iHerp Answers: Feeding Pinky Mice to Leopard Geckos

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Feeding Pinky Mice to Leopard Geckos

Posted By:

pimpbebo

there is something on youtube in which owners feed leopard geckos pinkys. is this safe? how long would it take to feed it again? is it big enough to eat a pinky? below is a picture to show his size.

Attached Photos:


Points:	150
Topics:	Feeding , General Health
Tags:	Eublepharis, Feeding, Macularius, Mice, Pinkies
Species:	Lizards > Geckos > Eublepharis macularius
Administrative:	Show/Hide

Member Comment

12/29/2009 9:42:06 PM

kfethe

large leos seem to be able to take them just fine, but it is not something that i would feed regularly. pinkies have a higher fat content than insects which is bad but they also have higher calcium and a better ca to p ratio which is good. theyre pretty much alright as something to build nutrient reserves back onto a breeding female but males dont need them

Member Comment

12/29/2009 10:41:14 PM

loving_exotics

Just don't feed it a whole mouse, sadly enough I have watched a video on youtube of someone feeding a bearded dragon and a leo a whole adult mouse and it pained me to watch, I don't even know how the leo took it down.

Accepted Answer

12/30/2009 1:10:13 AM

Aimee

it's my understanding that the extra fat can cause serious long-term problems like fatty liver. it's a sometimes-thing, like once a month, but not more than that (unless as said you're putting weight back on)

Member Comment

12/30/2009 2:10:16 AM

loving_exotics

Yea from what I have heard a once a month thing would be ok but with how small leo's are full grown I'm guessing the pinkie would fill up the whole stomach so I would feed it one as a whole meal and not to feed again for 2 maybe 3 days or how ever often you feed but they really are best for gaining weight back, my dragon layed eggs and lost half her weight and she jumped back up after a couple pinkies and 50 wax worms

Member Comment

12/30/2009 2:32:44 AM

abi21491

I agree with only doing it sparingly - like once a month. People also feed their larger Rhacs (cresties, gargs, leachies, etc) pinkies and even hoppers on occasion but the key word is sparingly. Just a treat!

Assisted Answer

12/30/2009 9:01:18 AM

WhiteHillReptile

agreeing to the sparingly thing as well.

i fed them to females only after they laid a clutch of eggs and thats its. if their bodies are using the excess fat of a pinkie then its not really a big deal, but if there is no use for it thats when it causes fatty liver issues.

Assisted Answer

12/30/2009 11:02:23 AM

shellboa

I don't feed them more than once every couple weeks or so, like treats. For the fat-tail and leos I gave them a pink that was week old or less. I don't think it's a good idea to feed them anything with hair...even fuzz as I am pretty sure they were not designed to process this with their digestive system the same way snakes can and it could probably cause a serious impaction issue. The other treat I used to give more often just seems not to be as available any more was wax-worms. If you can find them or order them on-line and get them alive they make a good treat that can be given a little more often...like once a week.

Member Comment

12/30/2009 11:04:25 AM

shellboa

oh and if you do give a pink I'd wait an extra day for the next regular meal unless you are putting nutrients back into a female that clutched.

Member Comment

12/30/2009 5:29:02 PM

rosesreptiles

I have never given any of my leos pinkies. Even my big guys. I have them on a steady cricket and superworm diet with an occasional silworm,waxworm or butterworm. They have all been healthy and happy without the pinky. My beardies love them as a treat, but since they are fatties I give them very sparingly maybe every couple of months or so.

Member Comment

12/31/2009 12:33:20 AM

Philly Retics

I too would only give a pinky to a female that has just laid. I don't think that a pinky is something a leo would eat in the wild so calcium dusted crickets and superworms would be their main staple. I'll leave the pinky and mouse feeding to the tokays lol

Member Comment

1/10/2010 4:04:09 AM

herpfamilydotcom

Speaking from experience...I had a leo gecko who was kept on a rodent-only diet and he ended up getting huge...like...unhealthy fat huge. I switched him over to insects and all was well for a while...gave him away to my uncle and he suddenly died one day. I'm guessing it was due to being unhealthy from the rodent diet. Don't make that mistake...stick with insects. Pinkies for breeding females are fine...but that's the only thing I'd use them for as far as leo geckos go.

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