Mealworms make an ideal food choice for Leopard Geckos as they store well without the need to keep them cold like crickets and roaches do.
Mealworms are much simpler to care for than live feeder insects; however, they don’t provide as much nutrition. Therefore, it’s essential that before feeding them to your gecko you gut load them with micro-nutrient rich vegetables and leafy greens to maximize their nutritive value.
Contents
Crude protein
Mealworms provide not only protein, but also other essential nutrients essential for gecko health. With high mineral contents including calcium and phosphorus, mealworms are an ideal option as either an occasional treat or part of an overall balanced diet plan.
Mealworms should only be fed occasionally as their high fat content can pose health risks if eaten excessively.
For best results when keeping mealworms fresh, store them in a box with a lid that has holes punched into it to allow the worms to breathe. Keep the box cool and dark; adding pieces of vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, apples or leafy greens may increase their nutritional value as they feed upon them to become gut loaded with nutritional value – additionally helping hydrate mealworms as they eat them!
Fat
Just like humans, each gecko has individual preferences when it comes to diet. Mealworms may initially taste strange at first but eventually most geckos become used to the texture and begin enjoying this feeder insect. Mealworms should only be offered rarely to avoid digestion issues or trouble chewing.
Mealworms contain high fat levels that could contribute to obesity in gecko lizards if fed regularly, therefore it’s essential that before offering them as food sources, you ‘gut-load’ them with vitamins and other micronutrient-rich food sources before feeding them to them.
Mealworms need food with nutrients such as fresh greens, vegetables and fruits to feed their gut. You can buy ready-made gut-loading mixes at most pet stores if you prefer this approach.
Mealworms should be refrigerated to extend their lives; however, they should never be placed in a freezer as this will kill them off completely and contaminate their habitat’s bedding medium with mold and bacteria growth.
Fiber
Leopard geckos are not omnivorous animals; feeding raw meat, fruit or vegetables could result in serious illness due to digestive tracts not designed for such processing. Dried mealworms make an ideal food choice and should be stored in an airtight container or bag; keep in mind though that geckos may only consume up to 7-7 medium-sized mealworms daily.
Mealworms can be purchased online, at fishing bait stores and some pet stores. Feeder stores frequently sell them directly from farms that breed them – offering fresher and cheaper mealworms than local pet stores.
Make sure you purchase mealworms bred specifically for feeding reptiles. Also, if you plan on offering live mealworms to your gecko, gut load them 24 hours prior to giving them to him by placing them in a 6qt shoebox container with wheat bran bedding and placing the mealworms inside. Gut-loading helps prolong their lives as feeder insects while simultaneously ensuring their nourishment.
Vitamins
Mealworms provide your gecko with essential sources of crude protein and fat, but be mindful not to overfeed them as this could lead to obesity. Remember they’re meant as treats rather than main sources of sustenance!
Mealworms contain many essential vitamins and minerals for gecko health. Mealworms contain an abundance of essential amino acids (Lysine and Leucine) as well as B-vitamin supplementation; additionally they offer magnesium, phosphorous, potassium for their total wellbeing.
If you choose to raise mealworms yourself, it is wise to ‘gut-load’ them with oats or another base for added vitamin and mineral content before feeding them to your gecko. While gut-loaded mealworms are available online or from some fishing bait stores, for optimal results it would be best to find local sellers so you can avoid shipping costs while guaranteeing fresh product.
