Leopard geckos are insectivores, feeding on various insects including dubia roaches, crickets, waxworms, earthworms, fruit flies, moths and grasshoppers. When feeding juveniles three to four times weekly will suffice whereas for adults it should be fed every one to two days or three times each week for adults.
Gut-loaded crickets provide an excellent source of protein, fat, fiber and calcium. Beware of offering superworms or waxworms which contain too much fat for captive geckos.
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Wild Geckos Eat Insects
Geckos use their long tongues to capture and consume insects in the wild. Their tongues may reach up to twice their body length and have sticky mucus at their tip for cleaning off surfaces of prey, providing invaluable insect pest control services both outside of and inside of homes.
Leopard geckos feed on an array of insects in the wild, such as mealworms, crickets, wax moth larvae and locusts. Additionally, leopard geckos love chasing after and eating lightning bugs, fireflies, firefly caterpillars of Manduca species (hornworms) or any other glowing insect they come across.
Geckos need a variety of insects in captivity to stay healthy. Avoid feeding them pellet foods as these don’t offer enough nutrition compared to real insects. Instead, it is best to gut load feeder insects before offering them to your gecko so he gets all of his necessary vitamins and minerals from them. Most pet stores sell gut loading diets or you can create one yourself by providing him with high-quality mix of fruits vegetables grains etc.
Wild Geckos Eat Small Rodents
Geckos are not picky eaters; they will consume anything smaller than themselves in the wild. This includes other geckos and their eggs as well as small snakes or rodents; even their shed skin will provide essential nutrition.
Leopard geckos should be fed a variety of insects in captivity, such as crickets, dubia roaches, worms and frozen pinkies that have been gut loaded with calcium supplement. All prey items should also be gut loaded prior to being offered as food items to maximize nutrition intake for these exotic creatures.
Owners of captive geckos often observe their pets eating dirt – an action known as geophagy – in an attempt to gain minerals that cannot easily be digested through insect diets. Some pet geckos will ingest moss instead to gain similar benefits, possibly signaling improper nutrition or an absence of vitamins and minerals in their environment.
Wild Geckos Eat Plants
Geckos are generally insectivores; however, some species consume some plant matter in the wild. Baby geckos and some adult species of gecko can be omnivorous; for instance baby geckos and some species of adult gecko may consume fruit, vegetables and nectar as food sources. Their digestive systems cannot digest cellulose (the main fiber component found in plants), making insects an invaluable source of nutrition for these lizards.
Geckos kept as captive pets should be fed a combination of live and dehydrated foods to ensure adequate nutrition. Provide them with crickets, waxworms, earthworms, mealworms, fruit flies, moths and pinkie or infant mice on an occasional basis as food sources – be sure to gut load these insects with high quality feed first and supplement as necessary with vitamin/mineral supplements before feeding to their gecko.
Your gecko will need variety in their diet; cut up zucchini, carrots, collard greens and mustard greens finely as well as fruits such as kiwi banana and mango for your gecko’s snacking pleasure and make sure that their food contains powdered vitamin/mineral supplements as well.
Wild Geckos Eat Moss
Geckos are one of the most beloved reptiles kept as pets, and with good reason. Not only are they entertaining to watch, but their care requirements are relatively straightforward as well. As with all reptiles however, geckos require specific nutritional needs be fulfilled to maintain optimal health.
Geckos in the wild are insectivores, feeding on spiders, moths, flies, beetles, crickets, worms and grasshoppers as their food source. On occasion they will consume small rodents when insects become scarcer.
Leopard geckos and other species often eat moss or plant material to get essential calcium or vitamin supplementation, so when this behavior begins it could indicate nutritional deficiency such as calcium or vitamin deficiencies. A fecal test can confirm this problem and ensure your leo receives appropriate care.
To provide your gecko with all the vitamins and minerals he requires, feed him a diet comprising insects such as crickets or mealworms as well as finely chopped vegetables dusted with vitamin and mineral supplements before giving it to him.