is my Lesueur's Velvet Gecko eating enough?

[Shonfield]

My Lesueur's Velvet Gecko (O. Lesueurii) is only eating about 3 small crickets every 3-4 days, she is 14 weeks old and is 4" long
is this normal?
or should she be eating more than this?

 

[oli]

if you can put a picture up I'm sure we can see whether she is healthy looking. She could be a slower growing individual.

 

[warren63]

I would actually be trying to feed it every second day at that young age. Is she having trouble catching the crickets ? Maybe trying removing their jumping legs or i am told a short spell in the fridge prior to feeding slows them down too. Another thing that helps is removal of some of the cage decorations etc giving the crickets less places to hide and more chances for the gecko. What size tank do you have the gecko in ? At that young age they dont need much space and the smaller so more contact with food the better

 

[oli]

I agree with what warren has written as he summed it up well. It's probably important that an oedura should be fed every 2nd day when at a juvenile age, this is a good point as I've noticed this is pretty much when juvies get hungry, about every other night. I'm sure every 3rd night may work too, but your reptile may not be growing as much as you'd like it to during this critical time in its life.

 

[Shonfield]

thanks for the replies,

here are two pics:

I considered that she might not be able to catch them that well because the cage is quite large (90cm W x 40cm L x 45 H) because the people i bought it off used it for a snake. I will try taking their jumping legs off from now on. If that doesnt work then ill try taking out some of the cage leaves etc.

thanks heaps,
sam

 

[warren63]

Thanks for your reply and the pic. Firstly that tank is huge for that gecko, you only need about a third of that for one. My suggestion is to reduce the area and take out a few things on the nights you feed. Anyway you gecko is looking good at the moment

 

[Shonfield]

thanks all for your help
i noticed that she had eaten 3 crickets last night and i fed her another 3 a few hours ago and there gone now so she seems fine
im not pulling their big jumping legs off so she can catch them easy now

thanks again,
sam

 

[Ken Bartenfeld]

She is fine.