When considering what to feed your leopard gecko in captivity, it’s important to understand their natural habitat. They’re extremely territorial and sensitive to temperature. Changing their living environment may also cause them to refuse food. Some of the best foods for your leopard gecko to eat include crickets and waxworms, as both trigger the hunting response and are irresistible to the gecko.
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Mealworms
If you are trying to feed your leopard gecko, you need to make sure it is eating a variety of prey items. While it can be tempting to feed it crickets or super mealworms, this won’t help your pet get enough vitamins and minerals. In addition to mealworms, your pet also needs calcium and other nutrients, which can be obtained from supplemental vitamin supplements.
When feeding mealworms to your leopard gecko, be sure to place the worms on a nutritious substrate and give them a healthy mix of vegetables and fruit. Alternatively, you can also serve an apple slice as water for the gecko.
Crickets
Crickets are an excellent choice for your leopard gecko diet in captivity. These insects contain a high nutritional value, are highly digestible, and are available at reasonable prices. In addition to crickets, you can also offer your leopard gecko waxworms, mealworm larvae, or wild-caught insects. Adult geckos should be fed crickets every two to four days. The diet should also include calcium/Vitamin D3 and multivitamin supplements. Ideally, you should use Rep-Cal as a calcium supplement.
Crickets are the preferred diet of most Leopard geckos. These insects are easily digestible and contain more than 15 nutrients. Moreover, a healthy cricket meal contains vitamins and minerals that your gecko needs. You can also provide your pet with extra vitamins and minerals by adding a few orange slices or sliced fresh lettuce to his diet.
Caterpillars
Caterpillars are a good source of calcium for Leopard geckos, and they should be included in your gecko’s diet at least once a week. If you do not feed your gecko enough calcium, it can lead to a dangerous condition called Metabolic Bone Disease, which can reduce your pet’s mobility and cause soft or broken bones. To supplement your gecko’s diet, you can use commercial calcium powder, which also has Vitamin D3.
Another important part of the Leopard gecko’s diet is its skin. The geckos need to shed their skin to avoid predators, and this provides them with important protein and vitamins. In addition to eating insects, Leopard Geckos can also feed on infertile eggs and may consume them when they are not fertile.
Caterpillar larvae
Caterpillar larvae are one of the best foods for a leopard gecko. The larvae are a great source of calcium, which is an essential nutrient. In fact, most common feeder insects don’t have enough calcium. However, you can easily supplement your pet’s diet with commercially available calcium powder. Caterpillar larvae can be fed to adult or juvenile leopard geckos.
Mealworms are another popular food source for leopard geckos. The larvae are the larvae of the darkling beetle, and molt several times. When they’re ready to pupate, they’ll become beetles. The larvae of the same insect may have different colors and tastes.
Weevil larvae
The most common food in a leopard gecko’s diet is crickets. This insect has a high nutritional value and can be fed to your gecko throughout its entire life. However, these insects require more space than mealworms. They also make a lot of noise, so be sure to keep that in mind when you purchase them.
A leopard gecko’s diet should include many different food sources. Including one insect as a staple will not satisfy your Leo’s nutritional needs and stimulate him enough. In addition to crickets, you should include crickets, worms, and smaller grasshoppers in your leopard gecko’s diet. Keeping a variety of insects in your gecko’s diet will help prevent nutritional imbalances.
