Wild tokay geckos feed on both insects and small rodents such as pinky mice; in captivity they should receive both insect feeders and plant-based foods for proper nourishment.
Dusting is the process of coating feeder insects with powdered supplements such as calcium, vitamins, and minerals; a standard practice when creating reptile diets.
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Live Insects
For an animal to remain healthy and fit, they require live insects that have a balanced nutritional diet – these must be harvested from safe areas free from pesticides. Mealworms offer an ideal calcium/phosphorus ratio and are available from most pet stores in bulk; moths, katydids and crickets also make great feed options.
A tokay gecko can also benefit from receiving small doses of fruit puree on an as-needed basis to provide essential nutrition and prevent digestive problems. This provides them with plenty of essential vitamins and can even prevent some health conditions like diarrhea.
If you intend to feed your gecko fruit, make sure you wash it first as some fruits contain parasites or bacteria which could make them sick.
Fruit Puree
Geckos that receive a varied diet are less likely to experience health issues than those fed a limited one. Along with crickets, cockroaches, superworms and pinky mice no bigger than the space between their eyes (not bigger than your tokay gecko’s eyes!), offer your pet one or two teaspoons of fruit puree each week: banana, papaya or other tropical fruits are ideal as is baby food that already includes this ingredient – easier and cheaper than making your own puree yourself!
When purchasing a tokay gecko, captive-bred animals are generally preferable over wild-caught ones due to being raised under ideal conditions by someone familiar with their care requirements. If possible, find a breeder connected with an exotic animal veterinarian in your area – this will enable you to better maintain the health of your reptile over time; their expertise will assist with proper enclosure temperatures, feeding schedules and supplements that may be necessary.
Baby Food
Baby food provides captive-bred geckos with extra nutritional needs that they may otherwise lack, while providing more variety in their diet and helping prevent deficiencies that lead to diseases like Metabolic Bone Disease.
If your gecko regularly consumes insects such as premium dubia roaches, mealworms, waxworms, hornworms or isopods, be sure to gut load them at least 24 hours in advance for optimal nutrition. This will provide essential vitamins and minerals necessary for their diet.
Always exercise extreme caution when handling a tokay gecko as they can be highly territorial and bite if provoked, with their powerful teeth potentially even drawing blood if they bite you. Be sure to restrain them by holding flat hands as possible while never grasping their tail or head as this could result in injury. Be wary also of their nocturnal habits – they will quickly retreat back into hiding during the day or when sensing any movement outside their terrarium.
Vegetables
Geckos present more challenges when kept as pets than other reptiles; they tend to be fiesty and aggressive, sometimes biting bloodied hands during interactions. With regular interaction they can become much easier to handle.
A diet suitable for tokay geckos should include dark leafy greens, vegetables and fruits – with small amounts of mashed carrot as an occasional treat – along with live insects. To prevent any risks of choking or indigestible waste matter being swallowed whole by their food source. For optimal results, serve these foods pureed instead of raw.
Before feeding insects to a tokay gecko, they should first be gut loaded to ensure they contain all of the essential vitamins and minerals required for their diet. Premium dubia roaches, mealworms, waxworms, and hornworms are great feeder options; you can find these at most pet stores or raise them yourself.
