So, you’ve brought home a fascinating gecko, its skin like polished stones and eyes bright with curiosity. But what do geckos eat? What will keep this intriguing reptile thriving in your care? Don’t fret – a gecko’s diet isn’t as complicated as you might think, even though it’s a bit different than feeding your average dog or cat.
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Deciphering the Gecko Diet
In the wild, geckos are opportunistic eaters, gobbling down anything they can overpower. This means insects are a mainstay, but the specifics depend on your gecko’s species, age, and individual preferences. When you welcome a gecko into your home, it is advisable to learn about their feeding habits and adjust accordingly.
A Look at Popular Pet Gecko Varieties
Many of the most popular gecko pets thrive on a primarily insectivorous diet. These include leopard geckos, African fat-tailed geckos, and the ever-present house geckos. This means crickets, mealworms, and the occasional waxworm become menu staples.
However, you’ll also encounter species with a penchant for fruits – notably crested geckos and vibrantly colored day geckos.
Understanding Insectivorous Geckos & Their Food Items
Before we delve into the specifics of feeding, let’s take a moment to appreciate the captivating hunting instincts of these creatures. Imagine a leopard gecko, patiently waiting in the cool desert night, its camouflage blending seamlessly with the sand.
Suddenly, it strikes, its tongue lashing out to snag a cricket. It’s more than just feeding—it’s instinct, a display of nature’s ingenious design.
For insectivorous geckos, live prey isn’t just a meal; it’s an enrichment activity. They enjoy the thrill of the chase. Crickets tend to be readily available in most pet stores, making them a practical choice.
Mealworms, rich in protein and fat, should be a supplemental treat, much like superworms or waxworms. These fatty treats are akin to candy bars in the gecko world – great for the occasional treat but not a diet mainstay.
Smaller species like house geckos enjoy hunting down fruit flies. While convenient, vets caution against a diet of wild-caught insects. Exposure to pesticides can be fatal to geckos.
Always source your gecko’s meals from reputable retailers like RodentPro.com.
| Environment | What Do Geckos Eat? |
|---|---|
| The Wild | Anything they can overpower, from crickets and spiders to small rodents and grasshoppers. |
| In Your Care | A well-balanced diet of crickets, mealworms, dubia roaches, and the occasional pinky mouse for adult geckos; smaller species enjoy insects like fruit flies; always supplement as needed. |
Now, a common concern among many new gecko owners: “My leopard gecko won’t eat.”. Don’t panic. Geckos can be picky eaters.
Check that their enclosure’s temperature is warm enough. If it’s too cold, your gecko’s metabolism might slow, reducing its appetite.
It may even be thirsty. However, if these aren’t the issues, consult with a vet who specializes in geckos.
Fruit for Frugivorous Geckos
Frugivorous geckos enjoy a slightly different menu. These geckos are naturally equipped to handle sugars that insectivores aren’t.
Think sweet fruits – grapes, chopped apricots, even bites of apple. Crested gecko owners often rely on pre-mixed powders to ensure nutritional needs are met.
But like insectivores, a little variety adds some excitement to dinner time. Day geckos are less commonly kept as pets but enjoy a similar mix of fruits and insects.
Just be careful about fruit chunk size—larger bits can be a choking hazard.
A Word on Gut Loading Insects
Just like you wouldn’t survive solely on potato chips (no matter how tempting.), crickets alone don’t offer complete nutrition for your gecko. Gut loading is an essential step that many new gecko parents miss.
About 24 hours before offering insects to your gecko, feed those insects a nutritious gut-loading meal. This helps those creepy crawlies pass along maximum nutritional benefits to your pet.
Some good foods for gut loading include:
- Leafy greens like dandelion greens or romaine lettuce.
- High-calcium cricket foods sold at most pet stores.
- Fruits like apples or mango (finely chopped).
And, just like in human nutrition, vitamins make a world of difference. Supplement your gecko’s food with a calcium powder with vitamin D3, along with a multivitamin. This combo, sprinkled on those juicy insects, can ward off common gecko diseases like metabolic bone disease.
Think of it as sprinkling your breakfast cereal with essential nutrients – those small additions go a long way.
You can pick up both a calcium powder supplement and Fluker’s multivitamin powder online or in most pet supply stores.
Gearing Up for Feeding Time: Tools and Techniques
Just like a chef preps their kitchen before a big meal, gecko parents can make mealtimes a breeze with the right set up.
Here’s what we recommend:
- **A designated feeding dish**: This helps contain those lively insects, minimizing escapees and ensuring accurate portioning.
- **Cricket pen**: A secure habitat, separate from the gecko’s main living space, will keep those crickets lively and contained until it’s dinner time.
- **Water crystals or gel**: Providing a consistent water source is essential for these critters. Gel formats, generally considered more manageable than loose water, mimic dew drops for a more natural experience. You can find a highly-rated option online or at Chewy (Fluker’s Cricket Quencher is a good example.)
- **Calcium dusting powder:** Look for calcium with D3 for optimal absorption. This essential supplement can be dusted onto your feeder insects just before serving.
- **Long-handled tongs**: Not for everyone, these make placing dusted insects into your gecko’s habitat a breeze. This keeps you from handling the insects directly.
Understanding Portion Size: Striking the Right Nutritional Balance
Like humans, geckos can be prone to overeating, especially without some guidance. Juvenile geckos, fueled by their rapid growth, will need to eat every day.
This contrasts sharply with adults, who tend to fare well eating every other day.
Generally, you should aim for what they will consume in about 15 minutes. Young geckos will happily munch down between four and six appropriately-sized prey items.
In contrast, their older counterparts will consume slightly fewer. As for those wriggly treats?
Each morsel should be roughly half the size of your gecko’s head, or smaller, to avoid any digestive upset.
Conclusion
Figuring out what geckos eat, from their favorite insects to appropriately-sized fruit bits, doesn’t have to be complicated. Just remember, each gecko variety boasts unique preferences, and those quirky personalities extend to their feeding habits. Mimic their natural diets, research species-specific quirks, provide ample water, and don’t underestimate those crucial supplements.
With a little preparation and attentive observation, you’ll soon master the art of gecko dining. Soon, mealtime will become more than a feeding ritual – it will become a special time, strengthening that bond between you and your intriguing little companion.