Hikari LeopaGel Food

Just out of curiosity, has anyone used this for the Leos?

https://smile.amazon.com/Hikari-20606-LeopaGel-2-11-oz/dp/B0822Q1JDX/ref=sr_1_39?crid=L8MT9G50MX81&keywords=leopard+gecko&qid=1657736357&sprefix=leopard+gecko%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-39

Donovan is currently eating like a happy little trouper and I have no intention of rocking the boat, but since he's already decided he doesn't like calci-worms and currently is refusing Dubia Roaches, I want to have a back up plan for if/when he decide he doesn't like mealworms.

Also, does anyone else's gecko have OCD (or "CDO" for those in the know)? Donnie was standing where his food dish normally goes, so my husband set it down about 4-5 inches away from its normal spot. Stubborn beastie stood and stared at my husband, then where his food dish NORMALLY goes, and back and forth, with extreme intensity until my husband moved the food dish back to it's normal spot. THEN Donnie dove in and started eating (even before my husband had actually set it down all the way). Weird little beastie, but we love him.
 
So I did a bit more research and found this information about the Hikari food:

https://www.hikariusa.com/reptile_folder/leopa_gel.html

I tried hornworms with Donnie and he looked at me like I was trying to poison him.

I'm giving him a little bit of time (while my leg is healing up), where I'm not pushing for him to eat Dubia and other types of food (with limited mobility, mealworms are much easier to care for), but once I've got a bit more functionality, I'll be getting assorted types of bugs again and trying to get him to vary his diet.

But in the meantime, I'm just happy he's eating, has his weight where it should be (61 grams), and is becoming social and adventurous. I have him scheduled for his first well visit with a vet at the end of July (any recommendations on keeping him content while driving?).
 

Blush50

Member
So I did a bit more research and found this information about the Hikari food:

https://www.hikariusa.com/reptile_folder/leopa_gel.html

I tried hornworms with Donnie and he looked at me like I was trying to poison him.

I'm giving him a little bit of time (while my leg is healing up), where I'm not pushing for him to eat Dubia and other types of food (with limited mobility, mealworms are much easier to care for), but once I've got a bit more functionality, I'll be getting assorted types of bugs again and trying to get him to vary his diet.

But in the meantime, I'm just happy he's eating, has his weight where it should be (61 grams), and is becoming social and adventurous. I have him scheduled for his first well visit with a vet at the end of July (any recommendations on keeping him content while driving?).
I’m not familiar with this product but I’m sure he will wonder why it’s not moving��

I’m very surprised to hear that he looked at you like you were trying to poison him. Hornworms usually trigger a great feeding response. Like candy to children. Could it have been too large?

Don’t think there is really a way to keep them content in an unknown place. I simply covered up the sides to the herp haven reptile carrier. I did allow the one side which faced me driving to be visible.
 
I’m not familiar with this product but I’m sure he will wonder why it’s not moving��

I’m very surprised to hear that he looked at you like you were trying to poison him. Hornworms usually trigger a great feeding response. Like candy to children. Could it have been too large?

Don’t think there is really a way to keep them content in an unknown place. I simply covered up the sides to the herp haven reptile carrier. I did allow the one side which faced me driving to be visible.

They were small super skinny hornworms. I will probably try them again with him down the road.

As far as the vet visit, that's kind of what I was thinking too (covering the sides of the carrier). I've seen people talk about using a hand warmer or hot water bottle. I also have a cute felt "snuggle sack" for him that he seems to enjoy, so I thought that might be a good idea to put in there for him when I take him.

Wish I didn't have to take him, but I know how hard it is to get emergency vet appointments even for cats and dogs if you aren't already an established patient. SO I don't want to take the risk. Get him to the vet now while he's happy and healthy so he's established. And then hopefully we'll never need to go there because he's sick or hurt.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
They were small super skinny hornworms. I will probably try them again with him down the road.

As far as the vet visit, that's kind of what I was thinking too (covering the sides of the carrier). I've seen people talk about using a hand warmer or hot water bottle. I also have a cute felt "snuggle sack" for him that he seems to enjoy, so I thought that might be a good idea to put in there for him when I take him.

Wish I didn't have to take him, but I know how hard it is to get emergency vet appointments even for cats and dogs if you aren't already an established patient. SO I don't want to take the risk. Get him to the vet now while he's happy and healthy so he's established. And then hopefully we'll never need to go there because he's sick or hurt.
Unless Donnie's not eating for some extended time & losing weight, I recommend LIVE feeders.

With summer here, hopefully it's not too warm the day of his appointment. Just keep him at warmish temps in the car enroute. Perhaps don't feed Donnie the night prior to his appointment.

I recommend a smallish carrier that's maybe somewhat "cushioned" with towels?
 
I agree entirely about only resorting to this as a last resort if he isn't eating. I just like to have as much information and as many options available as possible.
 

Blush50

Member
I agree entirely about only resorting to this as a last resort if he isn't eating. I just like to have as much information and as many options available as possible.

Hi,

My second attempt at this ugh. I tried yesterday, was timed out and received a message, missing token of some sort. I know it’s me the dinosaur behind the keyboard. Maybe this may help. This is what I did:

Warmed up my car first(during winter)
Ran the car heater to ambient 80f
Wrap the carrier with a towel to block out cold air
Remove towel once in car
Same routine in before entering vet clinic

I also took with me a human heat pad that has 3 settings by Sunbeam.
Set it on low and placed it in the metal exam table. Placed the carrier on only half the heat mat. This kept it 75-80f. I checked with a temp gun. The last thing I want is the vet saying my gecko is slugging when in reality it’s just cold in the room��
 
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Hi,

My second attempt at this ugh. I tried yesterday, was timed out and received a message, missing token of some sort. I know it’s me the dinosaur behind the keyboard. Maybe this may help. This is what I did:

Warmed up my car first(during winter)
Ran the car heater to ambient 80f
Wrap the carrier with a towel to block out cold air
Remove towel once in car
Same routine in before entering vet clinic

I also took with me a human heat pad that has 3 settings by Sunbeam.
Set it on low and placed it in the metal exam table. Placed the carrier on only half the heat mat. This kept it 75-80f. I checked with a temp gun. The last thing I want is the vet saying my gecko is slugging when in reality it’s just cold in the room��

I love this idea! I thought about buying a special UTH just for transportation purposes, but this is so much more practical. ESPECIALLY since we are currently in summer, I'll need to cool the car down a bit before bringing Donnie out to it (so neither of us passes out), but I just won't turn it into an arctic cooler.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
So I did a bit more research and found this information about the Hikari food:

https://www.hikariusa.com/reptile_folder/leopa_gel.html

I tried hornworms with Donnie and he looked at me like I was trying to poison him.

I'm giving him a little bit of time (while my leg is healing up), where I'm not pushing for him to eat Dubia and other types of food (with limited mobility, mealworms are much easier to care for), but once I've got a bit more functionality, I'll be getting assorted types of bugs again and trying to get him to vary his diet.

But in the meantime, I'm just happy he's eating, has his weight where it should be (61 grams), and is becoming social and adventurous. I have him scheduled for his first well visit with a vet at the end of July (any recommendations on keeping him content while driving?).

Did you notice the following review of Hikari's LeopaGel™ YouTube video?
kadenbane:
1 year ago
"SO NOT BUY!
Bran is listed as one of the first 3 ingredients, bran contains phytic acid which can prevent your gecko from absorbing calcium."​

Hikari's LeopaGel™ Nutritional Analysis:
Mealworm, bran, soybean meal, brewers dried yeast, whole crushed silkworm pupae, dried seaweed meal, citric acid, extracted seaweed meal, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (stabilized vitamin C), d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, niacin, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, calcium carbonate, monosodium phosphate, ferrous sulfate, magnesium sulfate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, calcium iodate.
* Because of our commitment to providing the highest quality nutrition available, some differences in ingredients may occur due to regular formula updates.​

Crude Protein Crude Fat Crude Fiber Moisture Ash
min. 10.0% min. 1.0% max. 2.5% max. 80.0% max. 3.5%
Phosphorus Vitamin A Vitamin D3 Vitamin E Ascorbic Acid
min. 0.1% min. 9,100 IU/kg min. 1,300 IU/kg min. 1,300 IU/kg min. 2,400 mg/kg

10% minimum protein is quite LOW for any maintenance leopard gecko diet!
 
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While we're talking about food options, I recently learned that there is a difference between Supersized Mealworms and Super (aka Mori??) Worms. Never realized there was a difference before this.

But in the same article I was reading, the person commented that actual Mori Worms (which are more nutritious, I gather) have some kind of stingers and that Geckos quickly learn to eat them head first.

So now, I'm worrying that if I get him Mori worms, and he doesn't instinctively eat them head first (with regular mealworms, he just kind of grabs them in the middle and chomps -- ends up looking like he's smoking a cigar for a second or two), will they bite him and harm him? OR discourage him from eating?

He's such a happy little guy and such an eager eater, I don't want to do anything to mess with that. I'm going to be trying to get him to eat Dubia roaches again, but he seems very fond of the meal worms. And since the super worms are better for him but look similar, I thought they might be a good option if they won't harm him.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
He's such a happy little guy and such an eager eater, I don't want to do anything to mess with that. I'm going to be trying to get him to eat Dubia roaches again, but he seems very fond of the meal worms. And since the super worms are better for him but look similar, I thought they might be a good option if they won't harm him.

I don't know about the differences in those worms.

Because of relatively high protein levels in dubia, I wouldn't recommend dubia as a full time diet.

17342539_1319514908116112_444175116466682477_n.jpg
(click to enlarge)​
 
I don't know about the differences in those worms.

Because of relatively high protein levels in dubia, I wouldn't recommend dubia as a full time diet.

View attachment 50538
(click to enlarge)​

So what about regular meal worms? That's what he's current eating (and enjoying immensely). I want to get him eating other insects as well, but for the foundation of his diet? I really want to avoid crickets if I can help it. Naturally, I'm dusting them one feeding with Reptile vitamin powder (without D3), one feeding with Calcium with D3 (I have the Arcadia Shade Dweller, but he doesn't come out in it enough for me to rely on it to provide him iwth sufficient D3), and one feeding with plain calcium powder.
 
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