Leopard geckos should be fed at night and first thing in the morning. The right food for your gecko will include small insects. Large insects can cause impaction and choking, so stick to the smaller varieties. The right amount of food is important to avoid causing an upset stomach and stressing your gecko.
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Crickets
A leopard gecko will eat mealworms and crickets, which you can get from your local pet store. You can also order them online from a reliable insect supplier. However, you should only feed your pet with insects that come from a reputable source. Never feed your gecko bugs from your backyard.
You should give your gecko crickets a minimum of three times a week. A baby gecko should be fed five to seven small crickets daily, while an adult gecko needs at least seven large crickets once or twice a week. Make sure to keep a schedule and alternate crickets with calcium and vitamin supplements. You can also offer your gecko crickets that have been gut-loaded, which will provide additional calcium in their system when they’re fed.
If you are looking for a cheap option, crickets are a good choice. They don’t move around much and will not cause a lot of noise – unlike mealworms. Also, they are widely available and won’t cost much. Plus, they are easier to breed and last for a long time. However, remember that crickets are less digestible than mealworms, and you need to be extra careful about their food.
Mealworms
Mealworms are an excellent food to feed a leopard gecko. These worms are the perfect size for leopard geckos and can be crushed by using feeding tweezers. You should avoid giving larger mealworms to your pet because they can bite and injure it. To make sure your leopard gecko gets the proper amount of food, use the correct size feeder for your gecko.
Ensure your gecko is healthy and gets enough nutrition. If it starts to lose weight rapidly, it may develop xanthomatosis or fatty liver disease. If you suspect your gecko has one of these diseases, consult with your veterinarian. In some cases, feeding mealworms can cause impaction in your leopard gecko because they contain a high level of chitin.
Super worms
Super worms are an ideal food for feeding your leopard gecko, because they are rich in protein and fat. They are also easy to care for and breed, which makes them perfect for your pet. However, you should never give your pet more than 10% of its diet in superworms. For best results, give your pet at least ten crickets daily, and you should only give him one or two superworms as a treat. Superworms should be stored in a Sterilite container with a vent or an airtight lid, and they should be kept at room temperature.
Super worms contain calcium, which is important for bones and overall well-being. However, superworms also contain thirteen times more phosphorus than calcium, which may lead to metabolic bone disease and depletion of calcium in the body. In addition, too much phosphorus in the diet can cause cardiovascular illness.
Butterworms
Butterworms are great for feeding a leopard gecko because they provide high-quality protein, but they’re also high-fat, and therefore may not be ideal for larger geckos. These larvae are available from pet stores and online retailers. If you’re feeding a small amount, you can keep them in the container they come in, but you should get a larger bin if you’re feeding a large number. The best way to ensure that the larvae are in good health is to feed them with fresh vegetables and fruits.
Butterworms have a higher protein and fat content than mealworms. These worms are also high in chitin, which can cause digestive problems in geckos. However, you should start slowly and talk to your vet before feeding your gecko these worms.
Waxworms
Waxworms are a great treat for a leopard gecko. Waxworms are inexpensive, easy to find, and can help your gecko build up its fat reserves. You can feed your gecko up to three waxworms per week. However, it is important to avoid overfeeding your gecko. Instead, feed it a small portion at a time.
Waxworms are a good source of calcium. You can supplement the worms with a calcium powder. This will improve the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of the waxworms. A regular calcium supplement will also help your gecko not develop MBD.
Waxworms are larvae of the wax moth species, which are pests of bee hives and honey production. However, their soft bodies make them a good food source for Leopard geckos. These insects are readily available from breeders and specialized pet stores and are suitable for most species of Leopard geckos.
