Leopard geckos must consume both invertebrate and vertebrate animals to stay healthy, and consume ample quantities of water as part of their diet.
Feeder insects should be tailored to your gecko’s size, ideally no larger than its head. Furthermore, before feeding they should be dusted with a nutritional supplement powder for optimal performance.
Dubia roaches
Dubia roaches are popular feeder insects for leopard geckos and other reptiles and amphibians. Available in different sizes, these roaches have been specifically bred for high protein content with reduced fat, as well as having lower parasite risk than traditional mealworms or crickets.
Reptiles love dubia roaches because they’re easy to catch and contain the right nutritional values for their diets, including more of what reptiles need (protein, vitamins). Cockroaches contain more of what reptiles require compared to crickets or superworms as feeder insects.
Dubia roaches offer another advantage over crickets: their low escape rate. Unable to fly or jump, dubia roaches remain peaceful creatures in their container environment – unlike crickets which tend to make noise and escape easily from containers. Dubia roaches are easy to store provided there are sufficient food and water supplies, along with dark and cool surroundings for storage.
As with other feeder insects, dubia roaches are drawn to sweet and salty foods, like fruits, vegetables and melons. You may also feed your dubia roach a variety of meats and fish; however it’s essential that a balanced diet be provided in order to ensure optimal health and vitality for their wellbeing.
Keep in mind that leopard geckos’ digestive systems may be sensitive to certain foods such as dairy. One way of testing this is by feeding small amounts of the new food for several days to see their reaction.
Remember, dubia roaches are tropical insects and thrive in warm environments such as 50-80 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, many pet owners choose to house their dubia roaches in cooler areas such as basement or garage for optimal growth.
Worms
Leopard geckos are strict insectivores, meaning their diet must consist of live insects and worms. Mealworms, crickets, waxworms and Dubia roaches should all be included for maximum diversity; other treats such as hornworms can also be offered from time to time; in addition, offering calci-worms (black soldier fly larvae or worms) is important as well. Variety ensures your reptile receives essential vitamins and minerals.
Hornworms contain high protein and calcium/phosphorus ratio, as well as being relatively low in fat content – all qualities which contribute to healthier living for Leopard Geckos and less risk for obesity-related diseases. Hornworms should be fed to all age ranges of leopard geckos; however, underweight or breeding geckos especially benefit from eating Hornworms regularly. Also, meal worms pose the same impaction risk which makes Hornworms the safer option when feeding soft foods to young geckos or those who may struggle digesting soft food sources like mealworms do hornworms do.
Butterworms are another feeder insect suitable for Leopard Geckos that should be regularly fed, however over time they will transform into Chilean moths, an invasive species harmful to native wildlife and should therefore only be used if they have been irradiated before becoming moths.
Reptile owners may be tempted to give their Leopard Geckos meat and other animal products as food, but this should generally be avoided due to possible contamination with harmful bacteria and an incomplete nutritional balance in its composition. Meat may provide some benefits in supplementing sick, underweight or breeding Leopard Geckos diets provided it is cooked thoroughly and provided in small doses; for this purpose it may also be useful keeping a log of how often their pet eats insects or prey items; thus you can effectively monitor his/her weight and health!