My New Crestie

if_i_were_u · 05-01-04, 07:40 AM

Hey,

I just got a new crestie for my B-Day and my girlfried doesn't want crickets in the house. I tried feeding the gecko small mealworms and wax worms, but it is not interested. I also have been handfeeding it baby food. Is just baby food alright or should it be geting some insects. Also does anybody have any ideas how I could get it interested in the waxworms and mealworms....? Thanks for looking, hope you guys can help me find an answer.

Joe

CDN-Cresties · 05-01-04, 08:43 AM

Try some Crested Gecko diet, it has all the nutrients that your gecko needs. You can find it at most pet stores. I have found that a no insect diet leads so a slower growth rate, if you dont mind that, then the diet it perfect. You can also try to speed up the growth rate by a bit by using Gargoyle Gecko Diet, its basically the same thing as Crested Gecko Diet but it has more protein.

Try placing the mealworms in shallow dish over a perching area, thats what worked for me but I have heard that mealworms are hard to digest so I barely use them but other use them as a staple diet and say their crestie is doind fine, so its your call. Just make sure you supplement them with some calcium dust and gut load properly.

Best of luck with the new crestie and remember to post a pic if you can

little_dragon_ · 05-01-04, 11:05 AM

I suggest you convince your girl friend in to keeping crickets. Your gecko will get more nutrience and protein and will grow quicker with crickets. Plus if you don't get crickets you'll be missing out on some spetacular acrobatics while your gecko is hunting. That brings me to my other point crested geckos are very active during the night they enjoy the hunt.

if_i_were_u · 05-01-04, 05:56 PM

So you suggest that i feed him the worms at night then...I am really trying to get it to not eat crickets. I have been through some tough stuff with crickets. Thanks

CDN-Cresties · 05-01-04, 06:47 PM

Whats so bad about crix?

if_i_were_u · 05-01-04, 06:48 PM

i just hat the noise and if even one got out the girlfriend would kill me. Also i ould rather have the gecko learn to be handfed and stuff.

CDN-Cresties · 05-01-04, 06:53 PM

I feed my geckos crix and i can handle them with ease. You can always try to get crix that are a bit younger that they dont chirmp or just ask for females (some places let you). Its up do you but i find crix to be the best IMO.

if_i_were_u · 05-01-04, 08:07 PM

well thanks for the help i will give it a try, does anybody else have an opinion? Or is crickets the majority here? Thanks alot CDN-Cresties for all the replies. Appreciated

HeatherRose · 05-01-04, 08:40 PM

Get the small crickets, no noise...

Meat baby-food is an option, but it's awfully gross...

Its the welfare of the animal thats the point, not your convenience.

if_i_were_u · 05-01-04, 08:44 PM

I understand that. I also have heard that crickets are not as nutritious as wax worms and other worms like butter worms and stuff. So I also wanted to feed my crestie the worms because i heard they were better for them. Also i read on a few care sheets that cresties should have a diet of mostly fruits anyways. Is this true?

CDN-Cresties · 05-01-04, 09:38 PM

I think that crix are more nutritious than wax worms because you can control what the gut load content is. From what I have read, wax worms are real fatty. I tried butter worms once but my cresties didnt real strike at them, I think that only 1 of 12 were eaten, however I have had cresties eat mealies no problem.

You can provide a diet of primarily fruits to cresties as long as you use proper supplementation such as calcium and Repcal Herptivite but like I said your crestie will have a slower growth rate. Stay away from citrus fruits, its not good for them.

If you can try to pick up the book, Rhacodactylus: A Complete Guide to their Selection and Care, by Philippe de Vosjoli, Frank Fast, and Allen Repashy. Its an excellent read and has some great pics.

Best of luck

HeatherRose · 05-01-04, 11:30 PM

Crested geckos eat mostly fruits in the wild anyway, as long as they're supplemented properly...

Wax worms and mealworms are fatty but eaten by my cresties...neither of my cresties have gone for silkworms though.

if_i_were_u · 05-02-04, 10:59 AM

Thanks Alot for all the replies. You all have been really helpful.

ColleenT · 05-02-04, 12:26 PM

i keep my crix down stairs in my basement. (in a critter keeper.) they never get out, and only the largest make noise. i feed mine CGD mixed with fruit baby food, and also crix and occasionally mealworms, but one male won't eat mealworms.