Crested geckos love their fruity diets and should include soft fruit such as mangoes, strawberries and watermelons in moderation. In addition, offering your crested gecko some overripe or dried fruits would also be beneficial; just ensure they do not become too big as this could cause blockages.
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Crickets
Crested geckos are omnivores and should primarily consume feeder insects like crickets and fresh fruits as their diet, with small portions consisting of greens or squash for variety.
Feeding your crested gecko only crickets and fruits isn’t recommended as this could lead to obesity and nutritional deficiencies, leading to obesity and nutritional deficiency. As such, it’s essential that they’re provided with MRP or roach food such as Pangea crested gecko diet (CGD) or Repashy CGD which contains all of their necessary vitamins and minerals for their overall wellbeing.
These foods have been specially designed to meet the dietary requirements of crested geckos and will contain protein, fats, carbohydrates, and essential vitamins and nutrients for them. Furthermore, these food items provide essential fatty acids which can be converted to vitamin A by their bodies for night vision and immune responses.
Add crickets sparingly as they contain high concentrations of phosphorus and fat; dusted with calcium w/d3 for best results before feeding, they should only be offered once every 24 hours and as large as the distance between your crested’s eyes.
Dubia Roaches
Dubia roaches provide the ideal diet for crested gecko keepers. Their low levels of oxalic acid and abundance of vitamin D3 make for the ideal food source. Additional insects or worms may be added as food, though their size should never exceed that between the crested gecko’s eyes.
An assortment of vegetables is also essential, and should contain ample calcium while being low in anti-nutrients like oxalates and goitrogens. Escarole, endive, and alfalfa greens are among the best examples.
Fruits can also provide essential nutrition. Fresh, high in Vitamin C and E sources should be offered regularly; many keepers use commercial berry mixes that meet crested gecko nutrient profiles.
Water should always be accessible and should be replenished daily, especially for crested geckos who cannot drink from bottles. Instead, they require using a dish or bowl available from pet stores or online. In either case, however, regular maintenance must take place to eliminate bacteria build-up that may otherwise lead to build up of waste products such as urine.
Oranges
Crested geckos eat fruit regularly in their natural habitat and many keepers like to give their pet fresh fruit treats as enrichment. But it is essential that fruit be given in moderation as too much may cause an imbalance in a crested gecko’s diet or may even be toxic.
Berry and cantelope fruits are excellent choices for Cresties as they contain high concentrations of antioxidants and provide plenty of essential nutrients.
As well as these fruits, other options to feed your crested gecko are figs, kiwi and papaya are healthy choices as well. Citrus fruits like oranges and tangerines contain high concentrations of oxalic acid which could damage its bones.
As with the fresh fruit, organic varieties should only be offered, since non-organic fruits could contain pesticides that could make your crestie sick. Ripe fruits tend to spoil quickly so they should be refrigerated and consumed within one day of purchase for best health outcomes. Crested geckos are frugivores so incorporating both insects and fruit in their diet for optimal health results.
Baby Food
Crested geckos are native frugivores in their wild environments; however, captive diets must include other food sources in order to provide all of the essential vitamins and minerals they require. Without such supplementation, crested geckos could become deficient in calcium, protein, fats, vitamin A & D, phosphorus and other vital elements necessary for their wellbeing.
While jarred baby food may work, making your own fruit mash will save on both added sugar and preservatives, and only use fruits approved for crested geckos like apricots, mangoes and bananas. Supplement powder can provide your crestie with extra nutrition.
Crested geckos should be fed every night as this is when they are most active. Give them a small bowl of prepared meal powder, one live cricket and some mashed fruit to ensure they get all of their required nutrients. Also be sure to have extra food available just in case a feeder insect goes missing or travel plans arise suddenly – having extra food on hand might come in handy should an emergency arise such as your pet losing an insect feeder insect!
