A healthy house gecko diet is made of live, gut-loaded insects that are smaller than the width of the gecko’s head, offered a few times a week and lightly dusted with calcium. Asian house geckos (Hemidactylus frenatus) are active, hardy hunters, so they are easy to feed once you have a routine.
The basics
House geckos are nocturnal insectivores. They do most of their hunting after dark, so feed in the evening. They are quick and often prefer moving prey, so live insects work better than freeze-dried ones.
Good feeder insects
- Crickets: the classic staple. Buy pinheads for babies and small crickets for adults.
- Dubia roach nymphs: high in protein, quieter than crickets, and they do not climb smooth glass.
- Flightless fruit flies: ideal for hatchlings and juveniles.
- Mealworms and silkworms: good variety in small numbers.
- Waxworms: a rare treat because they are very fatty.
Feeding schedule
| Age | How often | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hatchling (under 3 months) | Daily | Fruit flies or pinhead crickets |
| Juvenile | Every day or every other day | Small crickets and roach nymphs |
| Adult | 2 to 3 times per week | Offer what is eaten in about 15 minutes |
Gut-loading and dusting
Feed your insects a nutritious diet (oats, leafy greens, carrot, or a commercial gut-load) for a day before you offer them. Then lightly dust them with calcium powder at most feedings, and with a reptile multivitamin about once a week, following the product label. This helps prevent metabolic bone disease, which can show up as soft jaws, bent legs, or tremors. If you notice those signs, see a reptile vet.
Water
Mist the enclosure once a day and provide a very shallow water dish. Many house geckos prefer to lick droplets from leaves and glass.
What not to feed
- Wild insects from the yard (pesticides and parasites).
- Fireflies (toxic to many reptiles).
- Insects larger than the gecko’s head.
- Human food, dairy, or processed meats.
More gecko guides
If you keep more than one species, compare this with our guides to common house gecko food and the Mediterranean gecko diet.
Bottom Line
Offer variety, keep prey small, gut-load and dust insects, and feed in the evening. A house gecko with a plump tail and steady appetite is eating well. Call an exotics vet if it stops eating or loses weight.
This article is general information, not veterinary advice.
