What Size Crickets?

[herpnewbie]

I have a pretty large (about 9") 6 month old male...I feed him mostly meal worms, with crickets added once or twice/week. My question is I have always gotten the tiniest little cricks (pinheads, I think they call them).

Recently I was at the store buying them and the girl asked me how big my leo was. When I pointed to one and said it looked a bit smaller than mine, she said I could definitely feed the bigger cricks now. So, I bought just a few to see.

I fed him one last night. He had no problem killing it (I think it was easier to spot & catch, actually). But it seemed like it took him longer to swallow it and I saw a lump in his throat move into his belly and it was there for a minute or so and then disappeared. Is that okay/normal? This is my first reptile in years.

Thanks!

[ChristinaM]

Hi Amanda.....your leo is definately able to eat bigger than pinheads. I would go with 3/4" crix myself. That's what my guys eat and they range in age and size (youngest bout 4mos, oldest 7mos).

Because they are bigger, it will take him longer to chew, eat, swallow and have the chewed mass work its way down to the belly.

:)

[Bartman]

Yea pinheads are defffff way to small for a leo that size..hatchlings can probably eat bigger then pinheads..take bichiraddict's advice and switch to 3/4 or even adult size in like the next month or two

[drewlowe]

Yep i agree with all except the chew part. LOL When did leos start chewing thier food???

Mine usually go CHOMP, CHOMP, gulp...

But anyway enough fun LOL 3/4 inch crix or even prewing (adult crix. that what the petstore i go to calls the adults.) should be fine for a leo that size, and much easier for your leo to see and catch them.

[herpnewbie]

Thanks Everyone,

I was kind of fearing you'd say that! I'm a bit squeamish of the crickets!

One "got" me a few weeks ago and I screached so loud my husband came running from the garage on the opposite end of the house, thinking something terrible happened. ha ha...

Another day I had gotten blood work done that morning, and totally forgot about the bandaid they put on. Later I was home feeding my leo & shook the little tube from the Crick habitat into his tank, and then put the cricks away. A second later I felt something up my sleeve & screamed and ripped my shirt off. ha ha...thank God just my husband was there. It was the bandaid caught on my sweater, not a crick. :) hehe...not sure why I'm so scared of them, but I'm hoping I'll get used to it eventually!

Thanks!

[Bartman]

you can feed other things other then crix..it might add to your budget but it helps for the squirmy people, i know i HATTTTE crix..once a month ill throw some in but i stick to all the worms instead...silks, mealies, wax, and butterworms are all good...

[reverendsterlin]

you can also start a roach colony, I'm getting ready to start one due to deciding to get more tarantulas. Crix smell bad and die alot, roaches eat veggies, don't smell, and the right selection doesn't climb smooth surfaces.

[ChristinaM]

Originally posted by drewlowe
Yep i agree with all except the chew part. LOL When did leos start chewing thier food???

Mine usually go CHOMP, CHOMP, gulp...



LMAO :p I have one that took about 10 "chews" last night....was hilarious to watch.

normally they do the chomp inhale manuever LOL.


Amanda: I despised crickets at first too, but eventually you get used to them.....as well, there are tricks to be learned. I learned that toilet paper rolls are a cricket haters friend. The crickets crawl in the tubes, then you sneak in, grab the tube, and dump it in your shake and bake baggie of calcium. No cricky touchy :D

[herpnewbie]

Thanks for the tips & support everyone! I think I would be more sceaved by roaches than cricks (poor things, but just because of their lineage, I guess!). Worms don't bother me, so I will probably move towards a multi-worm diet with just occasional cricks. I do have a cricket keeper, so I do get to just pull out the tubes and shake them into the tank. I just have this illogical fear that in those split seconds a crick escaped and crawled into my clothing somewhere. lol...Anyway, I'll keep you guys posted!

Thanks Again!
:eek: Amanda

[PaulBar]

I suggest feeding crickets that are well fed themselves on Kale, Oranges and Flukers Cricket feed. It is very important to feed the crickets well so the nutrients pass on to your Geckos when they eat them. I also suggest supplementing with Waxworms occasionally. Once a week dust your crickets with Calcium powder (Boneaid brand) and feed to your Geckos.

Stay away from Silkies, they are too big and throw your Gecko's off regular feeding since they take a long time to digest.

The best foods I believe are well fed crickets and waxworms.

Paul

[drewlowe]

silkies to hard to digest HUH... mealworms and superworms are the harder ones to digest.

Silkies, crickets, waxworms, mealworms,and butterworms give a nice variety. All of them should be nice and "gutloaded' before feeding.