Leopard gecko feeding guide
The short answer: leopard geckos eat live insects only — no greens, no fruit. Juveniles eat daily; adults eat every other day or a few times a week. Dust the insects with calcium, and gut-load the feeders first.
How often and how much
| Age | How often | How much |
|---|---|---|
| Baby (up to ~4 inches) | Daily | 5-7 small insects per feeding |
| Adult | Every other day, or 2-3 times a week | 6-7 large insects, or 8-12 larger insects per feeding |
A handy rule of thumb from breeder care sheets: about two appropriately sized insects per inch of the gecko's total length, every other day. Watch body condition — a healthy gecko's tail is plump but not wider than its neck — and adjust up or down from there.
Prey size
Offer prey no larger than the width of the gecko's head. Oversized prey risks choking and digestive trouble. Mealworms can go in a shallow dish (they can't climb out); crickets and roaches are best offered loose so the gecko can hunt.
Staples, treats, and what to skip
Good staples are crickets, dubia roaches, and mealworms. Superworms are fine sparingly — they are fattier. Waxworms are treats only: geckos love them and can get spoiled, refusing other food if waxworms show up too often. Never feed wild-caught insects, which can carry parasites or pesticides.
Gut-load and dust
Feed your feeders nutritious food for 2-3 days before offering them — what the insect eats is what your gecko eats. Dust insects with calcium powder 3-4 times a week and a multivitamin about once a week. Many keepers also leave a small dish of plain calcium (without D3) in the enclosure so the gecko can take it as needed. Follow your supplement's label and your vet's advice.
Order the feeders in this guide
Banded Crickets - 1,000 ct
$28.99
Dubia.com · $8.95 flat shipping
The classic staple feeder, bought weekly by reptile keepers everywhere. Banded crickets are hardy, active, and easy for bearded dragons, leo...
Dubia Roaches - Small - 100 ct
$19.99
Dubia.com · $8.95 flat shipping
Small dubia roaches are quiet, slow-moving, long-lived, and more nutritious than crickets — the premium staple for bearded dragons, geckos, ...
Mealworms - Large - 1,000 ct
$18.99
Josh's Frogs · Shipping calculated at checkout
Large mealworms are the cheapest staple in the catalog and fridge-storable, so a bulk box lasts. Great for leopard geckos, birds, and smalle...
You order here; we place your order with the breeder, and the breeder ships direct to you in the breeder's packaging and branding. Live arrival is covered within the supplying breeder's window — see our live arrival policy. General keeper guidance only, not veterinary advice: if your animal is sick, not eating, or losing weight, see a reptile or aquatic vet.