As a new Leo owner, I defer to your channel for advice and guidance. Your experience, tone and dedication is just wonderful. Clearly you do everything you can to look after your Leos, they are very obviously happy and healthy. Please please do not let the negativity get to you. The work you do for the reptile keeping community and on this platform should be admired.
You are not wrong. I've been breeding reptiles since 1991 and have always fed my breeders pinkies. It's like a super bomb of nutrition for them. Anyone who is giving you grief is clearly inexperienced. Keep doing what you are doing!
I recently gave my leo her first ever pinky and it was a huge hit. Even if it's uncomfortsable for the humans, we're doing our best to give our captive animals the best life and that includes variety in diet.
I stopped letting Reddit and Facebook “experts” dictate my reptile decisions when 8 years ago they coaxed me into buying a rubber mat that was “the best option for leopard geckos to avoid impaction” that was like a sandpaper sheet that would graze her upon a pounce… You raise your animals your way, and if these terminally online “experts” spent half as much time with their own pets as they did worrying about other peoples, they would actually have enough knowledge to give actually sound advice.
Yeah specially as so many talk like they are experts when they are actually talking out of their ass just to get attention, just like the person who said her leopard gecko will die if she gives her a punkt, absolutely ridiculous. If I get a leopard gecko I would get advice from channels like this as she has years of experience but not some random strangers in the comments (even if it can be interesting to read different types of experiences from the comments too) but not the best to trust without checking first to be sure.
Before watching this entire video, I wanted to make a comment on how it really isn't uncommon for people to feed their geckos pinkies. I don't believe it's completely unsafe, as long as it's not your gecko's main diet and the gecko is healthy !
Great video. Great to hear the results of feeding them. I have 2 rescues that are nearly blind with poor care residual issues. Now I feel that before brumation and just before, they start dropping dudds I will start doing this for my girls. Thank you so much for all of your years of knowledge. I am an old reptile lady. And you are what is needed in the reptile hobby. Please keep giving us videos to help us help our geckos live the best lives we can give them.😊
You are not a terrible owner. You’re the best leopard gecko owner I know. You genuinely gave me advice that helped my crestie gecko and my leopard gecko thrive. Hates need to educate their self.. Rebecca keep doing what you’re doing. You’re doing a really fucking great job with taking care of your creatures. I admire you and look up to you.
I've been directed by multiple professionals to offer a single frozen/thawed pinkie to all of my insectivorius lizards twice a year at the start of their mating and egg-laying seasons because of the boost it gives to health and energy at a time when their bodies are burning extra energy, and for females extra calcium. And all of them go bananas for their twice a year treat. Since putting it into practice, all of my animals have become healthier, stronger, more productive, and more stable as they age through the years. These animals don't just eat mealworms or crickets in the wild, and we need to remember that if we're going to be worthy to keep these animals in our homes. People can't have closed minds when it comes to animal care.
Do you just jiggle it to make the gecko think it's alive so it eats it? Or how do you make it look appetizing for them? I actually have some f/t pinkies for my snakes that I'd be willing to give as a treat to my leo. I just assumed I would have to buy a live one when I want to give one to my leo or AFT as a treat
@tiffanyt3169 I use frozen/thawed. I just thaw them like normal and give them a warm water dip for about 30 seconds before offering. My leos come in hot for them. Sometimes, they surprise themselves and take a "strike" or two at it before locking their jaws on it, but I've never had an issue with them taking it. And once they get ahold of it, it's gone in a flash.
I'm glad you put out the video and have started getting people to talk about this topic. It was interesting because when you posted, I asked a couple of veterinarians that specifically work with Leopard Geckos about it and all 3 said - Of course it is something that they have "prescribed" before. They said (just as you have) that they are opportunity feeders. Thank you for educating me!
I thought the way presented this information was extremely well-measured, informative, and thoroughly researched. It helped to have expert testimony from John Courteney-Smith and authoritative research papers to support your decision and the advice you had received from veterinarians. Furthermore, the fact you have two healthy leopard geckos aged 16 and 17 speaks volumes about your knowledge and care of these delightful animals. You did what is right for your geckos and saw the difference the dietary boost made to their energy levels and overall health, so that should be reason enough to know what you did was right. It isn't something I had considered doing, but if I ever think my gecko needs some additional protein or an annual/biannual change to her diet to replicate what she would eat in the wild, then her needs outweigh my qualms and I would do as you did. Don't let the haters get to you and keep being the brilliant owner you are, passing on the lessons you've learned from many years of herpetology to those of us who are relatively new to reptile keeping.
I'm a little late to the video but I feel the Leopard Gecko husbandry has improved a lot over the past several years! I am an owner of two leo's who are 11 and I've had them for 10 years. Recently I wanted to upgrade my setup and followed what you used, using a lot of the Arcadia products. Going from a heat mat (this was a temp enclosure at the time) to the whole UVB, heat projector etc, I have never seen my female be so much more vibrant, active, alert and content. She sheds much better too! My male will soon have the same setup and I can't thank you enough for sharing your informative, educational, researched content on youtube! People that stick to old ways is a huge no, I remember seeing many owners co-habiting back in the day and it was seen as "normal". At the end the day its your channel, you post whatever you want. Sure, its ok to have opinions but for people to come at you like that, is just so unnecessary and not considering your feelings. You always state you have researched into things when doing these videos, and if the experts say its ok including a vet, you're not doing anything wrong! Unfortunately, many people on the internet will try to bring others down or force their ways/opinions/views or just be a horrible keyboard warrior/troll. It's a case of not letting these comments get to you or effect you so much and just keep on doing what you're doing. You have a huge amount of people that watch and support you. You've helped many owners including myself with their reptiles and I bet many have learnt new information whether that be about the jumping spiders, the skink, ant colony, etc. I think your channel is one of the most informative, helpful content I've come across!
I adopted a leopard gecko who had dropped her tail. I fed her an occasional pinkie while she was regrowing her tail, and she has one of the nicest regrown tails I've ever seen on a leo, not stubby at all.
Hi, I just had a question so my leopard gecko lives in a medium Vivexotic Viv and I use earth mix arid and mini uvb kit but I bought some cork bark and slate yesterday and was wondering ways I can incorporate it into his viv
I was very surprised to see the backlash. I've once fed one of my leos part of a pinkie mouse (chopped it up because I wanted to make sure they wouldn't choke just to be sure) and it was fine. he ate it fine, digested it fine, and pooped it out fine. I wouldn't feed it often at all, I'd say I'd feed a pinkie to a leo only once or twice a year. I offered it to my boy because he was not eating for a while and it actually helped him to start eating again (with insects, not more pinkies) its a great source of protein and fat if your leopard gecko is lacking in those specifically. very underrated feeder for leos and I'm glad u made a video on it honestly because, if fed correctly to a leopard gecko (rarely) it can be really good for their health!
Love this, tell them!! I’d actually love a video from you on different things you can feed Leo’s aside from insects, it’s important & enriching to try and mimic their natural diet 😊
one of the reasons i respect you as a care provider to anmials and a content creator is because you are willing to own when you've been in error and your care has been Constantly evolving in the time i've been watching you-for the Better! and when challenged about things, you do your research and provide us with more educational content that is more current than most care guides floating around the web. so, just wanted to voice my appreciation. came for the crestie content. stayed for Everything.
I have learned so much from you and really don’t think you could ever do/give anything to leopard geckos if you’re not 100% sure that’s the correct thing, the people who judge and give hate, it’s the people that knows/investigate the less about leopard geckos or what ever pets they have, thank you for sharing with us all your knowledge and everything new that you learn 🥰👍🏼
Dont let the haters win. Your geckos ate them happily and didnt have any digestion issues after. Its not like you pried their mouths open and forced them down their throats.
I'm very surprised by peoples reactions, everybody familiar with your channel should know that you dont do anything for or with your animals that isn't the very best for them, backed by the latest scientific research. I'm pleased that John was able to talk with you to back up your decision - just keep doing what you are doing x
You presented the subject matter perfectly. Unfortunately, many people are easily overly judgemental, even when they are not experts on a given subject. They just regurgitate the same info they hear from the same source of people, instead of diversifying their resources. I have fed my Leos pinky mice as well without any issues. Arrogant people tend to jump down throats ignorantly. Don't pay attention to them. You are doing great!!! Thank you for all you do.❤
Quick question I’m in a donate between bearded dragons and lespord geckos and this is how leapords would win only if you can bring them out of the cage and play with them and interact like super fun with like to balls
I’ve given mine pinkies before and like you said maybe once or twice a year. And only do it if for some reason their looking smaller than normal or something like that and specially when I get rescues that are under weight pinkies are perfect to help them get the nutrients they need. That doesn’t mean they get one every day they may get 1-2 in that first month I get them and no more for rest of the year. They definitely have their benefits. Some people just over think things to much and miss out on the benefits that certain things can give your pets they get caught up on rumors someone said. Great video and definitely needed 🙋♂️✌️
People on the internet can be, well.. people on the internet. I haven’t tried to feed my gecko a pinkie before but I might try it when he gets his appetite back and I’ve done a fecal sample test at the vet. Thanks for the video 😊
Did your geckos like the pinky’s? I was thinking about giving my gecko one but I have been a bit hesitant. I have had my gecko since she was a couple of weeks old. It’s been three years now.
You have such a pure soul. I can tell by your voice and enthusiastic just how much you love this $hit. I had a Leopard gecko for 6 years. 2 months after I left for college he died.💔💔… my old man for got to feed him, water him, or even check on him. You have straight up inspired me to get one again. I gotta redeem myself to the reptile gods. I have so many OG hides still left over from my OG. I even have the large Exo Terra snake cave that they don’t make anymore. Only question I have is this, I have a 20 gallon LONG tank. I really think that it’s big enough, would you say that it’s a big enough tank?? Thanks for the top tier content and energy doll. Keep doing gods work and just showing everyone how cool these little dragons are.
I was hoping I could get some help with my leopard gecko. I'm a new owner, she is about 5 months old now and every time I get near her she starts wagging her tail slowly and starts going into her moist hide. She hasn't been eating lately either, it's been about a week now.
Wait, people are against overhead heating for geckoes?? My heat lamp has been the sole source of heat for my crestie since i got her and she's THRIVING....
I got our first gecko in December she's roughly 2 year old she doesn't really come out of her hide or explore much can you please advise how to enrich her she won't hunt she feeds mainly inside her hide. I've just bought her a 4ftx2ftx2ft Viv so hopefully we can get her to come out more once she's in it
I got my first leopard gecko last week, but i’ve been struggling with the humidity, because on the warm side the humidity is around 45% and on the cool side it is 55% which is too high. Do you have any tips to get the humidity down?
Hey I know this has nothing to do with the vid but in your Leo care guides you showed a substrate called earth mix arid but I haven’t found any where that sells does any one know?
I give my beardie a pinkie every once in a great while, he's always had trouble keeping weight on so it's a great way to give him an extra boost, but I my case he's pretty picky so every other time he'll just refuse to take it 😂 Luckily I have a cichlid who eats just about anything
So, I have a gecko that is sick but I don’t have any reptile vets anywhere nearby. The gecko had stuck shed but I’ve fixed this. He has mouth rot which I’ve been doing something I’ve seen on a video which was salt water and biotine. Which has helped. But my new concern is the fact he doesn’t gain weight much. What all should I do to get him back to his full health again
i just recently got a adult leopard gecko as a rescue and when i got it the tank was dirty and when i tried to pick up the gecko it seemed to be really scared and wanted move off my hand and had its mouth open i cleaned its cage and gave it fresh food and water ive been monitoring it and seems to want to sit in the hide all day and not be handled, could i possibly get some suggestions on what to do to get it more comfortable with me.
Rebecca, your advice is always backed up by your thorough research! Of course the way we care for creatures should evolve! If people aren't prepared to feed an appropriate diet then they shouldn't have the animal! Why have an issue with an occasional dead pinkie when we feed them live locust etc?? I have a snake, she's gorgeous! I have no problem feeding her a dead rat. Its what she needs! I even tell her she has an extra treat when its a male rat lol. Please ignore the haters!
I have leopard gecko (a woman) for like 1 and a half month, she did not eat, or maybe she ate like 2 argentinian ones, i bought them cause she did not wanted to eat mealworms. And one was laying (a croach) in a place where it would not be able to escape i think cause it was deep and solid. And it was laying on back for straight 12hoeurs without moving, and when i came to home there was no it, and my girl leo was out of her hide. She is still stressed all parameters are good and her substrae is good too for geckos. So she today pooped, she did it like fourth time now but she was not eating for this month and bit more so it s normal i guess, but her poop was green, shale good but green ger piss part was yellow and white 50/50. So I'm wondering if this is bad sign or its still aclmatization ? I read she might have ate a plants, she have some of them inside her terra. No one ever told me what should I do also with the fact she js not eating. Her tail is not bad, but not the best either. It s trully have some her body storage inside. So please someone give me your opinion, no one even tried to help me, i don't know what should i do.
Some Leos like em and some don’t. I feed frozen thawed pinkies to my Giants and Supers. Just as in humans meat protein is needed for muscle mass. My Leo’s be gaining 15-20grams/mth. My Godzilla x Moose lines be hitting 150g before their first bday. I feed variety of dubia, silkworms, supers and pinkies in rotation.
Hello This does not have really anything to do with the video but.. I'm looking into getting a leporid gecko. I saw in a video posted by you a while back and you suggested UV Earth Pro A, calcium pro mg, and revitalize D3 and I just wanted to know how you are supposed to use them properly? When do I use each one and what to put them on? I just want to make sure I'm caring properly!
Let's be real. Insectivores are carnivores. I don't think there is such thing as a strict insectivore. If a wild insectivore finds out a small enough mammal/bird/fish/etc. it will happily eat it. I'm not saying feed pinkies as a staple diet but c´mon!! Ask your vets before judging!
Also, herbivores (deer, horses, tortoises etc.) eat meat occasionally in the wild, and even in captivity if they live outdoors and there’s a nestling, live chicks, a snake, or dead rabbits and birds that happen to be near. Not even herbivores are truly strict herbivores, so why do we expect that from insectivores?
I don’t think it’s something that should generally be fed to an insectivore, but it’s not like a wild leopard gecko would pass up a pinky if it found one
When I saw ur last video on this I wasn't mad about it. Just can't get myself to give try it out cause it's a fatty food for them what I heard. But girl do what u have to that u think is right for ur pets. ❤ don't listen to the haters.
I have to be completely honest, i feel like a terrible gecko owner, i feel like all i ever do is feed him and clean his tank ect, i feel like he living a bad life and i dont know what to do. Im pretty with school and my new dog. He was eating great a few days ago now (a week later) hes eating only like 0-1 per feeding.. hes sleeping alot and i know it could be partial brumation but im not sure. I have spaced out his feeds more than i should but its never been a huge problem. (not trying make a sob story, im just genuinely concerned)
It's pretty interesting that people are against this. I've been keeping reptiles since the 90s and it was always common knowledge that Leos could have the scattered pinkie mouse.
I'm a bit late to the party here but some of the ridiculous pushback you received is a prime example of why the hobby needs to look introspectively at itself. So many people still cling to the old "best" ways to keep their pets and absolutely refuse to look at new data or modernize in any way. On the flip side, people following the new data will immediately attack keepers using older methods. We need to have more discussion, not impulsive reactions. Show people why your way is better instead of telling them their animal is going to die and they're horrible people. And no, I do not mean show as in "I've been a breeder for xx years and I've always done it this way". That isn't evidence, you're just setting yourself up for an "ok boomer" response. We need to remember nobody is perfect, everybody makes mistakes, and nobody had the perfect enclosure as their first enclosure for their first snake.
First comment I think pinkies are good for protein just not as a usual thing.I’ll be getting a leopard gecko soon and I’ll try make its tank as naturalistic as I could
How silly. My female gecko got out about 2 months ago. I have too much space and stuff to search much. Today I was cleaning by the fish tank. There she was, sitting on the electrical strip, looking at me. Her tank is 5 meters away from where she escaped. She was healthy and happy to be picked up and returned home for some water and superworms.
People are still bothering you about this. And people wonder why i dont like people. Just cuz they dont understand and they think just cuz they googled it they are experts they decide to bother those who know what they are doing i am sorry you are still going through this. You are the best lizard owner i know of on this platform and if my leopard gecko would eat them i would feed her them a little more.
How can people think you are a terrible person giving him a pinkie? I bet those people watch snake videos, why is it okay to give snakes mice but suddenly it's not moral
I see nothing wrong with it unless you're using live rodents, there is absolutely no reason any lizard should be eating live rodents, whether it's a leopard gecko or monitor lizard, it is unnecessary suffering for the rodent in question to be shaken around and chewed up alive. these animals can eat them frozen just fine and they have no nutritional difference, people feed animals live rodents in most cases because it's "entertaining" or "enriching" but if you have to cause the suffering of a rodent to "enrich" your animal, you need to find a better solution. I understand for snakes that HAVE to eat live, but almost any animal will take frozen thawed just as easy. It's safer for your pet, and better for the mouse or rat to pass away and be frozen before being ripped apart by a lizard.
The controversy about this seems silly Most insect eaters will scavenge or catch the odd small vertebrate and whole vertebrates are very very nutritious. For heavens sake even herbivores occasionally scavenge meat. Of course it's fine and healthy for a leopard gecko to eat a pinky now and then! Anyone who throws a tantrum over you feeding your gecko one single pinky is being ridiculous
There is nothing wrong with feeding rodents to leopard geckos. People with snakes do feed there geckos pinkies. You just can't feed them all the time. They get to fat if feed to many
You good girl. If you did it everyday that wouldn't be good for them, but I think many people do, especially anyone who breeds so they want to keep nutrients high. But like maybe once a year maybe twice, that is pretty normal. Lol.
When you use the internet when dealing with a subject as sensitive as animal care which has a lot of different opinions out there you’re bound to get some push back. That’s just the way the internet works, there’s critics no matter what and it’s easy to obsess over what they think but it really doesn’t matter what they say if you actually know what you’re doing and not making critical mistakes. You seem like you know what you’re talking about, so I’d say don’t waste so much of your time addressing stupid people who are obviously uninformed, not your job to educate them
I would say that the fact you have such an old leopard gecko should show people that you're doing something right.
Facts
As a new Leo owner, I defer to your channel for advice and guidance. Your experience, tone and dedication is just wonderful. Clearly you do everything you can to look after your Leos, they are very obviously happy and healthy.
Please please do not let the negativity get to you. The work you do for the reptile keeping community and on this platform should be admired.
Support from Taiwan! I think the 17 years old gecko should be a solid proof of how much effort you put into taking care of them.
4:58 little guy in the back wanted to participate lol ❤
You are not wrong. I've been breeding reptiles since 1991 and have always fed my breeders pinkies. It's like a super bomb of nutrition for them. Anyone who is giving you grief is clearly inexperienced. Keep doing what you are doing!
I recently gave my leo her first ever pinky and it was a huge hit. Even if it's uncomfortsable for the humans, we're doing our best to give our captive animals the best life and that includes variety in diet.
I stopped letting Reddit and Facebook “experts” dictate my reptile decisions when 8 years ago they coaxed me into buying a rubber mat that was “the best option for leopard geckos to avoid impaction” that was like a sandpaper sheet that would graze her upon a pounce… You raise your animals your way, and if these terminally online “experts” spent half as much time with their own pets as they did worrying about other peoples, they would actually have enough knowledge to give actually sound advice.
Yup. I feel like the Facebook groups and subreddits are full of misinformation or "my way is the only way" type of people.
Yeah specially as so many talk like they are experts when they are actually talking out of their ass just to get attention, just like the person who said her leopard gecko will die if she gives her a punkt, absolutely ridiculous. If I get a leopard gecko I would get advice from channels like this as she has years of experience but not some random strangers in the comments (even if it can be interesting to read different types of experiences from the comments too) but not the best to trust without checking first to be sure.
Before watching this entire video, I wanted to make a comment on how it really isn't uncommon for people to feed their geckos pinkies. I don't believe it's completely unsafe, as long as it's not your gecko's main diet and the gecko is healthy !
yeah I used to give one to mine every once in awhile as a treat
Great video. Great to hear the results of feeding them. I have 2 rescues that are nearly blind with poor care residual issues. Now I feel that before brumation and just before, they start dropping dudds I will start doing this for my girls. Thank you so much for all of your years of knowledge. I am an old reptile lady. And you are what is needed in the reptile hobby. Please keep giving us videos to help us help our geckos live the best lives we can give them.😊
You are not a terrible owner. You’re the best leopard gecko owner I know. You genuinely gave me advice that helped my crestie gecko and my leopard gecko thrive. Hates need to educate their self.. Rebecca keep doing what you’re doing. You’re doing a really fucking great job with taking care of your creatures. I admire you and look up to you.
I've been directed by multiple professionals to offer a single frozen/thawed pinkie to all of my insectivorius lizards twice a year at the start of their mating and egg-laying seasons because of the boost it gives to health and energy at a time when their bodies are burning extra energy, and for females extra calcium. And all of them go bananas for their twice a year treat. Since putting it into practice, all of my animals have become healthier, stronger, more productive, and more stable as they age through the years. These animals don't just eat mealworms or crickets in the wild, and we need to remember that if we're going to be worthy to keep these animals in our homes. People can't have closed minds when it comes to animal care.
That advice to me has included leopard geckos, bearded dragons, croc skinks, and tree skinks.
Do you just jiggle it to make the gecko think it's alive so it eats it? Or how do you make it look appetizing for them? I actually have some f/t pinkies for my snakes that I'd be willing to give as a treat to my leo. I just assumed I would have to buy a live one when I want to give one to my leo or AFT as a treat
@tiffanyt3169 I use frozen/thawed. I just thaw them like normal and give them a warm water dip for about 30 seconds before offering. My leos come in hot for them. Sometimes, they surprise themselves and take a "strike" or two at it before locking their jaws on it, but I've never had an issue with them taking it. And once they get ahold of it, it's gone in a flash.
@tiffanyt3169 my leos are tong fed, so they associate the tongs with food, and they happily take a pinkie, no jiggling required.
This is truely a good channel. Thank you for responding calm and with well researched facts. I wish most pettube channels where like yours!
I'm glad you put out the video and have started getting people to talk about this topic. It was interesting because when you posted, I asked a couple of veterinarians that specifically work with Leopard Geckos about it and all 3 said - Of course it is something that they have "prescribed" before. They said (just as you have) that they are opportunity feeders.
Thank you for educating me!
I thought the way presented this information was extremely well-measured, informative, and thoroughly researched. It helped to have expert testimony from John Courteney-Smith and authoritative research papers to support your decision and the advice you had received from veterinarians. Furthermore, the fact you have two healthy leopard geckos aged 16 and 17 speaks volumes about your knowledge and care of these delightful animals.
You did what is right for your geckos and saw the difference the dietary boost made to their energy levels and overall health, so that should be reason enough to know what you did was right. It isn't something I had considered doing, but if I ever think my gecko needs some additional protein or an annual/biannual change to her diet to replicate what she would eat in the wild, then her needs outweigh my qualms and I would do as you did.
Don't let the haters get to you and keep being the brilliant owner you are, passing on the lessons you've learned from many years of herpetology to those of us who are relatively new to reptile keeping.
Really cool to have John featured in the video. If people aren’t even willing to hear someone like him out they aren’t worth wasting time on
This is literally absurd! I love your channel - be confidant in your choices 😊you are amazing !
I'm a little late to the video but I feel the Leopard Gecko husbandry has improved a lot over the past several years! I am an owner of two leo's who are 11 and I've had them for 10 years. Recently I wanted to upgrade my setup and followed what you used, using a lot of the Arcadia products. Going from a heat mat (this was a temp enclosure at the time) to the whole UVB, heat projector etc, I have never seen my female be so much more vibrant, active, alert and content. She sheds much better too! My male will soon have the same setup and I can't thank you enough for sharing your informative, educational, researched content on youtube! People that stick to old ways is a huge no, I remember seeing many owners co-habiting back in the day and it was seen as "normal". At the end the day its your channel, you post whatever you want. Sure, its ok to have opinions but for people to come at you like that, is just so unnecessary and not considering your feelings. You always state you have researched into things when doing these videos, and if the experts say its ok including a vet, you're not doing anything wrong! Unfortunately, many people on the internet will try to bring others down or force their ways/opinions/views or just be a horrible keyboard warrior/troll. It's a case of not letting these comments get to you or effect you so much and just keep on doing what you're doing. You have a huge amount of people that watch and support you. You've helped many owners including myself with their reptiles and I bet many have learnt new information whether that be about the jumping spiders, the skink, ant colony, etc. I think your channel is one of the most informative, helpful content I've come across!
I adopted a leopard gecko who had dropped her tail. I fed her an occasional pinkie while she was regrowing her tail, and she has one of the nicest regrown tails I've ever seen on a leo, not stubby at all.
Hi, I just had a question so my leopard gecko lives in a medium Vivexotic Viv and I use earth mix arid and mini uvb kit but I bought some cork bark and slate yesterday and was wondering ways I can incorporate it into his viv
I was very surprised to see the backlash. I've once fed one of my leos part of a pinkie mouse (chopped it up because I wanted to make sure they wouldn't choke just to be sure) and it was fine. he ate it fine, digested it fine, and pooped it out fine. I wouldn't feed it often at all, I'd say I'd feed a pinkie to a leo only once or twice a year. I offered it to my boy because he was not eating for a while and it actually helped him to start eating again (with insects, not more pinkies) its a great source of protein and fat if your leopard gecko is lacking in those specifically. very underrated feeder for leos and I'm glad u made a video on it honestly because, if fed correctly to a leopard gecko (rarely) it can be really good for their health!
Your geckos look really, really good, so you're doing the right thing by them.
Love this, tell them!! I’d actually love a video from you on different things you can feed Leo’s aside from insects, it’s important & enriching to try and mimic their natural diet 😊
one of the reasons i respect you as a care provider to anmials and a content creator is because you are willing to own when you've been in error and your care has been Constantly evolving in the time i've been watching you-for the Better! and when challenged about things, you do your research and provide us with more educational content that is more current than most care guides floating around the web. so, just wanted to voice my appreciation.
came for the crestie content. stayed for Everything.
I have learned so much from you and really don’t think you could ever do/give anything to leopard geckos if you’re not 100% sure that’s the correct thing, the people who judge and give hate, it’s the people that knows/investigate the less about leopard geckos or what ever pets they have, thank you for sharing with us all your knowledge and everything new that you learn 🥰👍🏼
Dont let the haters win. Your geckos ate them happily and didnt have any digestion issues after. Its not like you pried their mouths open and forced them down their throats.
I'm very surprised by peoples reactions, everybody familiar with your channel should know that you dont do anything for or with your animals that isn't the very best for them, backed by the latest scientific research. I'm pleased that John was able to talk with you to back up your decision - just keep doing what you are doing x
You presented the subject matter perfectly. Unfortunately, many people are easily overly judgemental, even when they are not experts on a given subject. They just regurgitate the same info they hear from the same source of people, instead of diversifying their resources. I have fed my Leos pinky mice as well without any issues. Arrogant people tend to jump down throats ignorantly. Don't pay attention to them. You are doing great!!! Thank you for all you do.❤
Quick question I’m in a donate between bearded dragons and lespord geckos and this is how leapords would win only if you can bring them out of the cage and play with them and interact like super fun with like to balls
Reptiles really don't play. Especially with balls. They are living beings not toys, please don't get a reptiles just to play with them.
I’ve given mine pinkies before and like you said maybe once or twice a year. And only do it if for some reason their looking smaller than normal or something like that and specially when I get rescues that are under weight pinkies are perfect to help them get the nutrients they need. That doesn’t mean they get one every day they may get 1-2 in that first month I get them and no more for rest of the year. They definitely have their benefits. Some people just over think things to much and miss out on the benefits that certain things can give your pets they get caught up on rumors someone said. Great video and definitely needed 🙋♂️✌️
People on the internet can be, well.. people on the internet. I haven’t tried to feed my gecko a pinkie before but I might try it when he gets his appetite back and I’ve done a fecal sample test at the vet. Thanks for the video 😊
Im going to have to watch John sections again. I was distracted by the little guy in the background ❤
Yes they can and they're a wonderful diet for them. I had a very happy gecko who had them every single week :)
My takeaway from this is that you can give them a pinky once a year as a hatch day present, starting at 3 years old.
Geckos will opportunistically eat their babies, but people scoff at a pink mouse, absolutely wild it's even a debate.
I don’t know which to choose a bearded dragon of Leopard gecko
I'd choose berdie
Omnivore mean they can process plant base right? which plants is safe for them to eat?
Did your geckos like the pinky’s? I was thinking about giving my gecko one but I have been a bit hesitant. I have had my gecko since she was a couple of weeks old. It’s been three years now.
You have such a pure soul. I can tell by your voice and enthusiastic just how much you love this $hit. I had a Leopard gecko for 6 years. 2 months after I left for college he died.💔💔… my old man for got to feed him, water him, or even check on him.
You have straight up inspired me to get one again. I gotta redeem myself to the reptile gods. I have so many OG hides still left over from my OG. I even have the large Exo Terra snake cave that they don’t make anymore. Only question I have is this, I have a 20 gallon LONG tank. I really think that it’s big enough, would you say that it’s a big enough tank?? Thanks for the top tier content and energy doll. Keep doing gods work and just showing everyone how cool these little dragons are.
Genuinely curious, how does this one thing, once a year, create such a difference in a Leopard Gecko? I find that part of it fascinating.
I was hoping I could get some help with my leopard gecko. I'm a new owner, she is about 5 months old now and every time I get near her she starts wagging her tail slowly and starts going into her moist hide. She hasn't been eating lately either, it's been about a week now.
Wait, people are against overhead heating for geckoes?? My heat lamp has been the sole source of heat for my crestie since i got her and she's THRIVING....
Your doing a great job ❤
I got our first gecko in December she's roughly 2 year old she doesn't really come out of her hide or explore much can you please advise how to enrich her she won't hunt she feeds mainly inside her hide. I've just bought her a 4ftx2ftx2ft Viv so hopefully we can get her to come out more once she's in it
I got my first leopard gecko last week, but i’ve been struggling with the humidity, because on the warm side the humidity is around 45% and on the cool side it is 55% which is too high. Do you have any tips to get the humidity down?
Hey I know this has nothing to do with the vid but in your Leo care guides you showed a substrate called earth mix arid but I haven’t found any where that sells does any one know?
I give my beardie a pinkie every once in a great while, he's always had trouble keeping weight on so it's a great way to give him an extra boost, but I my case he's pretty picky so every other time he'll just refuse to take it 😂 Luckily I have a cichlid who eats just about anything
So, do pinkies give them a big boost in fats? Is it a bad idea to give one to a gecko that’s a little skinny to give them the extra nutrients?
So, I have a gecko that is sick but I don’t have any reptile vets anywhere nearby. The gecko had stuck shed but I’ve fixed this. He has mouth rot which I’ve been doing something I’ve seen on a video which was salt water and biotine. Which has helped. But my new concern is the fact he doesn’t gain weight much. What all should I do to get him back to his full health again
I eat pinkies everyday. What's the issue?
i just recently got a adult leopard gecko as a rescue and when i got it the tank was dirty and when i tried to pick up the gecko it seemed to be really scared and wanted move off my hand and had its mouth open i cleaned its cage and gave it fresh food and water ive been monitoring it and seems to want to sit in the hide all day and not be handled, could i possibly get some suggestions on what to do to get it more comfortable with me.
You've done NOTHING WRONG. Ppl are in titled to their own opinion but doesn't always deserve a commitment. Respect and Blessings 💪🏾🇺🇲
Rebecca, your advice is always backed up by your thorough research!
Of course the way we care for creatures should evolve! If people aren't prepared to feed an appropriate diet then they shouldn't have the animal!
Why have an issue with an occasional dead pinkie when we feed them live locust etc??
I have a snake, she's gorgeous! I have no problem feeding her a dead rat. Its what she needs! I even tell her she has an extra treat when its a male rat lol.
Please ignore the haters!
Hi, I have a question/concern about my boyfriends leopard gecko. Is there anywhere I can contact you for some help? Like an email or something!
I have leopard gecko (a woman) for like 1 and a half month, she did not eat, or maybe she ate like 2 argentinian ones, i bought them cause she did not wanted to eat mealworms. And one was laying (a croach) in a place where it would not be able to escape i think cause it was deep and solid. And it was laying on back for straight 12hoeurs without moving, and when i came to home there was no it, and my girl leo was out of her hide. She is still stressed all parameters are good and her substrae is good too for geckos. So she today pooped, she did it like fourth time now but she was not eating for this month and bit more so it s normal i guess, but her poop was green, shale good but green ger piss part was yellow and white 50/50. So I'm wondering if this is bad sign or its still aclmatization ? I read she might have ate a plants, she have some of them inside her terra. No one ever told me what should I do also with the fact she js not eating. Her tail is not bad, but not the best either. It s trully have some her body storage inside.
So please someone give me your opinion, no one even tried to help me, i don't know what should i do.
i have a leoperd gecko named celestial or celest
Some Leos like em and some don’t. I feed frozen thawed pinkies to my Giants and Supers. Just as in humans meat protein is needed for muscle mass. My Leo’s be gaining 15-20grams/mth. My Godzilla x Moose lines be hitting 150g before their first bday.
I feed variety of dubia, silkworms, supers and pinkies in rotation.
Everyone's an expert apparently. Do what you do and keep on doing the proper research and taking care of your animals. They look healthy and thriving.
Hello This does not have really anything to do with the video but.. I'm looking into getting a leporid gecko. I saw in a video posted by you a while back and you suggested UV Earth Pro A, calcium pro mg, and revitalize D3 and I just wanted to know how you are supposed to use them properly? When do I use each one and what to put them on? I just want to make sure I'm caring properly!
If you look through her playlists, there's a bunch of videos on supplements, some that have the supplement schedule she uses.
thank you!@@phelan_pt
❤ imo its fine for healthy adults but mainly for breeders .also its optional ❤
Let's be real. Insectivores are carnivores. I don't think there is such thing as a strict insectivore. If a wild insectivore finds out a small enough mammal/bird/fish/etc. it will happily eat it. I'm not saying feed pinkies as a staple diet but c´mon!! Ask your vets before judging!
Also, herbivores (deer, horses, tortoises etc.) eat meat occasionally in the wild, and even in captivity if they live outdoors and there’s a nestling, live chicks, a snake, or dead rabbits and birds that happen to be near. Not even herbivores are truly strict herbivores, so why do we expect that from insectivores?
Agreed. The only thing that could stop an insectivore from eating meat is if it is literally too small take something down besides insects.
I don’t think it’s something that should generally be fed to an insectivore, but it’s not like a wild leopard gecko would pass up a pinky if it found one
When I saw ur last video on this I wasn't mad about it. Just can't get myself to give try it out cause it's a fatty food for them what I heard. But girl do what u have to that u think is right for ur pets. ❤ don't listen to the haters.
For one they your animals and you do what is best for them. People always gonna talk and have issue with it.
People will freak out over everything. Its basically just the internet.
I have to be completely honest, i feel like a terrible gecko owner, i feel like all i ever do is feed him and clean his tank ect, i feel like he living a bad life and i dont know what to do. Im pretty with school and my new dog. He was eating great a few days ago now (a week later) hes eating only like 0-1 per feeding.. hes sleeping alot and i know it could be partial brumation but im not sure. I have spaced out his feeds more than i should but its never been a huge problem.
(not trying make a sob story, im just genuinely concerned)
It's funny how people will judge others and not do research on the why
your yt channel name is leopard gecko, I think you know your stuff
It's pretty interesting that people are against this. I've been keeping reptiles since the 90s and it was always common knowledge that Leos could have the scattered pinkie mouse.
I'm a bit late to the party here but some of the ridiculous pushback you received is a prime example of why the hobby needs to look introspectively at itself. So many people still cling to the old "best" ways to keep their pets and absolutely refuse to look at new data or modernize in any way. On the flip side, people following the new data will immediately attack keepers using older methods. We need to have more discussion, not impulsive reactions. Show people why your way is better instead of telling them their animal is going to die and they're horrible people. And no, I do not mean show as in "I've been a breeder for xx years and I've always done it this way". That isn't evidence, you're just setting yourself up for an "ok boomer" response.
We need to remember nobody is perfect, everybody makes mistakes, and nobody had the perfect enclosure as their first enclosure for their first snake.
There are a lot of parrots 🦜
First comment
I think pinkies are good for protein just not as a usual thing.I’ll be getting a leopard gecko soon and I’ll try make its tank as naturalistic as I could
HORRAY! I got my gecko one year ago. He's still doin good!
I just got it, I think he’s a tremper albino! How’s yours?
I mean, if they do it in the wild, I genuinely don’t understand the problem?
They are bred for that, geckos are mostly carnivores, some ppl are just... they think everyone should do what they do.
How silly. My female gecko got out about 2 months ago. I have too much space and stuff to search much. Today I was cleaning by the fish tank. There she was, sitting on the electrical strip, looking at me. Her tank is 5 meters away from where she escaped. She was healthy and happy to be picked up and returned home for some water and superworms.
If they're omnivores does that mean they can eat the occasional plant as well?
They arent omnivores
They would it's just not as healthy
People are still bothering you about this. And people wonder why i dont like people. Just cuz they dont understand and they think just cuz they googled it they are experts they decide to bother those who know what they are doing i am sorry you are still going through this. You are the best lizard owner i know of on this platform and if my leopard gecko would eat them i would feed her them a little more.
I think its a very good idea, to feed different types of pray, and a Pinky ones or twice a year, is just normal food for them in the wild.
👍❤
How can people think you are a terrible person giving him a pinkie? I bet those people watch snake videos, why is it okay to give snakes mice but suddenly it's not moral
I see nothing wrong with it unless you're using live rodents, there is absolutely no reason any lizard should be eating live rodents, whether it's a leopard gecko or monitor lizard, it is unnecessary suffering for the rodent in question to be shaken around and chewed up alive. these animals can eat them frozen just fine and they have no nutritional difference, people feed animals live rodents in most cases because it's "entertaining" or "enriching" but if you have to cause the suffering of a rodent to "enrich" your animal, you need to find a better solution. I understand for snakes that HAVE to eat live, but almost any animal will take frozen thawed just as easy. It's safer for your pet, and better for the mouse or rat to pass away and be frozen before being ripped apart by a lizard.
I also say this as a person who owns both pet mice, and has pet snakes that all eat frozen thawed.
Won't Leos eat hatchlings if given even half the chance?? Why the outrage over a pinkie??
Ion like how you pick and choose tho tbh WWR did the same thing essentially
The controversy about this seems silly
Most insect eaters will scavenge or catch the odd small vertebrate and whole vertebrates are very very nutritious. For heavens sake even herbivores occasionally scavenge meat. Of course it's fine and healthy for a leopard gecko to eat a pinky now and then!
Anyone who throws a tantrum over you feeding your gecko one single pinky is being ridiculous
There is nothing wrong with feeding rodents to leopard geckos. People with snakes do feed there geckos pinkies. You just can't feed them all the time. They get to fat if feed to many
You good girl. If you did it everyday that wouldn't be good for them, but I think many people do, especially anyone who breeds so they want to keep nutrients high. But like maybe once a year maybe twice, that is pretty normal. Lol.
When you use the internet when dealing with a subject as sensitive as animal care which has a lot of different opinions out there you’re bound to get some push back. That’s just the way the internet works, there’s critics no matter what and it’s easy to obsess over what they think but it really doesn’t matter what they say if you actually know what you’re doing and not making critical mistakes. You seem like you know what you’re talking about, so I’d say don’t waste so much of your time addressing stupid people who are obviously uninformed, not your job to educate them