Feeder For One Gecko ?

[mrmikey]

Hi, I was wounding what live feeder I should use aswell as cgd. I would only be using it once or twice a week so I'm guesing I only need about 5 insects a week.

I dont like the sounds of crickets. But I think I could handle roachs ect.

Oh I also got some questions about some other possiable feeders,
Also I found a old thread a week ago about people using stick insects.. What about Snails ? Or earth worms (I got plenty of them for fishing bait)

Any advice ? Thanks

 

[midget]

Snails are great from what i read i'm trying to get them breed right now, they are high in protein low in fat and have lots of calicium in there shell. B.Dubia probly be a good roach to do they pretty good size you would feed the nymphs. Someone on here sell adults b.dubia a good raito probly be 2-4 males:10-12 females and that will be planty for a crested gecko if give time to get nough nymphs. I'm not sure but i read earth worms are bad tasting or mabye it red worms i'm not sure. I've also heard of stick insects the might be a bit big for a crestd gecko. good luck

 

[mrmikey]

Snails are great from what i read i'm trying to get them breed right now, they are high in protein low in fat and have lots of calicium in there shell. B.Dubia probly be a good roach to do they pretty good size you would feed the nymphs. Someone on here sell adults b.dubia a good raito probly be 2-4 males:10-12 females and that will be planty for a crested gecko if give time to get nough nymphs. I'm not sure but i read earth worms are bad tasting or mabye it red worms i'm not sure. I've also heard of stick insects the might be a bit big for a crestd gecko. good luck

Thanks :biggrin:

Let me know how the snails work when ya get some :biggrin:

 

[MsShlee]

I wouldnt think cresties could probably digest a thick snail shell.

 

[mrmikey]

I wouldnt think cresties could probably digest a thick snail shell.

If I did go for it I'd try the small babies, surely they would be small/ soft enough ?

And the big plus would be lots of snail eggs and if I get too many the freezer trick.

 

[MsShlee]

I wouldnt really try snails imo

soft bodied insects are what are suggested
crickets exo skeleton isnt very thick

 

[rhatfield]

I have had minimal success with my dubia colonly, though I get some. You might try b lateralis, red turks, they don't climb, but really reproduce fast, hummm maybe to fast for one crestie. I hate crickets my self, they crick.

 

[midget]

snails should be fine the shell is rather brittle pretty much as a crix, not sure which species i have i'll get a pic for ya. I would go with b.latterails i've had them for mabye less then 3 weeks and i already have 25 egg case which hold 20-30 pin sized babies.

 

[mrmikey]

Thanks for more info Guys :biggrin:

 

[geckoling]

any thoughts on earthworms? I'm assuming since cresties are arboreal probably not?(but I know Australian waterdragons absolutely adore worms-a variety of other reptiles as well).

 

[MsShlee]

earthworms are not good.

they are far too big. Nothing you feed a crested should be bigger than the width of your cresteds head.

Imo you should stick to the things that are commonly fed to them... Crickets... Dubia roaches and CGD. Anything else is used at your own risk and I wouldnt really be willing to try anything that isn't known for sure to be okay with my geckos.

 

[geckoling]

They can be easily shrunk down to size(knife/scissors), and are very nutritious. If raised in the correct soil can have a good Ca ratio. They might occasionally encounter slugs or soft bodied caterpillars in the wild so it is a possibility they'd take worms.

Have their been any papers published on crested gecko diet in the wild or stomach contents? It'd be interesting to see what % of the diet is fruit and what percent is other things.

 

[Riverside Reptiles]

Captive bred snails make for good feeders IF your animal will take them. Usually snails are used more for supplementing breeding females than as a daily feeder. Dubia and lateralis both make excellent choices for roach feeders. Locusts are also common as feeders in europe, but not readily available here in the US, so I've not tried them. Personally I'd go with either dubia or lateralis (or both).