# feeding crickets to leopard gecko help



## nelsong6969 (Jul 26, 2004)

first off how many cricket should i feed my leopard gecko? its not still a young one and still has stripes. i got a dozen small crickets, put some calcium powder in the bag, shook it up, then dumped them all in and he ate like half of them the first night

i was thinking of getting something to keep them in so i can feed them first before i give them to my gecko but it seems to hard to get them out without them jumping away.

how do you all feed your leopard geckos crickets?


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## nova (Aug 9, 2004)

Well when I had my leo I bought it one of those bug containers and kept crickets in there with some gutload. I fed him about 5 everyother day and he did fine.


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## nelsong6969 (Jul 26, 2004)

how did u get the cricket out without them jumping out of the container


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## nova (Aug 9, 2004)

That was somewhat difficult because they would always climp up my arm and jump out. But you may try putting the cricket container in a brown bag and then get them out. That way if they jump out they will still be in the bag.


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## Burf (Nov 3, 2003)

I use a specalist cricket keeper:









If you cant get hold of one of these, you will just have to practice and you will find a way that works for you soon. Thats half the fun of keeping exotics, finding crafty ways around things


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## Black-Phoenix (Oct 21, 2003)

keep them in a coolaid pitcher....just twist it to pour and shake some out. MEal works are super easy to culture and are even easyer to catch.


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## Guest (Nov 8, 2004)

Sometimes, I put pieces of paper egg carton material in the cricket's cage.

The crickets will be less apt to jump when you gently lift them out from the cage while they're clinging to the underside of the egg carton.

Feeding the crickets before you feed them to the lizard is an excellent idea. Some people believe crickets straight from the pet shop are lacking in nutrition. I feed them shredded pieces of carrots and loose leaf lettuce.

My crcickets died after I fed them flake fish food, but I don't know if the fish food caused that.


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## BoomerSub (Jun 23, 2003)

Bullsnake said:


> My crcickets died after I fed them flake fish food, but I don't know if the fish food caused that.


 I've never heard of that, I' ve been doing it for years with no ill effects observed.

-PK


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## Burf (Nov 3, 2003)

> My crcickets died after I fed them flake fish food, but I don't know if the fish food caused that.


Did they have any source of moisture?


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## nelsong6969 (Jul 26, 2004)

what should i feed the crickets? fish food and potatoes for water?


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## Burf (Nov 3, 2003)

I just give them kitchen scraps really. The odd bit of potato peelings, left over carrot, apple cores anything really except citrus fruit


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## Guest (Nov 9, 2004)

BoomerSub said:


> Bullsnake said:
> 
> 
> > My crcickets died after I fed them flake fish food, but I don't know if the fish food caused that.
> ...


 Maybe it was just a bad batch of crickets. I never did it twice to find out.


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## [email protected] (Nov 10, 2004)

personally i think it would be better to ween it off of crickets, try using mealworms or superworms, if its large enough for them try giving it a few and see how he likes them. They are much easier to keep, and can be kept refrigerated to slow down thier life cycle as well. I personally hate using crickets and avoid them at all costs. All of the herps we keep here are weened off crickets as soon as possible if thier diet will allow it. Of course every now and then they are offered crickets, but not as a staple part of thier diet. All of our leopard geckos get a bowl of water, a bowl of osteoform calcium powder which they eat from, and a bowl with mealworms kept full at all times. Crickets are offered maybe once a week, IF that.

If continuing to feed your leo crickets try about 6-8 per day, remove any that are not eaten, they will stress your leo!


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