Feeding a Crested Gecko

Crested geckos are omnivorous in the wild and will consume both insects and fruit for sustenance. A balanced diet can prevent conditions like metabolic bone disease from manifesting themselves in these species.

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Premixed pet food that includes both fruits and insects can save both time and money while providing enrichment for your pet.

Contents

Fruits

Crested geckos should be fed a variety of fruits to supplement their insect-based diet. Fruits provide essential fiber, vitamins and minerals needed for healthful living in these reptiles.

Pears are packed with vitamin C and folic acid, plus iron and calcium – ideal for serving as both treats or daily snacks! You can offer one as part of a treat or just as part of the daily food routine.

Strawberrys make an ideal healthy treat or food option for crested gecko pets. Packed full of antioxidants that can help fight infection and maintain overall wellness, strawberries are also an excellent source of vitamin A and E.

Feed your lizard figs, which are high in fiber to support digestive health. Furthermore, they’re rich in iron, vitamin A and C – however avoid those with seeds and stems as these could be dangerous to their health. Finally, only offer as weekly snacks or treats since figs contain potassium which inhibits calcium absorption.

Vegetables

Crested geckos can enjoy eating various safe vegetables that are high in fiber, antioxidants and vitamins A and C. To prevent calcium absorption problems it’s best to steer clear from feeding them any plants with oxalic acid such as plants containing oxalate. You can feed crested geckos vegetables by either cutting into small pieces or blending into a slurry and offering as a meal.

Bananas are an easy and nutritious vegetable for crested geckos of all ages to chew and digest, providing both potassium and energy sources in an easily accessible package. Bananas can be fed as snacks, treats or even blended into smoothies!

Many keepers opt for natural diets instead of commercial ones for their pet’s nutrition, including fruits, vegetables, insects and worms. This approach may prove more cost-effective over time while providing your animal with a healthier and more enriching mealtime experience.

Meat

Crested geckos (also referred to as eyelash geckos) are omnivorous reptiles that require a diverse diet of insects, fruits and vegetables for survival. While in the wild these geckos consume both plants and small animals for sustenance, crested geckos kept in captivity often feed on commercial insectivore diets such as Pangea or Repashy which supplement their meals with fresh fruits, vegetables and live insects for sustenance.

Meat should only be offered on occasion to crested geckos. When giving your cresteie meat, try mixing some chicken or turkey baby food puree with fruit in proportions of about 1-4-1/3 meat to fruit. Or you could offer him or her some gut-loaded freeze dried crickets 1-2 times every week as an alternative food source.

Avoid feeding your crested gecko apricots, bananas, avocado or starfruit as these contain high concentrations of oxalic acid which is toxic for reptiles. Also steer clear of spinach; while its calcium, iron, vitamin A C E content makes it good for health reasons it should only be fed occasionally due to goitrogenic compounds affecting thyroids.

Baby Food

Crested geckos may be opportunistic feeders in the wild, but we can take control of their diet in captivity. While fruit should form the basis for their diet, we should supplement it with other proteins in order to provide essential nutrition – this is where meal replacement powders come into play!

Crested geckos require vitamins and minerals in their diet. You can purchase these powders at pet stores or online and feed them as an alternative to live insects or worms for your crestie’s nutrition.

If you decide to include live insects in the diet of your crested gecko, be sure to gut-load them 12-24 hours prior to release and dust with high-quality calcium powder for best results. It is also wise to avoid feeding wild insects that could contain parasites and pesticides harmful to their health – this includes any insects found outdoors that might carry parasites and harmful chemical sprays that could endanger its wellbeing.