Finally - 5 years late: An introduction to Cleo, Carra, and Kayla

[Bogertophis]

...Katie is not happy about "bugs" in her fridge, but is willing to make an exception for Cleo...

Oh, the "sacrifices" we all make to keep our herps happy.

[dakski]

Oh, the "sacrifices" we all make to keep our herps happy.

Absolutely!

By the way, Hugsplox, if I didn't mention recently, Dubai Roaches were a staple for Cleo, but she seemed to lose taste and/or it was too much effort to hunt them down. Carra still adores them. So if you haven't tried them, those might be a hit too. They don't morph, don't smell, are great nutrition wise, and don't breed at room temperature. Anyway, you probably already know all that.

[Hugsplox]

Absolutely!

By the way, Hugsplox, if I didn't mention recently, Dubai Roaches were a staple for Cleo, but she seemed to lose taste and/or it was too much effort to hunt them down. Carra still adores them. So if you haven't tried them, those might be a hit too. They don't morph, don't smell, are great nutrition wise, and don't breed at room temperature. Anyway, you probably already know all that.

Oh I know Spitfire, my LG, did really well on them but I think had a harder time grabbing them vs some type of work. He did the same thing with crickets.

He’s still leaving me his typical gift in his favorite spot, so he’s eating something lol, we’ve just had such a huge drop off in appetite that it worried me a bit. Hopefully it’s just the season but we’ll see once it warms up.


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[dakski]

I did get the spike fly larvae. Cleo was uninterested. It seems she did eat a couple mealworms out of her bowl this week (but sometimes they escape, so not sure until I clean the entire enclosure). She also ate a couple wax worms and a hornworm covered in calcium and vitamin powder, so at least she got her weekly amount of those. She seems okay. Her mouth looks okay, she's not losing weight, she's active, and will literally sit in my hand and take a waxworm from the other.

I don't think she's in any major discomfort at the movement. However, she was chilling in her moist hide, so a shed might be imminent, which might add to her not eating much. That in addition to the time of year and her age, etc.

I'll try again with the spike worms soon.

In the meantime, Carra (LG) and Ferry (Chewie), really liked them. They are the size of a small waxworm, move like a waxworm, but are more nutritious and seem gummier and denser (which makes sense because they are less fatty by a lot and have more protein).

Cleo seems to be going mostly by smell now and not movement - I really think her eyes are not great at this point. She smells the waxworms and hornworms and then bites them, often missing at first. Same with the mealworms, but they are harder to grab and not as enticing.

Hugsplox - overall, they were a big hit. However, Carra and Ferry eat anything that moves. Probably worth trying.

[Hugsplox]

I did get the spike fly larvae. Cleo was uninterested. It seems she did eat a couple mealworms out of her bowl this week (but sometimes they escape, so not sure until I clean the entire enclosure). She also ate a couple wax worms and a hornworm covered in calcium and vitamin powder, so at least she got her weekly amount of those. She seems okay. Her mouth looks okay, she's not losing weight, she's active, and will literally sit in my hand and take a waxworm from the other.

I don't think she's in any major discomfort at the movement. However, she was chilling in her moist hide, so a shed might be imminent, which might add to her not eating much. That in addition to the time of year and her age, etc.

I'll try again with the spike worms soon.

In the meantime, Carra (LG) and Ferry (Chewie), really liked them. They are the size of a small waxworm, move like a waxworm, but are more nutritious and seem gummier and denser (which makes sense because they are less fatty by a lot and have more protein).

Cleo seems to be going mostly by smell now and not movement - I really think her eyes are not great at this point. She smells the waxworms and hornworms and then bites them, often missing at first. Same with the mealworms, but they are harder to grab and not as enticing.

Hugsplox - overall, they were a big hit. However, Carra and Ferry eat anything that moves. Probably worth trying.

I'll definitely give them a try. Spitfire is in shed right now as well, but yesterday was feeding day, so I figured I'd see what he did, and he happily took 4 medium crickets from me. Hopefully this is the start of him getting back to normal now that it's warming up a little more outside, but we'll see. I think one of my big mistakes early on was only tong feeding vs leaving something in there with him. Initially he was only eating meal worms but I moved him to crickets when he started showing less interest.

Since I didn't want to leave crickets in the enclosure with him, I exclusively tong fed, so when I went back to leaving something in a bowl, the dubias, he was not interested. I don't want to say for sure that that was the issue, but yesterday went really well feeding off the tongs again.

[dakski]

Cleo hasn't accepted a mealworm in weeks. However, she will happily eat hornworms and waxworms. Waxworms are Gecko Crack and junk food and not good for her. So she doesn't get more than 2-3 a week, if that. However, I have been giving her hornworms 2X a week. The hornworms have some protein and calcium, but are mostly water. Either way, I know she's getting some nutrients and 1X a week I add vitamins and 2X a week (or both feedings) I add calcium. At least I know she's hydrating, getting some nutrients, calcium, vitamins, and protein.

I am not sure if she's going to get stuck on the hornworms, but I am not sure I care. They are not a bad food, just not ideal. However, she's eating something, maintaining weight, and she's not exactly a growing girl at her age. So, if these keep her happy, so be it.

Of course, the Spike worms were not a hit with her. Carra seemed to like them as did Ferry, but the 2nd time around, not as much. Since they both happily eat practically anything I give them (except Ferry doesn't like hornworms - go figure), there is no need to re-order the spike worms and have them in the fridge annoying Katie.

Silkworms, which are similar to hornworms, were in stock again at rainbow mealworms, and I ordered for delivery next week. They are not as colorful, but are more nutritious. I'll see if Cleo likes them, and I am hopeful, but if not, I'll keep offering mealworms and see if she starts taking them as we get closer to summer. If not, hornworms and an occasional wax worm it is. I am not going to starve her to try to get her to switch back to dubia or mealworms. I remember, my Grandfather, RIP, was in his 90's (he died at 96, almost 97) and was trying to decide about having cookies or ice cream after dinner. I told him, why not both, at your age, what difference does it make? He agreed and proceeded to indulge himself somewhat the last 2-3 years of his life. He did not die from the effects of cookies or ice cream. He did die a happy guy though having lived a full life and having enjoyed cookies and ice cream for years before he died. I am taking the same approach with Cleo. You want hormworms and waxworms, fine, at least you are eating and happy.

[dakski]

When it rains it pours. About a week ago, it looked like Cleo was favoring her right eye and her left eye looked semi-closed. She was going into shed and I let things be. She had a decent shed, except for a little shed on left on her head, which I helped her remove easily today.

Her eye looks much worse now. It's oozy and discolored and she's not opening her eye much.

I plan to the call the vet and ordered Vertycin Plus eye wash and eye gel. It will be here Thursday and I can at least start rinsing her eye.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I am not sure what happened, but I am frustrated and worried for her.

Any thoughts are welcomed.

[Andiamo]

I am not sure if she's going to get stuck on the hornworms, but I am not sure I care. They are not a bad food, just not ideal.

They are not bad at all, and probably better than mealworms!

One of my girls loves them (the other, not so much)

Once March hit both my girls have slowed down. The larger one who only eats mealworms hasn't eaten anything in a month. The smaller one took a week off and has since gone back to crickets and hornworms.