Mealworms are the most popular food choice for pet geckos. However, they’re not the only option. Giant mealworms, Dubia roaches, Butterworms, and Waxworms are also available. Each of these insects has different feeding requirements for geckos, so it’s important to start with the smallest size food, and slowly increase it as your geckos grow.
Contents
Giant mealworms
Giant mealworms are excellent foods for adult leopard geckos. They contain a high level of protein and are gut-loaded, making them an excellent choice for your pet. They should be fed to adult geckos with no supplementation, but you should avoid feeding them to juveniles.
Giant mealworms are much larger than regular mealworms and are about the thickness of a pencil. They are also suitable for fishing and are ideal for feeding reptiles. When purchasing giant mealworms, you should keep in mind that you can no longer receive a live arrival guarantee. Also, you may have to pay an additional fee if you need your worms quickly.
Dubia roaches
Dubia roaches are a nutritious mealworm for geckos. They can range in size from 3/16″ to 1/4″. Generally, two Dubia roaches per inch of length are a good amount of food for a leopard gecko.
Dubia roaches are also a great source of vitamins and minerals. These insects can be purchased at a local pet store or online in bulk. Dubia roaches are easily available and can be used in a variety of feeding applications. They are also easy to breed, so many reptile owners keep their own colonies to save money and ensure a steady supply of food.
Butterworms
Butterworms are an ideal food for geckos because they have an abundance of protein and fat. Butterworms come in plastic containers with a layer of dry organic substrate, such as wheat bran. Once purchased, the butterworms should be stored in a refrigerator where the temperature remains below five degrees Celsius.
Larvae can live for about two weeks without refrigeration. They are small and easy to feed to geckos, but you must make sure that they are healthy before introducing them to your pet. Larvae may contain too much fat, which can make your pet gecko obese. The best time to introduce gecko larvae is once a week.
Waxworms
Waxworms are an excellent source of nutrition for geckos. They can easily be kept in the fridge door because they don’t mind the cold. However, it is important to keep the environment cool enough to avoid the worms becoming too hot or too cold. Alternatively, you can place a sealed container in the freezer, where they will remain for 24 hours. Once these 24 hours are over, you can discard the worms. Waxworms are available in many pet stores, online, and fishing bait stores throughout the world. They can be purchased live or in pellet form, and are typically sold in larger packs of 50 or more. Some pet stores also sell smaller bags. Each bag contains enough food for several days.
Waxworms are a high-calorie treat for geckos. However, their nutritional value may be diminished when they are eaten during winter. Therefore, if you’re concerned that your geckos are becoming obese or have high cholesterol levels, you should try to replace these with a nutritious diet.
Superworms
Superworms are a great way to provide calcium and phosphorus to your gecko. They can be offered once or twice a week. The best superworm size is 3/8 inch or smaller. They can be fed to young or adult geckos. You should be careful to avoid feeding them too often.
Superworms are not harmful to leopard geckos, but they should be offered with care. The high fat content of these worms may cause a gecko to become overweight, which is harmful for the animal’s health.
Crickets
A great alternative to mealworms for geckos is crickets. Mealworms contain tough exoskeletons that are hard for geckos to digest. Crickets do not have these problems and can be found in virtually every pet store. However, they do require a great deal of care and are often expensive.
When feeding geckos crickets, be sure to remove the rear legs. While crickets can be difficult to catch, they can be enticed by food. Place mealworms in a bowl, but make sure that the bowl is smooth and without any ridges.