Leopard geckos require a variety of feeder insects in their diet for maximum efficiency, especially crickets which offer protein while being less fattening than mealworms or wax worms.
Always gut-load feeder insects 24 hours prior to offering them to your reptile and dust them with vitamin and calcium powder just prior to feeding time.
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Crickets
Crickets are a favorite among leopard gecko owners due to being affordable and easily available from pet stores. Unfortunately, crickets may bite or escape and chirp excessively which may deter some geckos from feeding on them, and have a short lifespan and thus be difficult to keep alive for longer than necessary.
Mealworms offer several advantages over crickets. They’re easier to handle, don’t bite and are generally quieter; furthermore they contain higher levels of protein than crickets; are more cost-effective; plus have longer lifespans that can be extended with refrigeration.
Before feeding any feeder insects to your gecko, they must be gut-loaded in order to pass on all their beneficial nutrients to him. This can be achieved through feeding them salad or commercially available diet.
Mealworms
Leopard geckos favor mealworms over crickets because the latter can escape and stink; mealworms also contain more protein, calcium and nutrients compared to crickets while having higher phosphorus and lower fat contents than most feeder insects.
Before feeding mealworms to their leopard geckos, dust them with multivitamin reptile powder and gut load them with multi-vitamin pellets. Feed in small portions; any uneaten meals must be removed from their habitat immediately.
Healthy leopard geckoes typically consume all their food. When getting ready to shed their skins, however, they may lose interest in eating for several days while incubating eggs; this should only last a couple weeks and should not affect shedding rates. For any animal that refuses to eat for over two weeks without medical intervention or intervention.
Waxworms
Leopard geckos are known to consume a wide range of foods in the wild, so to ensure they get all of their necessary vitamins and nutrients it is a good idea to feed them a multivitamin supplement as this will ensure they get adequate nourishment.
Dubia cockroaches make excellent food sources for leopard geckos, being easy to breed, lasting long in the fridge and being highly nutritious.
Unless you can locate dubia, waxworms make for an alternative treat and provide high levels of fat content – use sparingly to encourage eating in sick or injured gecko patients. They’re also an effective incentive bribe if feeding is difficult due to illness or injury.
Hornworms
Hornworms provide leopard geckos with protein and calcium while their high moisture content aids hydration. While they’re an excellent food option, you should only offer them occasionally to avoid addiction from your Leo.
Leopard gecko eggs are easy to digest and don’t contain any chitin, making them an excellent food option for young reptiles and an alternative for those who do not wish to feed crickets or waxworms. Just ensure to gut-load them first to give your leopard gecko an nutritious treat!
Silkworms
Leopard geckos are predators and will stalk prey before striking with their tail to spook or shake it before using its liquid saliva to determine if it is edible. Leopard geckos store fat in their tails for storage purposes and may go up to two weeks without eating in the wild; if your leo stops eating on its own, this could be a telltale sign that something may be amiss and needs medical assistance as soon as possible.
Feeding different insects will keep your gecko engaged with its food while also offering more variety in its diet. Gut loading feeder insects with multivitamin powder before feeding will ensure your gecko gets all of its essential vitamins and minerals.
Grasshoppers
Leopard geckos are extremely skilled predators and often catch their prey by sight alone. Once prey has died, leopard geckos lick it in order to determine its edibility and pass along some of its vital vitamins to subsequent meals.
Crickets are readily available feeder insects that provide high protein and low fat ratios at an accessible price point, with reduced impaction risk and the ability to evade escape more easily than larvae or roach feeders. Furthermore, crickets are easy to gut load and can even be coated with vitamin powder before offering to your leo.
Before feeding feeder insects to your leopard gecko, ensure they have been gut loaded (fed a nutritious diet) and dusted with mineral and vitamin powders. If it refuses to eat at all, consult with a veterinarian as this could indicate health concerns.
