's also important to note that the nutritional values of your feeders can vary quite a bit with gutload content. Unfortunately a lot of extensive research has not been done, either in feeder nutrition or gecko nutrition, and all studies must be taken with a grain of salt.

I also would highly recommend variety in however you choose to feed. My cresties get fruit as an occasional treat, not a staple, so absolute values from one study are less important.

Staple diet, in my collection, is well-gutloaded bugs (crickets and roaches; larvae are typically high in fat), with at least two MRP style diets mixed, on the idea that no one diet is likely to be correct.

Occasional treats such as phoenix worms, horn worms, silk worms, and raw minced fruit are appreciated by the geckos, but remember that these are only treats, and should be used sparingly.
 

CrestedL

New member
It's also important to note that the nutritional values of your feeders can vary quite a bit with gutload content. Unfortunately a lot of extensive research has not been done, either in feeder nutrition or gecko nutrition, and all studies must be taken with a grain of salt.

I also would highly recommend variety in however you choose to feed. My cresties get fruit as an occasional treat, not a staple, so absolute values from one study are less important.

Staple diet, in my collection, is well-gutloaded bugs (crickets and roaches; larvae are typically high in fat), with at least two MRP style diets mixed, on the idea that no one diet is likely to be correct.

Occasional treats such as phoenix worms, horn worms, silk worms, and raw minced fruit are appreciated by the geckos, but remember that these are only treats, and should be used sparingly.
Do you know why they never really did any extensive research? Also I just wanted to ask, but can you mix in the fruit blend with their MRP when you feed them or is that bad?

Also thank you Elizabeth for the name correction ^_^
 

Aimless

Super Moderator
sure, you can put fruit in with the MRP.

research hasn't been done because it's not funded. I do human cancer research and it's hard to get funding; it's even tougher to get grant money for people looking into something like reptile nutrition. it's also important to note that every species will be different.
 

CrestedL

New member
sure, you can put fruit in with the MRP.

research hasn't been done because it's not funded. I do human cancer research and it's hard to get funding; it's even tougher to get grant money for people looking into something like reptile nutrition. it's also important to note that every species will be different.
Aw :(
 

CrestedL

New member
Are they able to eat any fruit, or is there some they can't/shouldn't eat?
You don't want to feed then fruits without a high calcium rate if its a regular fruit feeding, I believe Eliza posted a website before to a food website where you can find accurate rates on calcium. But even without this, never feed your crested citrus, it's not good
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
You don't want to feed then fruits without a high calcium rate if its a regular fruit feeding, I believe Eliza posted a website before to a food website where you can find accurate rates on calcium. But even without this, never feed your crested citrus, it's not good

Hi ~

Thanks, CrestedL. (The quickest way to get a member's attention is to tag them: [MENTION=3989]Elizabeth Freer[/MENTION]) :)

Here's the United States Department of Agriculture foods link where you can type in just about any food to check calcium, phosphorus, et cetera, contents: Foods List

Let me know if you have any questions about that link.

EDIT:
If someone has already posted on a thread and they are signed up to receive notifications, they will be notified, of course.
 
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Cyd

New member
Thanks [MENTION=3989]Elizabeth Freer[/MENTION]. I saw earlier that you were talking about the calcium to phosphorus ratio. Can you expand on that a little? I don't completely understand what makes one fruit "good" and another "bad".
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Thanks [MENTION=3989]Elizabeth Freer[/MENTION]. I saw earlier that you were talking about the calcium to phosphorus ratio. Can you expand on that a little? I don't completely understand what makes one fruit "good" and another "bad".

Phosphorus impairs calcium absorption. Many of the insects/worms we feed our geckos are naturally high in phosphorus. The food we feed our feeders, which gets passed on to our geckos, should be low in phosphorus and high in calcium in order to rebalance the insects and worms. If we choose fruits or vegetables with high phosphorus content, our job is impossible.

About a 1.5-2.0 calcium:1.0 phosphorus ratio is good.

Consider a good (dry) diet with some veggies/fruits (moisture) as the primary source of nutrition. Occasional very light dusting with powdered supplements is the secondary source of calcium and some other nutrients.

Feeding variety helps balance out nutrients.

Some supplements also contain some phosphorus.
 
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Cyd

New member
@Elizabth Freer, thanks, it makes more sense now. I've been giving my baby crested Pangea papaya/ banana crested diet every day and crickets dusted with Repashy calcium dust twice per week. I think I'll try some fresh fruit occasionally as well.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
@Elizabth Freer, thanks, it makes more sense now. I've been giving my baby crested Pangea papaya/ banana crested diet every day and crickets dusted with Repashy calcium dust twice per week. I think I'll try some fresh fruit occasionally as well.

:)

Pangea diets are excellent. I would go with Pangea's complete diets: watermelon/mango and banana/apricot.

I feed my adult crestie George mostly crickets. "In the wild" cresties do not get dry powdered diets. :D
 
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Cyd

New member
I switched from Repashy crested diet to Pangea because Yoda wasn't at all interested in the Repashy. Now she eats 5-6 itty bitty crickets each feeding and a nice bit of the Pangea. I'm going to get her the other flavored to give some variety, I just wanted to make sure she would eat it before buying too much.
 
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