Crested and Gargoyle Geckos have quickly become one of the most beloved pet reptiles, yet there has been much misinformation regarding their diet.
Western banded geckos may seem unlikely contenders to beat scorpions in a fight, yet a field study published March in the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society documented how these unassuming predators use lunging and thrashing attacks against dangerous scorpions to gain the upper hand in combat situations.
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Insects
Geckos depend on insects for sustenance, giving their owners an exciting hunting experience with their reptile. For optimal health and happiness, offer your gecko a range of insects as this will benefit him/her greatly.
Insects belong to the Arthropoda phylum, along with lobsters, crabs, millipedes, centipedes and spiders. But unlike their peers, insects possess three pairs of jointed legs with segmented bodies and two sets of antennaes – unlike lobsters or crabs which only possess four legs at most.
Gut loading your feeder insects is a key step in making sure your gecko receives optimal nutrition from them. It involves placing them into a tub or bag and coating them with supplement powder before shaking until all insects have been covered evenly before giving to your gecko.
Waxworms contain high amounts of fat, so should only be given alongside other staple foods with lower fatty levels like dubia roaches to avoid contributing to obesity. They should only be offered once or twice every several days for best results.
Fruit
Fruit is an integral component of captive day gecko diets. Although they primarily feed on insects, fruit provides much-needed hydration. Domesticated varieties tend to lack nutritional content found in wild varieties while being much higher in sugar content.
Mangoes, pears, bananas, grapes and apples are excellent fruits to offer your day geckos as snacks during their daily care regimen. Be wary of citrus fruits as these have been known to cause digestive issues among reptiles due to being highly acidic.
Importantly, it is also crucial that any inedible or toxic parts of these fruits be removed prior to feeding them to reptiles; apple seeds contain small amounts of cyanide which could prove fatal for reptiles.
Some keepers blend fruits with healthy greens to create a “fruit smoothie” for their gecko. Good options are escarole, endive, dandelion greens and alfalfa greens as these contain high levels of calcium and other vital nutrients for healthful living. It is important to supplement their diet with additional vitamin and mineral supplements.
CGD
There is much misinformed advice available online and in petshops regarding crested gecko food. To ensure optimal results for your reptile’s wellbeing, use only specially prepared diets developed to cater to crested geckos – powder based options have been created with balanced vits/minerals to give your gecko all its essential needs.
Allen Repashy has developed the Complete Crested Gecko Diet, available from most reptile and exotic animal stores and should become your gecko’s main food source.
Mix powder with water until you achieve a texture similar to that of yogurt or smoothie, then feed in a small dish on the side of your enclosure. This will give your gecko fresh fruit flavors while offering physical stimulation through hunting prey – as well as being highly entertaining for us viewers! CGD alone may lead to weight issues in geckos; live prey should also be offered.
Waxworms
Waxworms are larvae of Galleria mellonella honeycomb moths and can be found all around the world, providing food source for reptiles such as bearded dragons, leopard geckos, neon tree dragons, brown anoles, three-toed box turtles, three-spotted wood frogs and Strauch’s spotted newts – and more!
Waxworms are known for being high in both fat and calories, making them easily overfed. Overfeeding leads to obesity in gecko’s as their bodies begin using up all the subcutaneous and coelomic cavity fat for energy purposes – eventually leading to Metabolic Bone Disease.
When keeping waxworms, it’s essential to store them in a container with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge. Make sure that daily checks take place to identify and remove any that have turned black or died; waxworm pupal stages produce cocoons which must be extracted to avoid being devoured by gecko lizards.
