Do I need to remove the long sharp "needle" on the cricket before feeding it to my leopard gecko?

The needle is called an ovipositor and is what the female uses to lay her eggs in the soil. So, the ones with needs are adult females. They is no need to remove it, it's no big deal for the gecko.

However, a six month old gecko might be too small to be eating full grown crickets. I feed even my biggest geckos 1/2" inch crickets.

OMG! I love Leopard Geckos! My best friend used to have one!

Anyways, the "needle" is no problem. You can leave it on. The cricket teases the gecko when it hops around everywhere. The cricket will be gone, and the gecko will have developed a taste for crickets. Make sure the crickets are in a well sealed container. If they get out, you are in for a huge mess!

From,

Sand Storm

If they are the brown 1/2-3/4 inch crickets then you don't have to remove it. If they are black adult crickets, then it would be a good idea to remove it.

In my Agriculture class I am the one who takes care of the leopard gecko that we have. I was never instructed that I need to remove it. The gecko always eats the whole thing. He is still alive and doing great! So I am guessing that if mine ate it that yours can too! Hope this helped!

You do not have to remove it. He will eat it. It may take him a bit to realize that the cricket is food, but as soon as he gets hungry, chomp. no more cricket.

No,that is the female's ovipositor. The gecko should be able to handle it.No one removes them in the wild!

that "needle" is the ovipositor on the female crickets. That is used to lay the females eggs in dirt. Don't worry about it, it won't do any harm.

Nope in the wild they aren't removed.