If you are looking to purchase crickets for leopard geckos, you will want to consider some of the factors that should go into your decision. For instance, the species of crickets you choose will determine their nutritional value, which will have a significant impact on your pet. Also, the quality of the crickets will matter a lot in the long run.
Contents
Feeding a variety of feeder insects
For those looking to raise a leopard gecko, one of the main questions is, “What type of feeder insects should I use?” It is important to provide a healthy, balanced diet for your gecko.
Leopard geckos need a number of nutrients, including protein, fat, and calcium. These are all vital to growth, proper organ function, and energy. The key to a healthy gecko diet is variety.
Insects are a good source of protein and fatty acids. They can be a great treat, especially for young geckos. Some of the most common and nutritious insects are hornworms and dubia roaches. They are also easy to find, and their larvae can stay alive for weeks in a refrigerator.
Mealworms are better feeders for babies
If you are looking to buy a leopard gecko for your pet, you might want to consider mealworms as a better feeder. Mealworms are a good source of protein, calcium, and fat. However, they have a high chitin content that can be a problem for some geckos. If you are worried about bites, you can crush the worm head before feeding it to your leopard gecko.
There are plenty of other insect options for your leopard gecko, though. Crickets, hornworms, and earthworms are all good choices. You can find all of these items at your local pet store or online.
It’s important to note that while all of these insects are good for your pet, they don’t all provide the same amounts of nutrition. So, it’s best to have several different types of food available.
Calcium and vitamin D are important
Leopard Geckos require a lot of Calcium and Vitamin D. Without this, they are unable to maintain their skeletons.
The best way to supply your Leopard Geckos with these nutrients is through dietary supplementation. For example, some owners add Vitamin D and Calcium to mealworms or crickets.
A variety of vegetable sources are also available. For instance, the prickly pear leaf, butternut squash, and acorn squash are considered good options. Vegetables that are high in beta-carotene are also considered healthy.
To ensure your Leopard Geckos get enough Vitamin D, you can provide UVB lighting. The UVB light can be provided through special lights or the sun. During the first six months, the Leopard Gecko should be exposed to UVB light for at least three hours a day.
BSFL is a good source of protein and calcium
Black Soldier Fly larvae (BSFL) are among the most popular feeder insects for leopard geckos. These opportunistic feeders have a large calcium content. They are also rich in proteins. In addition, BSF larvae don’t require gut loading.
Although these insects have large amounts of calcium, they aren’t high in fat. This is a problem because fat is necessary for many biological functions, including hormone production and vitamin absorption. The resulting calcium deficiency can lead to metabolic bone disease in leos.
In order to ensure that your leo is getting the proper amount of calcium, it is important to dust your insects with calcium powder. This is especially true for those insects that you intend to feed to your leopard geckos.
Dusting crickets with vitamins and calcium
If you are keeping a leopard gecko, you need to dust crickets with vitamins and calcium. These two nutrients are essential for bone growth and muscle function. A gecko that is not given these two nutrients will develop soft, brittle bones.
To ensure your gecko gets enough calcium, you can dust the insects with the calcium powder or feed them a commercially available calcium supplement. However, keep in mind that the amount of calcium that you need to add to your gecko’s diet depends on the size of the insect.
If you want to make sure that your leopard gecko gets the calcium and vitamin D it needs, you should consider feeding it a multi-vitamin supplement. You should also try to find one that includes both.
Keeping too many crickets in a pen or container
Keeping too many crickets in a pen or container for leopard geckos is a mistake that can have disastrous effects on their health and well-being. While crickets are a good source of nutrition, their presence in your vivarium can stress your lizard, leading to a number of unfortunate outcomes.
Crickets are not the only culprits. If you haven’t set up your vivarium correctly, you might end up with a too-small enclosure or a lack of humidity. This can lead to the unfortunate ol’ faecal matter mess.
Aside from being noisy, mealworms do not offer the same nutritional value as crickets. The most appropriate insect for your lizard will be determined by its size, age, and activity level.
