"Owdicat<*><*><*>" wrote:
> So, Julie,you say no herp keeper worth his salt would make the suggestion of
> crushing the heads on the mealworms before feeding? What difference would it
> make really, wether they were crushed or not? Would that have an effect
> on...say....the food value? Just curious here. :-)
Most herps prefer live food items. I did a test for the Zoo Med folks on their
freeze-dried food and that is the only dead stuff I have seen them eat. I tested
it on over 100 leopards. Besides, one of the best parts of owning a herp is
watching it hunt!
>
> And Ash is very good about matching the size of the bugs with the size of
> her Gex or Frogs.
That's good.
> She was just being cautious and trying to do what was best
> for them having heard that the worms would burrow out. :-) Nothing at all
> wrong with that huh? :-) I'd say that shows she cares about them a great
> deal.
No-one questioned that.
> I would still like to know why you refer to it as a "very bad piece of
> advice". Just curious. We're all here to learn. :-)
>
In my 25 plus years of working with lizards, most of those years with geckos, I
have had to sift through good and bad information to perfect my gecko care. Now
older and hopefully wiser, I get angry when "untruths," like having to take off
the heads of mealworms, are spread about. I am not blaming you or Ash at all,
you are just victims of bad information. This should not happen! There are quite
a few people on this list with more knowledge and experience than me that will
back me up about how untrue this particular myth is.
There is no good reason for this type of mis-information to be perpetuated with
all the great care info we have access to these days. There are quite a few
great books and care sheets myself or other folks can recommend as to what is
better for are particular herp.
Once one gets themself involved in "herping," they usually go through an
evolution of "getting connected with good info." First they go to a pet shop and
likely buy unhealthy herps and get bad advice. From Ash's note, she sounded like
she had many herps die from insects burrowing into them. That sounded like a
"pet shop disaster" to me, and my anger is directed to them. I could not be more
on your side, her side, or anyone who wants to do right by their herps. None of
that pain and suffering is necessary most of the time. If the pet shop folks
took the time, which is not much, to research the herps they sell, and spend
time educating customers, the customers would be well served and their herps
would have an excellent chance at living long lives. Don't get me wrong, there
are pet shops out there doing this and more power to them. I sing their praises
and send them customers all day long. There are still too many of the wrong kind
breaking hearts like mine (yes, I lost many to bad advice and being sold
unhealthy herps), Ash's and an untold number of people all around the world.
There is more to this story. If you haven't been turned off my your "pet shop
disaster," you may find yourself reading reptile magazines and and getting some
good info from them. Also, these magazines advertise herp shows or expos, and
tons of beginners end up there.
Unfortunately they are only a little better off at these shows than the pet
shop. The reason is: cheap wild caught herps. If I could give any beginner any
type of advice it would be to buy cb. Folks who have bred their own herps are
wonderful sources of information and it is likely you will get the right info
from them to have success. Those selling wc don't have the same kind of
emotional or time investment in their herps. It takes a certain level of
competency to consistently breed herps. Most breeders dedicate many, many hours
of care to their juvenile and parents. Additionally, wc can have all kinds of
parasites even if they look healthy, which beginners are not the best at judging
anyway.
The other beginner trap is improper equipment (example: hot rock) bought at pet
shops or herp shows. Most beginners don't find out their hot rock killed their
herp until the vet tells them if they get that far. On the 'net, or from
reputable breeders at the shows, you can find out what works and what doesn't,
and where to buy it. No need to waste your money, and your herp will be happy!
Myself, I spend a lot of time at the Home Depot and K-Mart buying equipment and
supplies!
Once beginners have found the 'net they are well on their way to completing the
last phase of the "getting connnected to proper info" evolution. Getting on the
GGA gecko list is the best thing you can do to get info on geckos. The
http://www.kingsnake.com and other forums and sites are sometimes useful, you
have to be careful. As in any business or profession, nothing is better than
references. When in doubt, ask for them. Ask about the person's experience.
What have they bred, how long have they been breeding it? The book Ash referred
to, unfortunately, is not well respected in gecko circles as others replying to
this thread have noted.
I hope my information helps you with your herping and gives you some perspective
on where to go to get "connected." I also hope you realize I am always on the
side of the herps and those that care about them.
Julie Bergman
http://www.geckoranch.com
GGA lifetime member
>
> Julie Bergman said:
> >>>>>" Another qualification is health of the herp. An unhealthy herp, which
> > sounds like Owdicat had several cases, cannot hunt food or digest
> > properly, so food tends to eat them. If you sat still long enough and
> > enough mealworms or crickets were around, they would certainly dine on
> > you also!">>>>>
>
> Why would you suggest that Owdicat has had several cases of UNHEALHTY
> herps? :-) apparently I have missed something here. Because she likes to
> handfeed them? I assure you that owdicats herps are not unhealthy.:-)
> Ash takes care of her babies like they were her children. Hehehe!!! Lucky
> little critters. :-)They are also allowed to hunt too by the way. She just
> likes a little one on one with them at times. Nothing wrong with that
> either..HUH? :->
>
> You all have a wonderful day and a VERY HERPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :->
>
> The other owdicat
>
> (Ash's Mom)~~~~Elizabeth~~
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Julie Bergman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 9:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [Gecko] mealworms
>
> > > I read a book from what I feel is a very reputable Herp. keeper; I'll
> quote
> > > from his Gecko
> > > book "Geckos" by Jerry G. And Maleta M. Walls- page 22."There are
> repeated
> > > stories of large mealworms literally eating through the gut of a small
> > > lizard and exiting alive through the belly. Large mealworms should be
> killed
> > > by crushing the head, dipping them in hot water, or slitting then
> open...."
> > >
> > This is a very bad piece of advice, I am sorry to see it in print. Hilde
> > or someone else (excuse me if I have this wrong) made the much more
> > appropriate suggestion of matching size of food item to the gecko/herp.
> > There is never any need to crush food except in the case of sick herp.
> >
> >
> > > Several people (pet shop owners, Herptology students ect.) say to crush
> the
> > > heads of meal worms & crix for safety sake.
> > >
> >
> > These folks are WAY off. No experienced herp keeper worth their salt
> > would ever make that suggestion! Thanks to them this "old wives tale"
> > still exists.
> >
> > Another qualification is health of the herp. An unhealthy herp, which
> > sounds like Owdicat had several cases, cannot hunt food or digest
> > properly, so food tends to eat them. If you sat still long enough and
> > enough mealworms or crickets were around, they would certainly dine on
> > you also!
> >
> > Lastly, one should not feed a gecko more than it can deal with in about
> > an hour. There should not be tons of food running around loose in the
> > terrarium. If there is on a regular basis, this could stress the gecko
> > and cause its health to fail and ultimately, ugh, be eaten by all that
> > excess food that should not have been in the terrarium in the first
> > place.
> >
> > Julie Bergman
> > http://www.geckoranch.com
> > GGA lifetime member
> >
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