![]() Solving the Mysteryīertocchini teamed up with fellow scientists Paolo Bombelli and Christopher Howe to figure out how the wax worms were pigging out on plastic. “Since they eat wax, they may have evolved a molecule to break it down, and that molecule might also work on plastic,” Bertocchini said. Both wax and the polyethylene in Bertocchini’s plastic bag had a similar carbon backbone. Like plastic, wax is a polymer, which consists of a long string of carbon atoms held together, with other atoms branching off the sides of the chain. The larval form of a small moth, wax worms get their names because they live on the wax in bee hives. Although Bertocchini wasn’t an entomologist, she guessed immediately what was happening. When she checked the bag an hour later, however, she discovered small holes in the part of the bag with the larvae. She removed some wax worms ( Galleria mellonella) living in the hive and placed them in an old plastic bag. She first noticed the possibility as she cleaned out her backyard bee hives two years ago. The discovery was led by Federica Bertocchini, a developmental biologist at the University of Cantabria in Spain. “This study is another milestone discovery for the research on biodegradation of plastics,” says Wei-Min Wu, an environmental engineer at Stanford University. They discovered that a common insect can chew sizable holes in a plastic shopping bag within 40 minutes. But a team of European scientists may have found a unique solution to the plastic problem. But stick with it, and your gecko will eventually show you what he likes best.Each year, the world produces 300 million tons of plastic, much of which resists degradation and ends up polluting every corner of the globe. Geckos can be a bit picky, so finding out which food they like best may be a trial-and-error process. Get in contact with a veterinarian who specializes in geckos in your area to make sure you’re prepared with all the right foods, supplements and care needs before you become a gecko parent. “Feed no more than what the animal will consume within 15 minutes.”Īnd, of course, have a dish of water available for your gecko to drink from at all hours of the day to stay hydrated. “As a general rule, feed insects with a body length no greater than the length of the gecko’s head and about half the width of the head,” Dr. “They usually eat at night, but you may leave it during the daytime just in case. “When crested geckos are under 6 months old, you may offer fresh premix food every other day,” Dr. Adult geckos (over 12 months old) should be fed two to three times per week.Īnd juvenile and adult crested geckos can be fed every other evening with a quality premixed powder and given live food once a week. Juvenile geckos (under 12 months old) should be fed appropriately sized insect prey items every one to two days. “Live prey should be offered in shallow plastic containers outside of the normal enclosure, which will reduce insect escape in the environment and prevent accidental ingestion of substrate by the gecko if loose substrate is used,” Dr. You can also purchase freeze-dried or dehydrated insects that have been pre-gut loaded, though your gecko’s natural hunting instincts won’t kick in during feeding time, which might be an issue - but each gecko is different! Geckos should also receive supplementation, both calcium and a multivitamin, which are sold in powders that can be dusted on your gecko’s food before eating.Ĭheck out this calcium powder supplement with D3 on Amazon for $4Īnd this Fluker’s multivitamin powder from Chewy for $10 Food items should be gut loaded with calcium powder 24 hours before every feeding, and a supplementary vitamin should be used once a week.” “Gut loading ultimately means that the prey insect is acting as a vehicle to pass on beneficial nutrients to your gecko. ![]() “Insects should be gut loaded with either a commercial gut load product or a mix of leafy greens, such as endive, dandelions or romaine lettuce,” Dr. Rassin said that insects should be fed a high-quality diet for at least 24 hours before feeding them to your gecko - this is called “gut loading.” “ diet may consist of dubia roaches, silkworms, phoenix worms and other live insects.”ĭr. “Leopard geckos feed primarily on live, moving insect prey,” Dr.
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