To feed a pet house gecko, offer live insects that fit between its eyes, such as small crickets, dubia roach nymphs, and mealworms, three to seven times a week depending on age, and dust them with calcium. House geckos are true insectivores, so fruit and vegetables are not necessary.
Step 1: Choose the right insects
A mixed menu is best. Crickets are cheap and easy to find. Dubia roaches are meatier and clean to keep. Small mealworms and silkworms add variety. Avoid large or hard-shelled bugs and never use insects from your yard, because they may carry pesticides.
Step 2: Prepare the insects
- Gut-load for 24 hours with oats, greens, carrot, or commercial gut-load food and a source of water such as gel crystals.
- Dust lightly with calcium powder by shaking a few insects in a cup. Use a reptile multivitamin about once a week, following the label.
- Size check: each insect should be no wider than the space between your gecko’s eyes.
Step 3: Offer the food
Feed in the evening, when house geckos are most active. Place insects in a smooth-walled dish if they might escape, or release a few and watch. Take away uneaten crickets after 15 to 20 minutes, because they can nibble a resting gecko.
How often to feed
- Babies: daily, with very small insects such as flightless fruit flies or pinhead crickets.
- Juveniles: every day or every other day.
- Adults: two or three times per week.
Water
Provide a shallow water dish and lightly mist the enclosure daily so droplets form. Let the surfaces dry out between mistings.
Signs your gecko is eating well
A well-fed house gecko has a rounded tail base, clear eyes, shed skin that comes off in one piece, and an active hunting response in the evening. Warning signs include sunken eyes, a very thin tail, soft or bent limbs, and refusing food for more than a couple of weeks. Contact an exotics vet if you notice any of these.
Related reading
Read more about the species in our house gecko diet and Mediterranean gecko guides.
Bottom Line
Match insect size to your gecko, gut-load and dust every feeding, and keep water available. That simple routine covers almost everything a house gecko needs.
This article is general information, not veterinary advice.
