Lowest fat feeders

[Cyd]

My two year old leopard gecko, Lola, was recently diagnosed with fatty liver disease. She's now on a low fat, high protein diet to help cut down on the amount of fat she consumes and stores. So far, silkworms seem to be the best feeder because they only have 1.1% fat. Are there any other types that would be okay for her to eat? I know she'll never get to have waxworms or butter worms, but what about dubia roaches? I haven't been able to find any nutritional info on them. I can tell she's starting to get sick of the same food every feeding, so any suggestions are appreciated!

She's gained about 20 grams in the last 2 months, so it's really important for me to get her diet sorted out so she can start loosing some weight and going back to being healthy. Any suggestions about that? She's fed one or two silkworms every other day, depending on how big they are.

Thanks!

Edit: Lola is about 8.5" long, including tail and at last weigh in, was 70 grams.

 

[LEOPARD1]

My staple is Dubia Roaches. Your Gecko won't be "Fat and Cute" but they will be healthy, muscular and beautiful. Fatty Livers if my memory serves me correctly are reversible. So start a Diet of Dubias and other "healthy" insects. I had a fatty liver and through eliminating various toxins and high lipid containing foods it went away.

I believe its the same with Leopard Geckos. If they are on a healthy diet and not consuming large or even moderate quantities of high lipid containing insects it will go away especially if they are young. Unfortunately the damage can be done and its usually too late. It sound as if you caught it in time.

 

[Cyd]

Thanks, I have a place I like that regularly stocks dubias. How did your fatty liver guy do? How long did it take for him to bounce back? She was diagnosed a few weeks ago and has been going up and down. Sometimes she's back to normal, then it's like she crashes and goes back to being lethargic and sick.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

8.5 inch, 70 gram Lola seems just about right! Please share a picture.

Have you seen this chart published by Mark Finke, PhD in 2005? Other reliable charts are scarce because reptile feeder nutrition is low on grant priorities.

Click: http://www.geckotime.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/table-large.png

Click the source: Nutritional Value of Commercially Raised Insects - Gecko Time - Gecko Time

 

[LEOPARD1]

Thanks, I have a place I like that regularly stocks dubias. How did your fatty liver guy do? How long did it take for him to bounce back? She was diagnosed a few weeks ago and has been going up and down. Sometimes she's back to normal, then it's like she crashes and goes back to being lethargic and sick.

LMAO! No, I had a Fatty Liver. Not my Geckos. I used to think a fat Leopard Gecko was a healthy one so I used WaxWorms moderately until one of my Females would not eat anything but WaxWorms. She went on a hunger strike for 3 1/2 weeks and then Started eating Dubia Roaches. She slimmed down but to my surprise actually weighed more (Protein = Muscle). She never developed a Fatty Liver.

I got rid of *MY* Fatty Liver buy eliminating certain toxins eating more protein and very little fat.

I am assuming the same could happen with a Leopard Gecko if the owner did the same regarding its diet.

 

[Cyd]

[MENTION=3989]Elizabeth Freer[/MENTION] this is Lola. There has been a few times where her belly looks bigger, but this is how she's been looking lately. She used to be a lot slimmer, weighing only 50 ish grams at the beginning of the year. I'll add a not so good shot of her belly, too. It's super pale yellow with purple streaks.

 

[Cyd]

Also, that's the only chart I've found, [MENTION=3989]Elizabeth Freer[/MENTION]. I will take a look at the article, though, thanks!

 

[LEOPARD1]

Here is a picture of my 8 month old, 8.5" 70+ gram Female. I think yours will rebound. The picture on the left is "post" WaxWorm and the picture on the right is 'during" WaxWorm Phase.

 

[Cyd]

Thanks for sharing [MENTION=51258]LEOPARD1[/MENTION]. Does she currently weigh 70+? How long did it take for her to shed the chub? She looks slimmer than my girl.

 

[LEOPARD1]

Yes she's 70+. My scale broke so I dont have a current weight (as of today). She dropped the fat after 2 months eating Dubia Roaches. I thought my scale was off but I put a weight on it and the scale was + 1/2 grams.

 

[Tongue Flicker]

You can never go wrong with roaches or crickets for a low fat feeder

 

[hmarie186]

Make sure you feed your feeders a good dry diet that is low protein and low fat. I use Purina Layena Crumbles for chickens that has 16% protein and 2.5% fat. I've never fed waxworms and my one hated butterworms. We do roaches (5 varieties) along with occasional silks and hornworms.

 

[Cyd]

I tried a dubia last night. She bit at it a few times, then walked away. I'll pick up and gut load some crickets tomorrow and see what happens. Thanks for your suggestions!