2 Questions regarding a new crestie!

Bigbossfan · 02-28-05, 10:41 AM

Took my son to pick out his crestie yesterday for his B-Day present. Got a baby for 80 bucks. (I think this was a good price). She is approx 4.5 weeks old.

It's funny initally, my son named her Spike...now because all it is doing is hiding...he calls her Heidi! Kids come up with the darndest things!!

Anyway, here are my two questions.

1. The lady I bought her from at the Expo told me to get the Crested Gecko food by T-Rex. This eliminates the requirement to feed crickets. Is this indeed true??

2. Portions to feed....I'm really confused as to what portion to give Heidi. I've got a water dish in the cage for her, but she hasn't touched it yet. Made a batch of food for her that basically covers the bottom of the food dish...about 3 inches round. Is this too much?? Also, going to give her some baby food before my Son goes to bed, how much is too much?? Right now I've got about a table spoon's worth sitting on his dresser waiting to go in the cage.

Thanks.

BBF

clint545 · 02-28-05, 10:53 AM

Congrats on the new crestie.

1. Alot of people feed only the CGD, but other ppl including myself also feed crickets a couple of times per week. Just make sure the crickets are small enough compare to the gecko.

2. You don't need to give a Crestie that size that much. They have small stomachs so they won't eat that much! I serve mine in a small bottle cap, like from a bottle of water.

Hope that helps out a bit

CDN-Cresties · 02-28-05, 11:07 AM

Hi there, congrats on the new crestie!

Question1: The answer is yes. However, your crestie will grow at a slower rate due to a lack of protein. If you wish, you can give gargoyle gecko diet which has a bit more protein than CGD. If you wish to use crickets here and there, your crestie will grow faster and you get some entertainment of watching your gecko hunt.

Question 2: Since your gecko is so small, it might take a few unnoticable licks from its food. What I do it use a bottle cap and just fill the bottom so its the size of roughly a dime. This way you may be able to tell if the gecko ate any food because the circle should be looking like a moon kinda. Adjust the amount afterwards when you see how much your new gecko eats.

Make sure to mist your enclosure, this is where your gecko will drink water, over time it may learn to drink from a water dish. One more thing, if you are offering CGD and babyfood, your gecko will most likely prefer babyfood because its sweet. I would supplement the baby food with some vitamin and calcium and try to switch over to CGD alone. Best of luck and post more questions if you have any.

CDN-Cresties · 02-28-05, 11:08 AM

Clint you beat me to the post.

Bigbossfan · 03-01-05, 10:28 AM

Thanks for the replies. As for giving a few crickets a week...the cage is kind of big right now (17.5 inches squared...the large Exo Terra Terrarium). Should I still try some crickets? I agree it would be entertaining, do you think I could go to the local pet store and buy gut fed crickets or do I have to do that myself??

BBF

Ptindy · 03-01-05, 10:50 AM

Well you could ask the pet store what they feed their crickets. If it's your only access to crickets I would just buy what I needed for that day and feed them immediatley. I purchase mine by the hundreds and keep them in little closable garbage cans so mine will get gut loaded over the week. But, the ones I feed off immediately that night I don't worry too much about them being gut loaded. You crested gecko will be fine eating the crickets from the store. I would recommend feeding crickets once a week on top of CGD OR GGD. Congrats with the new addition and best of luck.

Mike

little_dragon_ · 03-01-05, 11:02 AM

For youngsters I usually feed them every other day rotating CGD and Like Sized Crickets dusted with calcium d3. They are definetly entertaining feeders! I believe some pet stores pre gut load their crickets. Most stores will feed them carrots and potatoes. Carrots are a good source of nutrients for crickets.
It would probably be okay the first night you bought crickets to feed them without gutloading or you could buy them on the cgd night let them feed. The ones you have stored should have a dishof thirst quenching fruit like orange or strawberry, carrots are great too! The easiest way to feed crickets is to store all the unused scraps and ends of your veggies and fruit while cooking. Then you will have an assortment of cricket food all the time. You can also buy cricket chow at pet stores it works well but make sure you use fruit or a moist paper towel as a water source!