Addicted to wax worms

[littlewolfpaw]

So I goofed up with my new leopard gecko, Hamilton. I live in the country and the easiest food to get is wax worms and Hamilton loved them! I thought this is great, hes eating them right up! Until I did more research and found out wax worms are fatty and not nutritious.
So I got meal worms but Ham isnt interested. I have a bowl out for him with some and hes eaten one out of it and iv managed to tong feed him two. These were not consecutive, they were eaten one a day over 3 days. He refused any more.
I'm worried hes not eating enough. Should I keep up with the meal worms in hopes that he gets an appetite for them?
Hes a juvenile, about 3 inches long.

 

[acpart]

They can go for a long time without eating. If you can stand to do it, try crickets or super worms which move more than mealworms and may be more interesting.

Aliza

 

[Mourning_Gecko]

I had the same issue with our Leopard Gecko, we try to add variety but she's spoiled on waxworms. we're able to tong feed meal worms but she can be picky. we've had a bit more success with dubia roaches, i think due to how soft they are. maybe try those and please keep us updated!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited, littlewolfpaw!

Please post a picture of your ~3 inch long leo Hamilton.

Don't give in to ANY additional waxworms! Tough love is the best thing to do. Hold out for crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, and superworms. Try very small hornworms. That might interest your leo in something different.

Feeder Insect Nutrition Chart

(click to enlarge)

For link 33 click: Hornworm Care Guidelines​

Make sure to feed nearly whatever feeder you buy (mealworms, superworms, crickets, & dubia roaches) a healthy dry diet 24/7. Your feeders are what they eat. Hornworms shouldn't be fed themselves.

Aliza (GU's acpart) uses this already ground dry diet from "Professional Reptiles" for her insect and worm food as well as for her mealworm/superworm bedding.

• Click: 1 lb Pro Gutload - Professional Reptiles
• Click: Food & Water :: Insect Food

 

[littlewolfpaw]

View attachment 49239

He did eat a single meal worm last night out of his dish and hes now in the shedding phase were his whole body is a hazy white color.
Maybe his lack of meal worm appetite is tied to shedding?
My plan is our next trip to a pet store I'm going to buy a variety of different worms except wax worms, a dozen crickets, and a dozen roaches.
The roaches and crickets I would feed as fast as possible, the significant other doesnt approve of live insects in the house Haha
I do have the repashy grub pie powder too, maybe I'll mix some of that up tonight and offer it.

 

[littlewolfpaw]

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

View attachment 49239

He did eat a single meal worm last night out of his dish and hes now in the shedding phase were his whole body is a hazy white color.
Maybe his lack of meal worm appetite is tied to shedding?
My plan is our next trip to a pet store I'm going to buy a variety of different worms except wax worms, a dozen crickets, and a dozen roaches.
The roaches and crickets I would feed as fast as possible, the significant other doesnt approve of live insects in the house Haha
I do have the repashy grub pie powder too, maybe I'll mix some of that up tonight and offer it.

I wouldn't worry if Ham skips several meals. He has a generous weight. Perhaps he's just "full".

Hornworms can sometimes jumpstart a leo's appetite.

Have you also made plans to buy some Pro Gutload dry diet for your mealworm bedding and for your other feeders? That's quite important.

Please share a picture of Ham's entire enclosure.

 

[littlewolfpaw]

Great news, he ate 4 meal worms today while I was at work and I made a trip to the pet store. I picked up a dozen crickets, horn worms, and more meal worms. He LOVED the crickets and will try the horn worms in a few days.
His shed was also went stellar.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Great news, he ate 4 meal worms today while I was at work and I made a trip to the pet store. I picked up a dozen crickets, horn worms, and more meal worms. He LOVED the crickets and will try the horn worms in a few days.
His shed was also went stellar.

That's AWESOME news!

Did you read the link I posted, Hornworm Care Guidelines? I don't want you to be surprised. Hornworms mushroom in size just about overnight! They need to be kept in a picnic cooler or in a wine cooler at 55*F. Otherwise they will be too large for your young gecko to eat. Please keep hornworms like this.

(click to enlarge)​