What food will help grow up my leopard gecko?

[Lane's Reptiles]

Hello, (sorry if this is in the wrong thread) I was just wondering what food will help grow my gecko faster, my gecko is 9 months old but she still isn't the size i think she should be, Should i switch to crickets or stay on mealworms which one has better all over nutrition. Thanks

 

[Aimless]

have you taken her to a vet to be sure she doesn't have a parasite? how is her tail, and can you post a clear photo?

there's not really any good reason to grow them faster; if she's growing and has a healthy body condition, activity, and a nice thick tail, it's OK if it's slow. I definitely wouldn't switch from crickets to mealworms; well gut-loaded crickets are much better nutritionally.

 

[Lane's Reptiles]

Shes not sick, i was just thinking she might be too small for her age, The mealworms are gut loaded and I'm trying to raise her to an adult as soon as possible, so i can handle her better, she wont be able to escape from my hand and end up hurting herself, when I hold her she squirms even though I'm not squeezing her one bit and my room has WAY too many nooks and crannies for her to get away in, I'm not saying her health is bad, just asking if there is a better way to raise her up faster, Thanks

 

[acpart]

I have found that different geckos grow at different rates. At one extreme, I had a hatchling that weighed 51 grams at 3 months. At the other extreme, I had a hatchling that weighed 7 grams at 6 months. My newest female breeder, weighed 46 grams, which is marginal for a breeder at the beginning of the season. After laying 6 clutches of eggs which produced 10 healthy geckos, she was down to 37 grams and is now up past 50 grams. In general, checking to see how much the gecko is eating and providing a variety of food that has been well nourished will result in optimal growth. The gecko may grow faster if you increase the variety of feeders and make sure they are well fed themselves, but there are limits to each gecko's specific metabolism, and you may just have a gecko that will grow slowly or will just not get very big.

Aliza

 

[Lane's Reptiles]

Thanks, I appreciate it!

 

[Saskia]

I second the comment on :arrow::arrow: VARIETY, I have had many geckos over the past 15 years and I can say the best way to get a gecko to it's optimum weight and size is to provide variety in their diet, and feeding them every day (if they take it), I always try to provide as many different types of feeder as I can, from mealworms to grasshoppers, crickets, dubia roaches, earth roaches, waxworms, superworms, locusts... I use everything and I truly, truly believe that is one of the most important keys to a happy healthy gecko, and, also, during the first year I make my best effort in feeding them every day (every now and then I get too busy one day and don't feed them, but it is never less that 6 times a week), providing calcium, vitamins, right temperatures, and a varied, abundant diet, he'll get to his mature size soon enough.

This is a case where there is just not one magical feeder insect that will make him grow faster.

Can you post a pic?