What Do Geckos Eat?
Geckos are a popular choice of pet because they are docile, easy to take care of, and they can live for a long time. Speaking of easy to take care of, let’s talk about their diet and what they like to eat.
The Diet of a Gecko
A Gecko in the Wild
Truthfully, geckos in the wild will pretty much eat anything they can. This will specifically be anything they can easily dominate and overpower such as insects like crickets, grasshoppers and spiders. This also includes small rodents too.
A Gecko in Captivity
Each species of gecko will be different in what nutritional requirements they have, so research will have to be done to find out more about this. In a general sense, most geckos should be fed:
- Crickets
- Mealworms
- Superworms
- Waxworms
- Cockroaches
- Hornworms
- Silkworms
The most important thing to consider when feeding a gecko in captivity is variety. They cannot survive purely off mealworms and superworms, you have to make sure you include other insects in their diet too. Plus, waxworms are fatty and addictive, so only feed these as a treat.
Size Guide for Feeder Insects
Obviously, you can feed worms to any sized gecko, but when it comes to insects, you need to make sure that you choose the right size.
If you feed them insects that are too big, this could cause them digestive discomfort and serious health issues. The rule of thumb is that you should select an insect that is smaller than the gecko’s head and the space between its eyes.
How to Feed Your Gecko
For infant geckos, they have a larger diet, requiring up to 20 small crickets per day. Whereas, adult geckos only require 5-10 crickets every other day. Eventually, once a gecko has reached its full adult size, they are able to include pinky mice into their diet every other day.
Gecko Feeding Tips from Kiezebrink
- Keep an eye on your gecko’s weight; if there is fat gathering around its joints or its tail is wider than its body, subtly adjust the amount of food.
- Make sure your gecko doesn’t eat the substrate in their cage as well as their insects; put down some newspaper or feed them in a different enclosure to avoid gut impaction.
- Make sure your gecko always has access to fresh water to keep them hydrated.
Always make sure you get your frozen insects and gecko food from Kiezebrink! We supply a wide range of insects to meet your gecko’s dietary requirements, plus frozen pinky mice too. Contact us today if you have any questions.
