Feeder insects are an ideal way to boost your leopard gecko’s diet. They provide a balanced supply of protein, calcium and fat.
Leopard geckos thrive on crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms and phoenix worms as dietary sources. All these insects provide plenty of proteins and calcium while being low in fat content.
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Crickets
Crickets make excellent feeder insects for leopard geckos, as they’re readily available and cost-effective to purchase. Furthermore, crickets have a high level of activity which may encourage your gecko to hunt for food.
Leopard geckos often feed on grains as a staple food source, as they contain essential nutrients like protein and calcium. Furthermore, grains tend to be low in fat which has health benefits for leopard geckos by helping prevent obesity-related diseases.
Furthermore, mealworms make for a great alternative to mealworms due to their reduced noise level and lack of bite potential. Therefore, mealworms are an ideal choice for your leopard gecko’s food supply.
Crickets are also high in calcium, an essential mineral for strong bones and teeth. If you plan to feed them as a staple feeder, Castaway Organics’ Insecta-Load or Fluker’s High-Calcium Cricket Diet are two excellent gut loading products to consider.
Mealworms
Mealworms make excellent feeder insects for leopard geckos, as they’re cheap and nutritious. Plus, they’re easy to gut load so it makes them ideal for feeding your gecko on a regular basis.
Super worms are another viable option, though they’re slightly less ideal than mealworms for semi-regular feedings. Compared to mealworms, they’re not as meaty or protein-rich and they contain slightly more fat.
Superworms don’t pose any major threats to your pet lizard. As larvae of a type of darkling beetle, they’re safe for your gecko to eat since they’re small and soft – perfect for digestion by the leopard gecko.
Dubia Roaches
Dubia roaches make ideal feeder insects for leopard geckos due to their abundance of essential nutrients. Not only are they long-lived and easy to keep healthy, but they provide your reptile with essential vitamins, minerals, and protein as well.
They also pose a low risk for impaction due to their hard chitin shell. Furthermore, mealworms do not tend to develop Metabolic Bone Disease or obesity-related illnesses as quickly as mealworms do due to the higher ratio of beneficial dry matter that helps promote healthy bone development and overall wellness.
Cockroaches can be aggressive and destructive to reptile habitats if left unchecked, so to keep them at bay it’s best to confine them in smooth containers with a place for hiding. Examples include egg crates, screen walls or branches strategically arranged so cockroaches feel secure.
Waxworms
Leopard geckos are notorious for their affinity for worms. When selecting the ideal food item for your pet, make sure it’s the right kind of worm!
Leopard geckos prefer worms that are small, soft and don’t bite. Additionally, these must be nutritious for their growth.
Waxworms make an excellent supplemental feeding choice due to their cost-efficiency, convenience of storage in the refrigerator, and ability to add weight to thin geckos.
They can help keep a breeding female healthy and strong, though you must be mindful not to overfeed her.
Other beneficial worms for geckos include black soldier fly larvae, silkworms and mealworms. Since these insects contain low levels of fat, they make excellent staple feeder insects for your leopard gecko.
