Mourning geckos are omnivores that thrive on fruit, nectar and insect diets in the wild. When kept as pets, we feed them a balanced fruit powder which can be prepared like a smoothie and dusted with calcium or multivitamin supplements for added nutritional benefit.
Mourning geckos come in a range of shades from brown to light tan, and feature distinct markings such as stripes running from the nostril to the ear on both sides. Their light cream bellys feature dark zigzag patterns on their backs.
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Fruit
Fruit is an integral part of many geckos’ diet, and providing them with a balanced and nutritious one is key for their wellbeing. Prickly pear, raspberries, figs and papaya are all excellent sources of calcium that your pet will love.
However, always ensure to wash your fruits before giving them to your gecko. Doing so can eliminate pesticides and bacteria found on some fruits’ peels.
In addition to fruit, you can also feed your gecko live insects like pinhead crickets, flightless fruit flies and Calci-worms. All these make great treats for your gecko.
You can incorporate commercial gecko food into a meal replacement or simply offer the insects as a snack. Feed your insects twice weekly and dust them off with calcium and vitamin supplements each time you do so will ensure optimal health benefits for your pets.
Insects
Mooring geckos feed on insects, fruit and nectar in the wild. Their low maintenance diet makes them an ideal pet reptile.
In captivity, they thrive on a diet of CGD (crested gecko diet) and feeder insects. Sometimes this diet is supplemented with calcium powder for extra calcium absorption.
Adult mourning geckos will eat crickets, mealworms and tiny flightless fruit flies if provided with 48 hours of gut loading. Before offering these insects to your geckos it is important to allow them to digest for at least 48 hours.
When feeding insects, offer them in small portions to prevent overfeeding and bloating. Your feeder insects should be half the size of your gecko and dusted with calcium powder for added calcium absorption.
Mourning geckos are highly social creatures and prefer being kept in groups of two or more. Their chattering to each other, coupled with chirps and squeaks, make them an excellent addition to any pet collection! Plus, their easy care requirements make them popular choices among reptile enthusiasts.
Calcium
Mourning geckos are an extremely special kind of reptile. They reproduce through parthenogenesis, an asexual process which means all offspring are female.
Mourning geckos may experience metabolic bone disease when they are lacking vitamin D3 or calcium. Signs of the condition include lethargy, a kinked or crooked tail, curved limbs, and loss of appetite.
To prevent this disease from occurring, we suggest adding calcium supplements to their diets. Additionally, you can lightly dust them with Vitamin D powder every week or so for added protection.
Our mourning geckos receive a nutritious diet consisting of powdered fruit mixes and insects like fruit flies or pinhead crickets that have been gut loaded with commercial gutloading product. This ensures they get balanced nutrition from an array of essential vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for mourning gecko health and reproduction. It strengthens bones, supports healthy immune function, and protects against certain diseases. You can get it from food sources or sun exposure.
You can give your lizards calcium supplements in their food. Make sure the supplement has at least 45,000 IU/kg of vitamin D.
Fish oil is an excellent source of vitamin D for your lizards. However, you should not give it to them on a regular basis.
If your lizards aren’t getting enough vitamin D from their food sources, try supplementing with some drops of the supplement via fruit purees, smoothies or a multivitamin supplement.
Remember, many fruits contain high levels of phosphorus and too much can bind calcium. That’s why creating nutritionally balanced purees – one with an ideal Ca:P ratio – is so important.
