Leopard geckos are insectivores, meaning they enjoy feeding on various forms of insects from farm-raised insect farms. Farm-raised insects provide your leo with essential nutrition.
Feed your pet feeder bugs instead of wild prey as this could contain parasites or fertilizers that may harm its health. They’re readily available at most reptile stores or online retailers.
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Crickets
Leopard geckos are one of the most beloved reptiles to keep as pets, and for good reason. Not only are they beautiful creatures with endless varieties and morphs available to them, they’re also easy to care for!
Crickets make an ideal food source for Leopard geckos, as they contain high amounts of protein while remaining relatively fat-free. To properly feed your pet, place crickets onto a small feeding board at feeding time to promote natural hunting behavior while simultaneously keeping any escapees out of their substrate habitats.
Calcium powder should be sprinkled onto the feeding board to enhance its nutritional content for Leopard Geckos. Too much calcium may lead to mineralization of organs and blood vessels, so should only be given sparingly. Your Leo may enjoy mealworms, phoenix worms, wax worms and cockroach nymphs as feeder insects, although too many would lead to obesity if given too frequently.
Mealworms
Mealworms are one of the most popular feeder insects for reptiles, including Leopard Geckos. Mealworms are relatively cheap, easily stored in a fridge and provide nutritional benefits similar to crickets; however, their exoskeleton may make digesting difficult for some reptiles.
Mealworms should always be gut-loaded before being offered to a gecko; this process works similarly to any live food item and provides essential vitamins, minerals, and micro-nutrients not found within a mealworm itself. A calcium supplement should be sprinkling on each mealworm prior to offering them to your gecko; additionally once or twice weekly add a multivitamin mix supplement as an extra boost.
Waxworms can make for an excellent feeder choice that provides extra fat to an underweight or breeding gecko, and should only be given as treats or supplement snacks, not as the sole diet source, due to being too high in fat content for some reptiles and possibly leading to weight gain.
Dubia Roaches
Dubia roaches have quickly become one of the go-to feeder insects for reptile, arachnid and amphibian keepers due to their high protein and low chitin content. Plus they boast an advantageous calcium:phosphorus ratio in comparison with crickets for easy dusting prior to feeding your leopard gecko! These creatures make a fantastic primary staple but be sure to provide variety by offering other insects in addition to Dubias!
Proper gut loading of a gecko is vital to ensure they receive all of their nutritional requirements from their feeders. You can do this using various foods such as leafy greens, fruits, veggies and cooked grains; your goal should be finding foods that achieve these nutritional objectives while still satisfying your roach’s appetite.
Baby leopard geckos should be fed five to seven appropriately-sized Dubia roaches every day; adults should receive two of this size every other day, being sure to dust each one before offering them to your gecko.
Hornworms
Feeder caterpillars provide Leopard geckos with protein, calcium and other essential nutrients they require for health. Since they don’t contain chitin or other sources of irritation for digestion purposes, Leopards find them easy to consume. Their high moisture content also keeps their body hydrated as they often skip drinking water altogether and become dehydrated quickly. Furthermore, their superior calcium-to-phosphorus ratio helps prevent Metabolic Bone Disease in Geckos.
Hornworms are readily available and make an easy snack or main meal choice for babies, juveniles and adults alike. Unfortunately, these feeder insects contain higher levels of fat than some feeder insects which could contribute to weight gain and fatty liver disease over time. If offering Leo hornworms as part of his diet, dust them with multivitamin powder before placing in a Ziploc bag with powder in order to ensure all vital nutrients are being supplemented appropriately – this can be accomplished by shaking it around in order to evenly coat each one!
