Ant's for Leopard Geckos? - Paw Talk

kylekracker · #1 08-31-2006, 10:23 PM

Does anyone feed their Leopard Gecko ant's? Because they seem like they would be good for them because crickets hop, and worms arent a challenge. Would it be ok to give them the big black ants that you would usually see around the house? (One's that dont pinch)

VanillaRat · #2 09-01-2006, 12:35 AM

I have never heard of anyone feeding their leo's ants before and I know a couple people who bred and raised leos for YEARS!

I personally doubt they would be interested...as mine don't touch the beetles that the mealies turn into!But you never know!

Ravnos · #3 09-01-2006, 01:28 AM

There is a pretty general rule of thumb, don't feed any bugs you've found in your yard unless you're absolutely and positively sure there are no pesticides, fertilizers or other source of contamination anywhere in the area. Even something as simple as oil or coolant leaking out of a car nearby can serve as a potential toxin. Not to mention, you have no idea where that ant has been or what it has been eating - it could be an intermediary or the host to any number of internal parasites that could be passed to your gecko. To me, it simply isn't worth the risk when there are so many readily available food sources that you know are safe and nutritious. Really though, as with most lizards, they'll probably try to eat just about anything that moves in front of their face, but in the end ants are not going to be more nutritious than properly gutloaded crickets, superworms, wax worms, silk worms, etal.

VanillaRat · #4 09-01-2006, 09:16 AM

I agree with Ravnos...I never even though of those things last night when I replied...but yes,it is better NOT to risk taking insects from outside as you do not know what they have been into or around.

And actually my geckos don't eat everything that moves in fron of their face!They eat their normal crickets,supers and mealworms and Mystta gets an occassional pinky...but I have had mealies turn into beetles and my geckos totally ignore them.I have heard this about other geckos too and some geckos just become plain picky!

Ravnos · #5 09-01-2006, 12:33 PM

Oh, there are always fussy ones.

Really though, the only animal I have ever had that would eat mealworm (or superworm) beetles was an Egyptian sandfish skink. Even my box turtles won't touch them, and they'll eat pretty much anything.

kylekracker · #6 09-01-2006, 03:12 PM

I dont know, I'm trying to think of different options, because she isnt digesting mealworms, wax worms are very fattening, big crickets are too big, small crickets are too small, superworms are also too big. I just cant think of anything.

VanillaRat · #7 09-01-2006, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kylekracker


	I dont know, I'm trying to think of different options, because she isnt digesting mealworms, wax worms are very fattening, big crickets are too big, small crickets are too small, superworms are also too big. I just cant think of anything.

Have you tried medium size crickets? You can get crickets all sizes these days.From pinheads to jumbos.

kylekracker · #8 09-01-2006, 09:19 PM

They have medium sized crickets? I've been going to PETCO, and all they have are small, and huge. Also, in a "Reptile Lunchbox" I found a pretty big beetle, so I wont be getting those anymore.

ratty_ratkins · #9 09-01-2006, 10:34 PM

the reptile lunch boxes at my petco are all full of dead crickets. sad thing is that the employes will argue with you and tell you they are alive!

Padfoot · #10 09-01-2006, 10:45 PM

I buy mine online... from http://www.premiumcrickets.com those are the only ones that ship to my area, but you can also check http://www.flukerfarms.com/ and http://www.grubco.com as I've heard good things from those too... specially from flukers...

VanillaRat · #11 09-01-2006, 10:51 PM

I order my feeder bugs from Canadian Feeders.They have healthy,fat,gut loaded crickets in all sizes (including medium...

) and whatnot.Unfortunatly they only ship around Canada,as they are really good and I reccommend them!They have good prices too!
http://www.canadianfeeders.com

I only ever had ONE problem with them.I ordered 250 mealies and the cup was infested with grain mites,but they were good about it and sent me a new batch and added a few extra mealies to make up for it.

kylekracker · #12 09-02-2006, 12:26 AM

Wow, all those sites are great, thanks. I saw on Grubco "Fly Larvae", I've never seen those before, are they good for gecko's?

Ravnos · #13 09-02-2006, 12:52 AM

Commercial crickets almost always have little black beetles, which are called dermestid beetles, as well as their larvae, which look kind of like tapered, little, furry caterpillar kind of things. They're not harmful, and actually do a service of eating the waste and dead crickets, though I wouldn't feed the beetles to anything, just the crickets.

VanillaRat · #14 09-02-2006, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravnos


	Commercial crickets almost always have little black beetles, which are called dermestid beetles, as well as their larvae, which look kind of like tapered, little, furry caterpillar kind of things. They're not harmful, and actually do a service of eating the waste and dead crickets, though I wouldn't feed the beetles to anything, just the crickets.

Yeah,I am always buying/ordering crickets with these things in them...they kind of gross me out and I always throw them outside.The beetles are not so bad,it is those fuzzy little larvae that gross me out!