Leo food

[wizsh1]

Yea I was wondering what is better mealworms or crickets for leopard geckos?

[JEFFREH]

Both make excellent staples. I use both for variety

Mealworms are easier to care for, and you can buy more for cheaper. But if you want you can feed both, that way you add variety whcich is always good for any animal.

Also, what substrate are you using/going to be using?

[Amber]

Both are great, my leos get crickets mostly, they seem to like food they can chase after! Withmeal worms, you should give a break where you feed something else once every so often, because they have soemthing, that is ok, but will biul up and build up in the leos.

[JEFFREH]

You mean chitlin content? This is the exoskeleton that makes up the outside of the mealwomr, it is absically the part that is hard to digest. Mealwomrs have a higher shell to meat ration than crickets and other feeders.

Actually mealwroms are no trouble to a leo, because leos have a strong stomach and they eat much less than other lizards. Bearded dragons CAN become impacted by a mealworm, but that is due to the fact that they have a veggy matter bacteria to digest food and less meat bacteria. Also a baby can eat as much as 10-15x more than a leo.

So no worries with either, actually there have been leos recorded living over 20 years being fed soley mealwomrs in zoos

If you dont believe me, drop a mealy in a mixture of water and hydrolic acid. The mealy will die almost instanltly and immediately begin being "decomposed" byt the acid. This is the equivalint of a leos tummy, except a leos tummy is stronger still!

And just a heads up, mealworms can NOT chew their way out of a leo, the bite would kill them, and if not the stomach acid would as seen in the test given above. It's a huge feeder myth

[wizsh1]

Sorry for not posting sooner, but I'm going to use paper towels I done lots of research and everyone says that paper towel is the best, but I know that you both keep leos and if ether of you use somthing else thats works better let me know.

[wizsh1]

O and what is the easiest way to sex them. I read lots of differents things about this and all have a different opinion which way is easiest.

[JEFFREH]

I'm just going to be flat out cague here, I'm not going to say all this fansy "hemipenes" or anything

Most likely it will be a girl, seeing as most captive bred are. But basically if you see big balls then its a boy, and you also want to look for something that looks like little dots at the base of the tail, that form a V shap, just oppopsite of the vent area. I had a GREAT site with pictures but I lost it, so I'll have to try and bring it up sometime.

Paper towel is awesome, I know of people that use slate tiles and cork sheets too. I use non adhesive shelf liner, you can pick up a roll for about $4 at a walmoart or something. The brand you are looking for is Duck, its the kind that is rubbery and thicker. All you need to do is when they poo, take a damp paper towel and wipe up! I have a kind with little ripples that is brown, looks more natural IMO.

[wizsh1]

O ok that sounds good I'm going to use that cuz I'm making a wooden cage and because I live right next to a Wal-mart. Thanks ;D

[JEFFREH]

A little technique you could use is put paper towel in the area they poo in. Most leos are like kitties in a way, they choose one spot of the enclosure to do theur business. I just put a little bit of paper towel in that area so all you really have to do is take the paper towel out and add a new one

That's also good cause if the poo sits out for awhile it can kinda stcik to the shelf liner. The only downside to that is it leaves tiny stains. They arent that noticable and they come out if you are willing to do someof paper towel rubbing and you spray on the stain with a spray bottle of water.

Either way I like non adhesive shelf liner, remeber the non adhesive part, and it should be the rubberish type ;D

[wizsh1]

Thanks for the advice! ;D

[LeopardGeckoFan]

I use the T-Rex Bone Aid calci-sand substrate. Have you heard if many leopards get impacted with that kind of substrate. I've not had it happen to me yet, so I was just wondering.

I like this kind of substrate, because its asthetically (sorry, bad spelling) pleasing. But it does cost a bit, and it takes time to clean.

[Amber]

I don't like any kind of sand, just because it is unlikely to happen, and happens to what, 1 leo in 100-200. Your leo could be one of the unlucky ones. Why take the chance?