Leopard geckos are insectivores, meaning any food other than insects could pose significant health issues for them. While vets might suggest offering fruit as part of treatment plans for sick geckos, it would be best to forgo this option altogether.
Gut-loading feeder insects (crickets, Dubia roaches, mealworms, butter worms and hornworms) with vitamins-rich food is one way of providing your reptile with a balanced diet. Simply feed them their meal a day prior to when you want them to consume it.
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Why Can’t Leopard Geckos Eat Fruit?
Leopard gecko bodies are specifically tailored for digesting insects; even if pieces of fruit could be broken into small enough pieces for consumption, Leos cannot take advantage of any nutrients it may contain.
Plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables contain cellulose, which Leopard geckos find hard to digest. Omnivores and herbivores have special organ-like structures in their digestive tracts which enable them to break down cellulose; unfortunately Leopard geckos don’t possess this feature.
When they consume fruit, their bodies cannot break down its remaining cellulose. As such, it gets trapped in their intestines, leading to digestive issues and leading to excess sugar buildup that eventually leads to mouth rot that may spread throughout their bodies causing infections or death. For best results it is wise to only feed your Leopard gecko fruits which have been either steamed or blended prior to consumption.
Fruits Have Too Much Sugar
Fruit contains too much sugar for leopard geckos to digest safely, leading to plaque build-up in their mouths that could potentially lead to Ulcerative Stomatitis – an illness which could eventually kill them off altogether. Furthermore, this could alter their calcium-to-phosphorous ratio and put them at greater risk for Metabolic Bone Disease.
Leopard geckos cannot digest cellulose found in plants like herbivores and omnivores can, leading to serious health problems in your reptile such as food regurgitation or even tissue damage or death.
Leopard geckos may enjoy eating occasional pieces of fruit as treats, provided it is mixed in with their regular crickets or mealworms. When feeding fruit to leopard geckos, make sure it is organic and free from pesticides; pineapple can contain high levels of acids which could harm leopard geckos; however other tropical fruits like ripe bananas or passion fruit should be fine.
Fruits Have Too Much Phosphorus
Many reptiles such as chameleons, bearded dragons and iguanas can safely consume various fruits. Leopard geckos however are insectivores and should never be fed fruits or vegetables as this could lead to health complications in the long run including metabolic bone disease.
Fruit contains high concentrations of sugar and phosphorus, which can overwhelm their bodies and lead to side effects in leopard gecko such as dry mouth, plaque buildup, bloated stomach and even diarrhea.
Leopard geckos lack the jaw strength or digestive tract necessary to process fruit effectively, unlike herbivores and omnivores which possess robust jaws capable of chewing through tough fibers and sugars while predigesting food, as well as longer digestive tracts that can effectively process these foods. Unfortunately leopard geckos lack salivary amylase enzyme that aids in breaking down sugars and starches within their mouths.
Fruits Have Too Much Cellulose
Providing leopard geckos with fruit on an ongoing basis could result in dental plaque build-up, digestive issues, bacterial infections, metabolic bone disease and even possible death over time.
Herbivores and omnivores both possess a special organ-like structure known as the cecum in their digestive systems to store undigested food while breaking down fibrous plant fibers that compose most plant-based foods. Leopard geckos do not possess this organ, and so their shorter digestive tracts cannot process all the fibrous cellulose found in fruits.
Therefore, you should only offer leopard gecko fruit when instructed by their vet. Instead, feed crickets or other insects high in calcium and low in phosphorus to provide ample calcium and phosphorus intake – diversify your pet’s insect diet regularly with mineral powder dustings for added strength! To maintain strong and healthy leopard gecko pets.
