Leopard Gecko Feeding – Feeder Insects Nutritional Value Facts

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Leopard geckos are insectivores, they must be fed on live insects.  In this guide we will explore leopard gecko feeding options and nutritional value of common feeder insects.

Leopard Gecko Feeding – What feeder insects to use?

Leopard geckos can be fed on a wide variety of insects, popular choices including, but not limited to, crickets, mealworms, superworms, dubia roaches, hornworms, waxworms, phoenix worms, silkworms, butterworms, and more.  Some feeder insects are more readily available so they are more affordable and easier to find.  We will review some popular feeder insects used for leopard gecko feeding.

Crickets

Nutritional Information:  Moisture 69.07%, Fat 6.01%, Protein 21.32%, Fiber 3.2%, Ash 2.17%, Ca ppm 345, P ppm 4238, CA/P ratio 0.081% (source)

Pro:  Easy to find, cheap, low fat, high protein, easy to care for, gut-loads well, erratic movement stimulates feeding

Con:  Noisy, unpleasant smell, short lifespan, jumpy, hide in crevices hard to fish out of the tank, can bite your gecko, can carry parasites

Mealworms

Nutritional Information:  Moisture 62.44%, Fat 12.72%, Protein 20.27%, Fiber 1.73%, Ash 1.57%, Ca ppm 133, P ppm 3345, CA/P ratio 0.040% (source)

Pro:  Easy to find, cheap, high protein, easy to care for, decent lifespan (can be prolonged by refrigeration), no mess or smell, easy to breed your own feeder colony

Con:  Higher fat content, bad calcium to phosphorous ratio, doesn’t gut-load as well (small digestive tract), slow movement may not stimulate your leopard gecko feeding as much

Notes:  Giant mealworms are mealworms treated with juvenile hormone analog, S-Methoprene.  S-Methoprene is an insect growth regulator, it prevents the mealworm from pupating.  We have an article if you wish to learn more about how giant mealworms are created.  Read the article so you can decide for yourself whether you want to use giant mealworms as feeders.

Superworms

Nutritional Information:  Moisture 59.37%, Fat 17.89%, Protein 17.41%, Fiber 6.80%, Ash 1.20%, Ca ppm 124, P ppm 2320, CA/P ratio 0.053% (source)

Pro:  Easy to find, cheap, decent protein, easy to care for, long lifespan (no refrigeration needed), no mess or smell, easy to breed your own feeder colony

Con:  High fat content, lower protein, may not be suitable for younger/smaller geckos, bad calcium to phosphorous ratio, doesn’t gut-load as well, can bite

Dubia Roaches

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How to supplement gecko diet and dust feeder insects – Leopard gecko vitamin supplements

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This is a commonly asked question among leopard gecko hobbyists.  People often ask, “should I get calcium with D3 or without?”  Or, “what leopard gecko vitamin supplements should I buy?”  Also, “how to dust insects with multivitamin powder?”  Before we start, understand that there’s not just one right way to supplement.  However, we will go over the most common methods that should work for all general gecko hobbyists and breeders.

To D3 or not to D3?  The answer is simple.  Yes, for leopard geckos living in captivity, you need to supplement with vitamin D3 unless you utilize UVB.  UVB is a whole other discussion entirely so let’s just assume you don’t use UVB like most leopard gecko hobbyists.  But to quickly go over UVB, in order to use UVB properly, you need to have a large enough terrarium (20-40 gallons minimum).  The tank must have lots of shades and hides to allow your gecko to hide away from light. Continue reading “How to supplement gecko diet and dust feeder insects – Leopard gecko vitamin supplements”

How To Deal With Picky Eaters – Leopard Gecko Feeding

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“How should I deal with picky eaters?”  You have a leopard gecko who is a picky eater, and you are seeking advice on how to get your gecko to feed.  In this article we will explore some ways to help get your gecko to start eating.  Over the years we’ve found some tricks that may help you jump start your gecko’s feeding.  They are by no means guaranteed methods, as your results may vary.  But it won’t hurt to give them a try.

How to deal with picky eaters?

First thing first, you should read our “My leopard gecko won’t eat” article.  It’s a comprehensive article that will help you figure out why your leopard gecko won’t eat.  In this article however, we assume your leopard gecko is healthy and your husbandry is sound.  We also assume your gecko isn’t going through breeding season blues or sexual maturity.

Dealing with healthy picky eaters require a different approach.  You aren’t trying to figure out why your leopard gecko won’t eat, but rather you are trying to simply get your gecko to eat more.  Here are some tricks we’ve found over the years that should help you deal with picky eaters. Continue reading “How To Deal With Picky Eaters – Leopard Gecko Feeding”