A question of size

[HeKai]

I see that a staple of mealworms may not be ideal for my leopard gecko (despite his best efforts). If I can order in some phoenix worms, I might get them (depending on price). How small are they? Is it difficult to get small silk or horn worms? (There is someone relatively close to me that breeds the latter two).

Somebody said that food should be about the size between my gecko's eyes. So my guess would be 1-2 cm. Asking because I got small silkies once, which he loved, but last time I got them they were HUGE, longer than his head (actually, a third to half the length of his body). Needless to say, he wouldn't eat them. I also hear that hornworms are quite large.

Just curious as to supplement his diet. Thanks.

 

[HeKai]

Or, even easier, any tips on how to convince him that crickets are yummy? He ate them for a while. They just don't seem to get his attention and if I hold them in front of him, he seems disturbed by their antennae.

Perhaps he ate some that were too big but he used to eat supers as well (won't anymore). Besides, despite eating them for months, they really are too large for him.

 

[Mardy]

When talking about the size between gecko's eyes, people are talking about the width/thickness of the feeders. You don't measure the length of a worm and try to compare that to the width between a gecko's eyes. It's the girth that you look at when seeing if something's too large for the gecko.

So chances are, most worms aren't too big for your gecko. Now, feeders like crickets and dubia roaches do get fairly wide and fat, and for those feeders, you want to make sure you don't get something too large. For those you do want to look at the girth of the feeders and make sure your gecko can swallow them.

You asked about phoenix worms, they're small, kind of like mealworm size. They're quite active, squirms a lot, so it'll be interesting to see if your gecko likes them. When I tried most of mine didn't like them, but some did. So it's one of those things you'll want to buy a small amount to try.

As for crickets, no matter what feeders you use, some geckos can get quite picky. I've had a gecko that got bit by a cricket, and refused crickets ever since. But I've also had a gecko that got bit by a superworm, and refused superworms ever since. I've got lots of geckos that never got bit or bothered by any of these feeders, but are picky about what they prefer to eat. So if they aren't interested in something, the good thing is you've got plenty of alternatives to try. I have two female geckos living in the same enclosure, and one will only eat dubia roaches, the other only eat superworms. Nothing else, they refuse any other feeders, even waxworms. Just goes to show you how picky they can be.

Myself I keep mealworms, dubia roaches, and superworms on hand. So they get a good variety and plenty of choices. But often the geckos are the ones choosing what they want to eat, I don't always get to pick. I'd rather they all eat dubia roaches for their low fat, high protein, and low chitin qualities. But some simply refuse them.

Mealworms as a staple really isn't as bad as some say, as long as you gut-load them and dust them well with multivitamin powders, and introduce variety every 2-3 weeks. Look into silkworms, phoenix worms, dubia roaches, hormworms, etc.. as possible variety alternative.

 

[HeKai]

That is why I was asking, thanks. I might be able to get some smaller horns or silks. The last silks I got seemed to scare him, he wouldn't even look at them. Unfortunately dubia roaches are illegal where I live.

 

[Mardy]

Where do you live?

 

[matt0101]

ell.

 

[GeckoManiac91]

I live in Canada as well and was saddened to find out they are illegal Strange thing is that the Reptile Expos in my city have people selling Dubia Roaches :? Apparently it's illegal to own any type of Roach in Canada but the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) doesn't seem to hard on it... Still, not worth it

 

[Mardy]

Dubia roaches are definitely illegal in Canada and most foreign countries. I was just wondering if HeKai is from Florida, because while dubias are illegal there, discoid roaches are not.

 

[HeKai]

Canada. I am on Vancouver Island, we have no roaches at all. I wonder if the illegality has to do with the possibility of invasive species....

I doubt we get reptile expos here-some of the local municipalities have some pretty extreme bylaws. My mom lives in one that allows basically cats and dogs, can't even get an exception if you own an exotic already and move into the municipality. The way the bylaw reads it actually sounds like you aren't even allowed an aquarium!

I will keep my eyes open, maybe they will have an expo in Nanimo or somewhere I can afford to go and snag some of these roaches.

 

[Mardy]

Canada. I am on Vancouver Island, we have no roaches at all. I wonder if the illegality has to do with the possibility of invasive species....

Yeah some countries (rightfully) are wary of non-native species. Florida deems dubia roaches illegal because if they were let out, the climate in Florida would allow dubia roaches to thrive and breed. It's a nightmare scenario really. Discoids however, they allow because they're native to Florida.

Looks like back to worms you go If you were in places like UK, I would've suggested hoppers, as they feed those often over there.