What do leopard geckos eat?
Leopard geckos eat insects and insect larvae, which they find in their natural habitats of dry grasslands and forests.
They may also supplement their diets with small lizards and mice if given the opportunity.
Leopard geckos are one of the few lizard species that can blink or close their eyes.
This has shown to have a strong connection with their diet and feeding habits.
Those geckos who could not close their eyes had a significantly higher chance of having nutritional deficiencies.
What Leopard Geckos Eat
Typically, a leopard gecko does eat crickets, mealworms, wax worms, silkworms, and roaches.
Feeder insects must be nutritious and vitamin-enriched prior to feeding.
They should consume calcium/vitamin D3 supplements two to three times a week.
Leopard geckos should also be fed pinky mice several times a year, as it is good for their intestinal health.
A pinky mouse is the sole meal of a newborn mouse. Leopard geckos can eat adult mice.
However, it is not necessary or required as they do not contain any more nutrients than pinky mice.
Leopard geckos are carnivores that do not require fruits or vegetables in their diets.
Only a small portion of fruit can serve as an occasional treat.
While many people feed crickets and mealworms exclusively to their leopard geckos, they may also be fed wax worms, silkworms, and roaches.
All prey items should be no longer than the width of the space between a gecko’s eyes for safety reasons.
When it comes to choosing a leopard gecko for your pet, you should take into consideration where you plan to keep him/her and whether or not you plan to feed live or pre-killed prey.
Some geckos prefer to eat smaller, live insects whole while others may take them as a food source only after they have been killed first.
In addition, some owners may not be comfortable having live prey present in their home for whatever reason and will instead opt for the pre-killed variety.
