Yeah, I really hate crickets. They go everywhere and they die easily and they're just a hassle :/ I recently ordered a tub of locusts and they sent me a tub of crickets and I have no idea what to do with them *sigh* But yeah, when you look at a nutritional chart you see that the dubias are so great since they're much "fleshier"
Hello!
- Thread starter Smaug_The_Gecko
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Yeah, I really hate crickets. They go everywhere and they die easily and they're just a hassle :/ I recently ordered a tub of locusts and they sent me a tub of crickets and I have no idea what to do with them *sigh* But yeah, when you look at a nutritional chart you see that the dubias are so great since they're much "fleshier"
ToffeeNut
New member
I switched from crickets to dubias once I found out how amazing they were. I hated crickets because I had at least 2 die each day (I had no idea why, I got them in packs of 30) and they would eat each other! It was so gross x_x I've read that dubias are healthier and they contain more meat.
I definitely feel ya on trying to feed your gecko all his crickets. I would rip off their back legs and if they didn't get eaten I would hope they would be alive tomorrow, and not be bullied to death by the others! Crickets are jerks.
Dubias can be a little fast and tricky, always trying to hide in the dark. I know my gecko has lost track of the roaches before, and sometimes he licks them for some reason. Eventually they do get eaten, lol.
I definitely feel ya on trying to feed your gecko all his crickets. I would rip off their back legs and if they didn't get eaten I would hope they would be alive tomorrow, and not be bullied to death by the others! Crickets are jerks.
Dubias can be a little fast and tricky, always trying to hide in the dark. I know my gecko has lost track of the roaches before, and sometimes he licks them for some reason. Eventually they do get eaten, lol.
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Smaug_The_Gecko
New member
Nice to meet you Toffee!
Yeah I found a lone cricket in his enclosure this morning. I broke one of the legs and it was eaten quickly along with the 15 medium size mealworms. And he was -still- looking for more!
Smaug has really gotten better looking. He's got a nice plump belly and his tail is getting plumper too. But his appetite hasn't slowed down at all. He's a growing boy, but this is ridiculous.
Disclaimer ((I have no idea what sex he actually is.))
I'll probably stick with Dubias if he doesn't stop eating them. Watching him go after the crickets and mealworms tell me they just tickle his fancy and they are more likely to be eaten rather than just sit in the enclosure. I think in the next few days, I'll feed him the last of the crickets and make the switch to dubias.
If he can eat them all then I'll switch entirely.
Yeah I found a lone cricket in his enclosure this morning. I broke one of the legs and it was eaten quickly along with the 15 medium size mealworms. And he was -still- looking for more!
Smaug has really gotten better looking. He's got a nice plump belly and his tail is getting plumper too. But his appetite hasn't slowed down at all. He's a growing boy, but this is ridiculous.
Disclaimer ((I have no idea what sex he actually is.))
I'll probably stick with Dubias if he doesn't stop eating them. Watching him go after the crickets and mealworms tell me they just tickle his fancy and they are more likely to be eaten rather than just sit in the enclosure. I think in the next few days, I'll feed him the last of the crickets and make the switch to dubias.
If he can eat them all then I'll switch entirely.
ToffeeNut
New member
Yay for Smaug! :3 They are little piggies, but you seem to have an actual hungry dragon.
I've noticed with my gecko that he becomes more full when he eats the dubias (he eats mediums) and he is a 100 gram monster, usually eating 2 every other day. When it comes to mealworms he will eat them like spaghetti and I cut him off at 13 or 15 worms, and he will still want more after.
Or I could be completely wrong and he just loves mealworms over roaches, but I can't read his mind. xD
I've noticed with my gecko that he becomes more full when he eats the dubias (he eats mediums) and he is a 100 gram monster, usually eating 2 every other day. When it comes to mealworms he will eat them like spaghetti and I cut him off at 13 or 15 worms, and he will still want more after.
Or I could be completely wrong and he just loves mealworms over roaches, but I can't read his mind. xD
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Smaug_The_Gecko
New member
Smaug definitely has his favorite foods.
Mealworms are his favorite
Silkworms will do, and are a close second (He noms them so hard their little heads pop off. Then he goes and eats that. It's so funny)
Crickets are next. He's a clumsy hunter but not for lack of trying. He'll jump for crickets!
Dubia roaches are the first food he's taken a look at and said, "Meh."
Mealworms are his favorite
Silkworms will do, and are a close second (He noms them so hard their little heads pop off. Then he goes and eats that. It's so funny)
Crickets are next. He's a clumsy hunter but not for lack of trying. He'll jump for crickets!
Dubia roaches are the first food he's taken a look at and said, "Meh."
Smaug_The_Gecko
New member
Stealing the Formatting of the senior posters:
Mine just downed 5 small ones. This time there wasn't much hesitation as I made sure there was enough lighiting to see and the small flat dots running around were easier to spot.
They tell me this will slow down over time. Goodness, I hope so.... Maybe I should have named him Pac-Man.
Mine just downed 5 small ones. This time there wasn't much hesitation as I made sure there was enough lighiting to see and the small flat dots running around were easier to spot.
They tell me this will slow down over time. Goodness, I hope so.... Maybe I should have named him Pac-Man.
ToffeeNut
New member
Pac Man would have been cute! :3
Since he is a growing lizard they want to eat like crazy, lol. I think when they are almost a year old you can put him on the every other day schedule. I got my boy when he turned 1, but he was more than eager to eat everyday, so that's what I did. A few months later I found out he was 100 grams so I cut him back, saves money in the long run.
Since he is a growing lizard they want to eat like crazy, lol. I think when they are almost a year old you can put him on the every other day schedule. I got my boy when he turned 1, but he was more than eager to eat everyday, so that's what I did. A few months later I found out he was 100 grams so I cut him back, saves money in the long run.
Smaug_The_Gecko
New member
It's best to ask in the morphs section. I have no idea about colors. 
It's best to ask in the morphs section. I have no idea about colors.
Thanks Smaug - I have no idea what/where the "morphs" section is!! In fact I just stumbled on this entire site, and not being very tech. advanced find it very confusing.
Nevermind, think I'll go hop in our pool (it's 30degrees celcius here). and think again later.
Aileen
Smaug_The_Gecko
New member
Here is the link to the "Morphs and Genetics" Forum. Just post a picture of your Gecko and someone should ID it. Leopard Geckos | Morphs & Genetics
This morning was Crickets. I have no idea how many I put in there. I tapped the little black plastic tube from the Kricket Keeper and they all kinda tumbled out, more of them than I wanted. Before I could count them, Smaug was out of his cave like a bullet and started gobbling them. Then he remembered I was there and then -- I swear he was practically sullen, like I had tricked him. -- went back to his hide and started picking off any who thought that was going to be shelter.
Crickets are good for Geckos. But they're not good for training Geckos. They don't coax him out of his hide but run up to him like delivery pizza. They've always done that, from the day I started. Worms are much better for taming and training.
Unfortunately, I was late for work and couldn't stay to make sure he ate them all. Not sure if he will. I kind of hope he doesn't. I know I put in at least 10 small crickets but it was probably more than that. If he eats them all... uh...
ToffeeNut
New member
Just be sure to get the left over crickets out when you can, if left in there for too long without food or water then they might bite your gecko.
I feel ya on taming with worms. When I would want my gecko out I would drop a worm in front of his hide and of course he would poke his head out like "what's that?!" Now he knows anytime I shake the bag that means his food is ready and he comes running out, rubbing his face against the glass because he is excited to eat. I didn't think geckos were smart enough to recognize certain cues means dinner time, but the bag shaking with bugs is his dinner bell.
I'm sure Smaug will get used to you eventually and realize "this person brings me food, I should trust them!"
I feel ya on taming with worms. When I would want my gecko out I would drop a worm in front of his hide and of course he would poke his head out like "what's that?!" Now he knows anytime I shake the bag that means his food is ready and he comes running out, rubbing his face against the glass because he is excited to eat. I didn't think geckos were smart enough to recognize certain cues means dinner time, but the bag shaking with bugs is his dinner bell.
I'm sure Smaug will get used to you eventually and realize "this person brings me food, I should trust them!"
Smaug_The_Gecko
New member
Oh he knows I'm the food brigade. He perks up the moment I approach but he's not as enthusiastic as he was for a while.
I came and checked and saw live crickets ... probably about 5 of them Unfortunately I don't know what that means. He probably ate around 8 this morning.
What I usually do is break the back legs so that they can't leap but can still run around and put them back. It's a little mean but they die quickly and at least there's no waste of life.
Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
Thanks for sharing that /\ link on dubia. I'll catch up on it soon.
Smaug_The_Gecko
New member
So today's breakfast was mealworms dusted with calcium. I'm supposed to get my silkworms in today. I'm hoping more of them are suitable size than they were last order.
There hasn't been much progress at all taming wise. He still comes out at the start of them meal, then retreats once his hunger is sated enough. So I tried something a little different this time. I took away the warm hide. If he really, really wanted to hide, he could still hide on the cool side but it would not be as comfortable and he wouldn't have access to his breakfast. This kept him out a lot longer.
He still doesn't tolerate my hands at all. When I tried to herd the mealworms away from some of the decor, it killed his appetite and he went into the log.
EDIT: Tonight he ate 5 more Dubia roaches. He's gotten over his apparent distaste for them. He looks so much better than what he did when I first got him. his tail has fattened up nicely. Probably due to all those Mealworms. I probably shouldn't let him have so many any more.
There hasn't been much progress at all taming wise. He still comes out at the start of them meal, then retreats once his hunger is sated enough. So I tried something a little different this time. I took away the warm hide. If he really, really wanted to hide, he could still hide on the cool side but it would not be as comfortable and he wouldn't have access to his breakfast. This kept him out a lot longer.
He still doesn't tolerate my hands at all. When I tried to herd the mealworms away from some of the decor, it killed his appetite and he went into the log.
EDIT: Tonight he ate 5 more Dubia roaches. He's gotten over his apparent distaste for them. He looks so much better than what he did when I first got him. his tail has fattened up nicely. Probably due to all those Mealworms. I probably shouldn't let him have so many any more.
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Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
WOW! 23 pages is a lot of "buggy" bedtime reading, majahawt! Hope it's exciting. ;-)
Hehe, well I found it rather interesting!
Smaug_The_Gecko
New member
Hey! Been quiet lately! Sorry about that.
Smaug is fine, but I'm cutting down his food by half as I feel he no longer needs to gain weight. I'm keeping up his feeding schedule, I'm just using fewer bugs. He really is still growing at a good pace.
I just wish the shedding mishap hadn't happened. Smaug no longer exits the hide for me unless there's food and he doesn't stay out long unless I take the most comfortable hide away from him. Still I feel like he will come around. That shedding mishap just really broke the trust factor for a while.
Sorry about that.Smaug is fine, but I'm cutting down his food by half as I feel he no longer needs to gain weight. I'm keeping up his feeding schedule, I'm just using fewer bugs. He really is still growing at a good pace.
I just wish the shedding mishap hadn't happened. Smaug no longer exits the hide for me unless there's food and he doesn't stay out long unless I take the most comfortable hide away from him. Still I feel like he will come around. That shedding mishap just really broke the trust factor for a while.
Hi Smaug, Getting a photo of my wild little Aussie geckos is easier said than done. Will keep trying. I also have a whole family of Bearded Dragons, Skinks and Goannas. We feed all of them in my garden. The Dragons like my pool, and can stay under water for an amazing time.
Cheers,
Aileen
Cheers,
Aileen