Crested Gecko and Baby food

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Crested Gecko and Baby food

Postby NicoG » Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:18 pm

I am a first time reptile owner and would just like to ask a question or two. I have done extensive reading on the internet and have found so many conflicting views. I feed my Crested Gecko baby food with a calcium supplement. Some websites say it is forbidden and some say it is adequate. I can not seem to find the CGD everyone is raving about online in South Africa. Any suggestions as to something else I can feed him as the baby food goes off quite quickly.

Also as it has been cold in Cape Town, he has stopped eating live food and is not really to interested in the baby food either. I feed him every second day now by dabbing some baby food on his nose. I have given him a external source of heat for the night (Blue light) and can see that he is in fact quite active during that period. Is it advisable to put a heating pad under his vivarium during the cold days as I see the temperature stays at about 18 - 20 degrees.I keep the humidity at about 70.

Any help would be appreciated
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Re: Crested Gecko and Baby food

Postby Jason&Sam » Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:08 pm

Hi NicoG. Yes the CGD is quite hard to get ahold of. Our adult and baby cresteds do great on pear and peach purity which has no added sugar. I rotate the flavors then mix them together just to keep things interesting. I have also found that this goes off in the cage quite quick, just one of those things. We feed around a teaspoon full every 2nd day for the babies and around 2 teaspoons. I add the exoterra calcium D3(75%), and the multi vitamin(25%) mixed together every second feed and this keeps them very healthy. A picture or description of your setup will help on advice for your heating.

Good luck. Cresteds are amazing gecko's to keep.

Cheers,Jason.
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Re: Crested Gecko and Baby food

Postby NicoG » Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:26 pm

Hi. I recently moved him from a 45x45x45 to a 45x45x60, per the photo. I used the dark sandy substance (which I soaked in water) that came with the vivarium and have a layer of "green moss" replacement above that. I am trying to feed him cockroaches and crickets, but he quite literally walks over them, not interested at all. And I can see from the food in his vivarium that it is untouched. Might sound strange but whenever he sits with me and I am working he comes to sit on the top of my laptop (for warmth) and then makes a pooh. So for now I am putting some food on his mouth and then he starts licking the rest of the food off the spoon. I read everywhere that I should not worry about him not eating, but am still learning. So as I say the thermometer shows anywhere from 16 - 20 degrees and humidity I keep at about 70

Yes he is a awesome pet.
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Re: Crested Gecko and Baby food

Postby Jason&Sam » Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:45 pm

First of all, great setup. We also house our gecko's in the 45x45x60 exoterra cages. A warmer spot is needed as they feed more frequently at around 25'C. You could fit a higher wattage blue bulb and leave it on 24hrs, the ambient temp will do the rest for the day night difference. The heatmat under the cage would dry out your substraint much quicker. Get the temp up by 5'C and i am sure you will have no further problems.

Good luck.
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Re: Crested Gecko and Baby food

Postby NicoG » Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:59 pm

Thank you very much for your input, I really appreciate it, I have a 75W light which I only kept on at night, but will keep keep it on for the whole day and see if I can get the temp to about 25 degrees. I will also start mixing the peach and pear baby food for him. I just found Repashy GCD online which I will use to alternate. Once again thank you for the advice
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Re: Crested Gecko and Baby food

Postby Jason&Sam » Tue Jul 03, 2012 7:06 pm

No problems. Thats what SA Reptiles is here for. We learn every day.

Cheers.
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Re: Crested Gecko and Baby food

Postby Bjorn » Wed Jul 04, 2012 9:12 pm

Higher temps are fine as long as they can move away from it. I have found mine basking at 32 deg c before. I feed baby food to but I add CGD or Lorikeet nectar made by Avi plus. You can buy it in any pet shop and as they have the same diet it works well. I have used it for Day geckos as well and it will last ages. You can also take banana, paw paw, peaches etc, all non citrus and blend them together. Freeze them in portions for easy use.
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Re: Crested Gecko and Baby food

Postby NicoG » Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:18 am

Hi Bjorn. I imported some CGD and should receive that next week. I am first going to get a digital thermometer in order to see exaclty what the temperature is, cause the one I have is really difficult to measure the temp. When u blend together the fruit do you add any calcium supplement or vitamins. Also when the CGD/Lorikeet nectar is added to the baby food, do u add any supplements. Probably the most important question for me is, my gecko eats the baby food, but for some reason is not interested in live food, would the diet mentioned above be able to sustain him or should I worry about the fact that he is not eating crickets or cockroaches? I will also

Thank you for your feedback
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Re: Crested Gecko and Baby food

Postby Bjorn » Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:13 am

It's best to make the blend plain so you can add calcium as you need to. I never mix in the calcium as it turns the food to hard jelly. Sprinkle a little on the top of the food. Dusting live insects is also good but don't worry as you can get calcium in with fruit. The CGD and Lorikeet nectar are fine if your gecko doesn't take live. They have all the nutrients they will need. With the nectar just add some fruity flavour baby food or blend and some water as it is very absorbent.

Also best to use purified water with misting and feeding. It wont leave water marks on glass and it's much better for the gecko.
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Re: Crested Gecko and Baby food

Postby NicoG » Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:31 am

Hi . Thank you very much, gonna go buy some fresh fruits this afternoon and try it. Thank you for the reply and info, much appreciated.
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Re: Crested Gecko and Baby food

Postby NicoG » Sat Jul 07, 2012 7:32 am

Hi, just an update. The fresh fruits are working very well, he is eating it and loving it. I installed a heating panel against the wall which I keep on 24/7. Temperature in their vivarium now ranges from 18 - 22. My female ate 2 live cockroaches last night so I think the temperature story has been sorted out. Thank you for all the input
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Re: Crested Gecko and Baby food

Postby Bjorn » Sat Jul 07, 2012 10:26 am

Good stuff. They will eat and grow faster with a basking spot. I used heat emitters for the adults in the top corner of the cage and worked like a charm. Just have mesh top to keep them from contacting the hot surface.
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Re: Crested Gecko and Baby food

Postby NicoG » Mon Jul 09, 2012 8:56 am

Hi, Yes I intend getting that as soon as I integrate the female (She is only 7 months and the male is over a year old) into the same cage. I was told to keep them seperate untill she gets to about one years old. Bit to expensive for me to purchase for both vivariums at the moment so the wall panel will have to do for another couple of months. Besides Cape Town will be getting a little bit hotter over the next month or so.
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Re: Crested Gecko and Baby food

Postby Fishy » Wed Oct 10, 2012 7:52 pm

What do you guys do in summer to keep the temps down? The spot where i measure usually gets to about 30 in the summer. is this a problem?
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