Crested geckos can be fed using complete meal replacement powders that come in powder form and need only to be mixed with water to become a pasty consistency.
Crested geckos love the taste of fruit-flavored food that is easy to prepare and lasts approximately 24 hours. These foods are specifically tailored to their diet needs, providing variety in both flavor and size!
Contents
Fruits
Crested geckos are frugivores, supplementing their diets with animal material in the wild. While it is possible to create an optimal diet in captivity using only fruits and insects, this approach often does not suffice as an excellent balanced source. Therefore, fruits should only be given as occasional treats such as once every month or so.
Fruit should be chosen with caution as it contains parts that may be hazardous or toxic for your crested gecko. Apple seeds contain small amounts of cyanide which could potentially kill it; also many fruits contain too much sugar and have too low of calcium-to-phosphorous ratio, both which could damage its bones.
crested geckos should be offered fruits such as mango, bananas, strawberry, apricot and watermelons to promote optimal health. Aim to provide as many different kinds of fruits as possible as they will enjoy it more.
Vegetables
Crested geckos often struggle with digesting harder parts of their vegetables, so many owners opt to feed their pet soft, mashed fruits and vegetable pellets, such as carrots, kale, zucchini or squash.
These should be lightly steamed or cooked before feeding to help digestion, or blended into a food powder and added as a supplement to an MRP-based diet plan.
There are various freeze-dried crested gecko diets designed specifically for this species of gecko available today, which combine dried fruits, veggies, and insects into one daily meal designed to meet their dietary requirements. Pangea Reptiles and Repashy are two well-known brands of CGD available as powder or pellet form; keepers may choose one or both as primary diet sources while supplementing with additional insects or high quality calcium supplements like Repashy SuperLoad Calcium Plus for additional nutrition.
Insects
Crested geckos in the wild are predisposed to seek food by hunting crickets, locusts, worms and other insects for sustenance. Although complete crested gecko diets provide all the nutrition their pets require, many keepers add a live feeder insect once or twice weekly as a treat for their pet.
Dubia roaches make an excellent feeder insect for crested geckos due to their higher protein content and Ca:P ratio, making digestion easy while producing minimal waste.
Commercial Crestie foods typically come in powder form that must be mixed with water until you achieve a paste or smoothie consistency, as per manufacturer instructions. Once prepared, place in their enclosure by early evening and remove within 24 hours for best results.
Meal Replacement Powder
There are many freeze-dried powders marketed as complete crested gecko diets that have proven reliable and nutritious for crested geckos, from breeding adults or other life stages through all stages. All formulas feature insect-based essential protein sources as well as premium all-natural fruit powders. In addition, probiotics, kelp meal, algae, bee pollen and more help promote overall health and growth in cresteds.
Read through your ingredients list carefully when purchasing pet food containing artificial fruit flavors – this means there is no real fruit present and is therefore no good for your pet. Additionally, it’s essential to check if the food contains high levels of calcium (which feeder insects can easily absorb) as well as multivitamins/other essential nutrients to provide a complete crested gecko diet. Keepers often opt for live feeders occasionally – providing entertainment and exercise for their creatures as well as helping thin adults or breeders get fatter!
