Leopard geckos are opportunistic feeders and should be provided with staple insects such as Dubia roaches, crickets, mealworms and waxworms as staples in their diets. Butterworms and hornworms may provide occasional treats as treats but should not form part of their regular food source due to high fat content and lack of essential vitamins.
Be sure to gut load all your feeder insects for maximum hydration and nutritional value. This will increase both their hydration levels and nutritional benefits.
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Mealworms
Mealworms are an economical and accessible feeder insect for reptile owners, providing affordable protein sources while adding variety. Adult leopard geckos should consume two or three meals of mealworms weekly; mealworms can also be supplemented with waxworms and calciworms as a calorie boost.
Mealworms must be properly hydrated prior to feeding them to leopard geckos as their chitin content can be hard for some leos to digest. Without proper hydration, mealworms could get caught in their digestive systems and lead to impaction issues.
Mealworms may be an essential staple in a leopard gecko’s diet, but to maintain variety in their food source it’s wise to include other feeder insects, particularly dubia roaches which are easier and less smelly than crickets; additionally they contain more protein than mealworms for overall healthier living environments.
Crickets
Crickets are easily available feeder insects for pet reptiles and leopard geckos alike. Easy to raise, they provide abundant protein and vitamins, and act as an effective stimulus that promotes hunting behavior in leopard geckos. When feeding these to leopard geckos they’re often gut-loaded or dusted with calcium powder before being offered up as food, increasing their nutritional value further.
If you see a gecko opening their mouth multiple times after eating a cricket, they could just be dislodging any bits that have become lodged in their throats – this should not cause alarm. However, if they keep closing and opening their mouths to chew their food continuously it could be an indicator of illness.
Freeze-dried crickets should only be fed occasionally as treats, since they do not provide enough moisture for lizards to remain hydrated. Furthermore, dried foods can make leopard gecko’s sick.
Dubia Roaches
Dubia roaches are one of the best feeder insects for leopard geckos and many other reptiles, providing more protein, less fat, calcium, and easier colony raising than crickets or mealworms. Plus they don’t require high temperatures or humidity levels – saving hobbyists money!
Dubia roaches differ from crickets in that they do not climb smooth surfaces or create any audible noises or smell when handled, making them much simpler and easier to feed than other feeders. Their lack of climbing capability and non-obnoxious noises or smell makes them easier for leopard geckos to feed on, creating a more natural feeding behavior. They should be gut loaded 24 hours prior to feeding them to leopard gecko populations – using leafy vegetables and fruit with as little protein content as possible as well as avoid cat or dog food which contain too much protein content – while baby, juvenile, and adult leopard geckos can all enjoy eating appropriately sized dubia roaches that should be dusted with some calcium prior to being fed back on.
Treat Insects
Leopard geckos should receive a diet consisting of live insects such as mealworms, crickets, dubia roaches and waxworms – dusted with multivitamin/mineral powder before feeding to their pet. In order to provide them with additional protein and vital nutrients prior to being given as snacks.
Doing this requires feeding them nutrient-rich foods for 24 hours prior to offering their food to your reptile; excessive supplementation could lead to health problems like hepatipene infections and accumulation of fat deposits in their livers.
Leopard geckos in their natural environment may go two weeks between meals, which could indicate illness. Therefore, it is vital that a food dish remains within their enclosure at all times; and fresh water should be added at least once daily to hydrate their leo and prevent bacterial growth.