What will my gecko eat

Yes, you can feed leopard geckos mealworms. Feeding mealworms once a week to your leopard gecko is optimal. Feeding your leopard gecko any mealworms beetles darkling beetles is not a good idea. Mealworm beetles get large and have a thick shell that is hard for your leopard gecko to digest. Beetles are also said to have a disgusting taste. Stick to mealworms in larvae state and refrigerate them to slow down the growth. You might try to feed your leopard gecko mealworm pupae, as they have similar nutritional value to larvae small worms.

However, not all leopard geckos will eat mealworm pupae so you will need to stick to larvae. You can feed your leopard gecko Morio worms superworms , but only occasionally. Your leopard gecko needs to be at least 12 months old before you offer superworms. Superworms can also bite your leopard gecko so only feed them with feeding tongs like these.

Yes, leopard geckos can eat hornworms. Hornworms are soft, contain lots of moisture and are easily digestible. It is a good idea to feed hornworms only to adult leopard geckos, as hornworms are quite thick. After buying, keep them at degrees Fahrenheit Yes, and crickets are one of the best staple feeder insects for leopard geckos.

Crickets are low in fat as well as cheap to buy and breed. Yes, silkworms are great feeder insects for leopard geckos, but they can be quite expensive compared to other feeder insects, such as crickets and roaches. But if you can afford them, get them to treat your leopard gecko and to diversify its diet.

Yes, leopard geckos can eat roaches and they can make staple feeder insects. They can eat worms occasionally, but most tend to dislike the slimy secretions given off by worms. Worms have a high water content but are low in nearly all other nutrients. Mealworms: Yes.

Mealworms are a good food for leopard geckos. However, it is important to supplement them with other insects because mealworms have a lot of chitin, which is hard to digest. Crickets: Yes. House crickets and banded crickets are the number one feeder insect for leopard gecko.

Use tongs or a feeding dish to serve crickets. Caterpillars: Maybe, it depends on the species. Some caterpillars, like silkworms and waxworms, can be fed as treats.

Other species and many wild caterpillars are toxic or covered in stinging hairs. Weevils: No. Weevils have a tough, chitinous shell. They are generally too tough for baby geckos and too small for adults. Pinky mice: Yes. Pinky mice can be given to a breeding female. It helps them build fat after laying eggs.

Male geckos should not be given more than one pinky a month. Nightcrawlers: Yes. However, like worms, nightcrawlers are not very nutritious and many leopard geckos do not like the texture. Large nightcrawlers should be chopped into bite-sized pieces. Dubia roaches: Yes. Dubia roaches are an excellent food. They are high in protein, calcium, fiber, and phosphorus, while low in fat and chitin.

Hornworms: Yes. Many leopard geckos love hornworms as treats. They are high in protein, calcium, fiber, and phosphorus while staying low in fat and chitin. Unlike many popular lizards, leopard geckos should not eat fruits or vegetables. Along with fruits and vegetables, there are several kinds of live prey and human foods that can cause health problems.

Do not feed your gecko anything from this list:. Leopard geckos should also not eat foods made for other lizards.

They should not eat crested gecko or bearded dragon food. These foods contain plant products that are not meant for them. They are unable to break down cellulose, a major component in plants, and do not have the right digestive system needed to digest them.

It may be tempting to catch wild insects, but this is not a good idea. Wild-caught insects should never be fed to your lizard. Wild insects can carry parasites, disease or could be exposed to harmful chemicals. They can contain trace amounts of herbicides and pesticides that can be dangerous to your lizard. Offering high-quality insects will keep your lizard much healthier.

Foods with a low nutritional value, like earthworms, nightcrawlers, and weevils, should not be fed. Many individuals enjoy freeze-dried insects as a treat, but this should not make up most of their diet. Leopard geckos are an easy lizard to feed, but there are still some mistakes made by new keepers. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products.

List of Partners vendors. Featured Video. Related Topics. Read More. Your Privacy Rights. While insect and other invertebrates form the bulk of their diet, they will readily prey on nestling rodents or lizards -- including hatchling leopard geckos.

Unlike some other geckos that thrive on prepared diets, pet leopard geckos require live insects. Leopard geckos will not eat fruits or vegetables of any kind.