Young Leopard Gecko only eating moving things?

[JayminS]

Hello. My leo that I got a few days ago hasave liked his terrarium, he's shedding properly, (just shed last night) has been having problems with eating.

It eats fine, except it only eats moving things. For example, it could see a cricket moving around, run for it, but if the cricket suddenly stops moving, the gecko completely ignores it and walks away. I know it's ignoring it because sometimes it walks right over top of it! Since mealworms don't move much, it had never eaten a mealworm, until this morning, when I put in a mealworm that wiggled, so he ate it. He does eat lots of crickets when he sees them moving, so most of the time. But I want to know why he only eats them if he sees movement.

Thanks, Jaymin

 

[Hilde]

That's normal behavior. Movement attracts their attention, they know it's possibly something edible.
That's why it's so hard to get them to eat the freeze-dried bugs, or anything else that doesn't move.

 

[metatron]

My gecko does the same thing. I actually have to use tongs to feed him crickets. I think they're a little too fast for him..lol

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

It's far better not to use tongs for feeding. That gets a gecko dependent on tongs and somewhat "lazy".

Encourage independent eating: bowl feeding or free-range feeding is preferred. Crickets are not too fast for most leos.

PS:
If slower crickets are preferred, cut off the crickets' back legs right below their "knees". That slows down crickets, but they can still walk around.

 

[britteaston]

I have this same issue with my Leo. She isn't interested in something that isn't actively moving haha. Sometimes, I have to poke at the meal worms a bit to get them moving.