Crickets are one of the most commonly fed feeder insects for Leopard Geckos, as they are cost-effective, easily available and abundant with protein. Furthermore, their lifespan can be extended through refrigeration.
Before feeding them to Leopard Geckos, crickets must first be gut loaded in order to increase their calcium-to-phosphorus ratio and provide vitamins and minerals they may lack. This process is quite easy.
Contents
Calcium
Carnivorous reptiles require 30-50% protein for proper growth and most feed them feeder insects to meet this need. Feeder insects tend to be low in calcium content; however, by gut loading crickets with mineral supplements they can easily meet this quota and make ideal hand fed solutions when handling sick or infant Leopard Geckos. This technique also works well when hand feeding sick Leopard Geckos!
Foods to consider for gut loading include fresh fruits and vegetables as well as whole wheat bread that has passed its best-before dates, or you could also try using prickly pear leaves, hibiscus flowers and common button mushrooms.
Important to keeping gecko health is keeping its food small so that he has time to consume it before its too late. A good rule of thumb for placing food into their enclosure at least 24 hours prior to feeding time will allow your gecko ample opportunity to digest and absorb its essential nutrients before crickets consume it all!
Vitamins
Insects should form an essential part of your leopard gecko’s diet. Packed full of proteins, calcium and vitamins as well as reduced risks of impaction than mealworms, insects are easy to care for and can be housed either in its container for low amounts or placed into a bin with cover for larger populations. Plus they’re affordable purchases that can be gut loaded with fresh produce (like salad, kale or broccoli) for additional nutrients that cannot be provided through native sources alone.
Gut loading your leopard gecko with nutrients is the most effective way to provide it with all its needs, improving their calcium to phosphorus ratio while helping prevent metabolic bone disease, one of the primary nutritional problems seen among pet geckos. This method also offers protection from genetic health issues common among gecko owners.
Minerals
Leopard geckos obtain much of their water intake through eating insects such as crickets, roaches and mealworms. Furthermore, insects provide protein, fats, vitamins and minerals essential to their wellbeing – thus it’s vital that their reptile is fed regularly with these vital sources of nutrition. To provide your leopard gecko with what it needs for optimal health it is vital that crickets, roaches and mealworms are included as part of its diet to meet this essential need for sustenance.
Geckos require a nutritious diet in order to remain happy and healthy, and feeding feeder insects such as crickets to your pet is particularly essential in doing this. Gut loading these insects allows them to absorb more of the essential vitamins and minerals they require.
Add nutritious food sources to their habitat can extend and improve their lives, including dark leafy greens, fruits, vegetables and high-quality commercial cricket diets. Other nutritious feeder options may include dubia roaches which are easy to keep, gut load quickly and low in chitin content; dubias may also serve as a good replacement to crickets for those concerned with vitamin A toxicity issues. It is always wise to consult a veterinarian prior to feeding any new feeder insect to your leopard gecko.
Dietary Fiber
Leopard Geckos are insectivores that obtain most of their water through eating insects, so it is absolutely crucial that any feeder insects fed to them be gut loaded with essential carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals for maximum nutritional intake.
Dubia roaches, mealworms and crickets (Acheta domesticus) make ideal staple feeder insects. Silkworms, hornworms and Black Soldier Fly Larvae require special feeding regimes that must include specific types of food to provide adequate nourishment to their respective reptiles.
Addition of fruits and vegetables to your pet’s diet can be highly beneficial; however, you must ensure they receive just the right amount. Too many apples could lead to weight gain as well as nutritional deficiencies in other organs such as liver and pancreas.
