Geckos fed on powdered meal replacements often lack access to live prey options that could provide them with essential animal proteins for nutrition, while simultaneously stimulating their natural hunting instincts. This would not only ensure optimal health but also stimulate their natural hunting instincts.
Crickets can be easily found at most pet stores or online, making them a convenient addition to your pet collection. Not only are they inexpensive to keep, they’re low in fat content and gut load easily too!
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Crickets
Leopard geckos, as insectivores, require a diet rich in live insects providing protein, fat and calcium. Crickets are frequently chosen as they’re readily available and easy to feed their pet lizard; for optimal results it should also be gut loaded and dusted with high quality vitamin/mineral supplement before offering as food to their gecko.
Mealworms, superworms and wax worms are also popular feeder insects and an excellent source of nutrition for reptiles. Wax worms contain more fat than most feeder insects; for best results use in moderation; they may especially useful when “fattening up” underweight geckos and replenishing their energy reserves.
Assuring your lizard has access to a variety of insects will keep them happier and healthier, as this will prevent digestive issues such as impaction. Make sure the prey you give them fits between its eyes; otherwise they could experience digestive difficulties.
Giant Mealworms
Giant mealworms are an ideal feeder insect for many reptile species. Their larger size makes them a convenient source of protein for leopard geckos and other reptiles; wild birds may enjoy snacking on these treat-rich delights too! Additionally, mealworms provide additional vitamins and minerals not necessarily found in gecko diets.
Mealworms are more resistant to bacteria than crickets, which is ideal for keeping lizards at home. You can place mealworms in either a special bowl designed specifically for them or any container within their habitat, and as with other feeder insects you must use a tong when feeding them to prevent burrowing insects from burrowing beneath your substrate terrarium’s substrate. A water dish should also be included since crested geckos like to drink often for routine shedding needs.
Black Soldier Fly Larvae
Black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) is an excellent alternative to crickets and mealworms for live gecko food, raising in climate controlled conditions in an environmentally controlled facility and offering great savings compared to these more costly options. These insects make an affordable solution when looking to reduce cricket or mealworm prices.
Pupae are small insects that grow to about one inch long and are easily fed to reptiles. When they begin turning darker in hue, this indicates they’re about to pupate; in this instance, reduce temperature or dehydrate to stop their development.
Your crested gecko’s diet includes insects and worms as an integral component. However, portion control should be exercised because these foods contain high concentrations of fats and proteins; thus it should only be given as treats rather than being part of its mainstay diet. It would be prudent to supplement it with other sources of protein such as frozen chicken breasts, beef steak or pork as needed to provide optimal results.
Dubia Roaches
Dubia roaches are the gold standard when it comes to feeder insects for your lizard. Packed with nutrients, with less fat content than crickets and easier digestibility for your pet lizard, dubia roaches also breed quickly so there will always be extra for feeding time!
Oysters make ideal food sources since they won’t escape like crickets and don’t produce a strong odor when properly stored. Furthermore, oysters don’t carry parasites as easily as other common feeders such as crickets and superworms do.
Roaches may be more costly than crickets or mealworms, but they provide far greater health benefits for your leopard gecko. Roaches are high in protein and low in fat; an ideal alternative to superworms which may be too soft. Furthermore, their long digestive tracts make roaches ideal for gut loading; you can pack three days worth of nutrition into just one roach! Roach snacks should never exceed the distance between their eyes – an added plus when feeding leopard geckos!
