Crickets Too Fast for Leopard Gecko?

Hi, I was hoping I would never have to post in this section again as usually it is under bad circumstances, but here I am... Gimpy is about 11 years old, and has never had any eating problems in the past, but within the last couple weeks she has started eating only 5-10 crickets a week. It almost seems like the crickets are too fast for her. She will stalk them, and then when they start running she becomes uninterested. I don't know if this is the problem or not, or why suddenly she is finding them too fast, but is there something I can do to the criskets to make them move slower? As well, do Leopard Geckos hunt better in the dark or light?

Thanks.

Why dont you try handfeeding her ? She's 11 years old already prolly you can try handfeeding.

I have to hand-feed my 15 year old crickets and roaches... Poor little guy just can't keep up with them! He can catch super worms on his own, but since crickets and roaches are smaller they are harder for him to see, and he will only chase them a few steps before he gives up and loses interest. He devours them if I make them slowly "run away" with the tweezers though!

I tear the jumping legs off crickets to make it easier for mine. That way they can't jump away when struck at.

You can also try chilling the crickets in the refrigerator for a half hour or so before feeding them, it tends to slow them down and make them easier to catch.

Good ideas! Hopefully if they are slower, it will fix the problem. If not, then there is something wrong... She used to eat when I hand fed her, but she doesn't even get interested when I try hand feeding her.

I'll try chilling them tonight, hopefully that works

It could be food boredom if that's all she's ever fed. You should try changing it up a bit for her see if that resparks some interest.

Believe me, I have tried at least 15 different times before to feed her all different types of worms, she only likes crickets. She used to eat Silkworms, but not anymore...

Something else to consider is that as they age their system slows down and they don't require as much food as when they do when they're younger. it could just be the natural progression of the life cycle. I know my adult male (under 3 yrs old) only eats about 2-4 superworms 2-3x a week so I can only imagine how little he'll eat once he's 11. I would just keep offering food on a regular schedule, make it easy to catch by chilling them and removing the jumper legs and I'm sure that if she's healthy she'll take what she needs. Check her mouth to make sure she doesn't ahve any abcesses or sores in there, that can sometimes be a reason for going off food, also gutload with veggies high in Vit. A to aide in her vision. Vision is also impacted as they age so she could just be having trouble zeroing in on the prey with her old eyes.

Thanks, when I fed her today she actually chased the crickets right across the terrarium and she ate 8! I guess it depends on how she is feeling each week?

It can... good for her. This is why I only feed eros 2-3x a week. Keeps him enthusiastic about food