The Significance of Calcium

Many of the biological processes of the gecko, including the development of bones and the contraction of muscles, depend on the vital mineral calcium. Because they are unable to generate enough vitamin D3 on their own for calcium absorption, leopard geckos, like all reptiles, need higher amounts of calcium in their diet than mammals. Leopard geckos who do not receive enough calcium from their diets rapidly develop metabolic bone disease, a dangerous condition brought on by mineral deficiencies that can result in weak and deformed bones, paralysis, and even death if treatment is not received. For developing juvenile geckos to have healthy bone growth and for their bones to remain intact throughout adulthood and old age, it is essential to provide a diet rich in calcium.

Calcium Deficiency Symptoms

Leopard geckos exhibiting symptoms of calcium deficiency-related metabolic bone disease need to be given better nutrition and early veterinary care. Weakened bones and muscles, trouble walking or moving, a limp tail or limbs, lumps or edema along the spine or limbs, and convulsions are among the symptoms. The illness results in deformities, total paralysis, and death if treatment is delayed. Reversing advanced metabolic bone disease is a considerably riskier and less successful course of action than prevention with appropriate dietary calcium.

Top Sources of Calcium

Supplemental calcium and feeder insects high in calcium are the greatest calcium sources for leopard geckos. Before being fed outside, feeder insects such as dubia roaches, mealworms, crickets, and waxworms can have their guts stuffed with calcium-rich diets and nutritional powders. The calcium and nutrients inside the feeder bug are absorbed by the gecko as it breaks it down. Oranges, sweet potatoes, collard greens, and commercial gut loading formulae are common feeder insect stomach loading diets. Adding a small amount of pure calcium supplement to feeder insects right before feeding them to geckos also increases their consumption of calcium.

Calcium Supplement Guidelines and Powder

Leopard geckos have high calcium requirements, which can only be satisfied by pure calcium supplements in addition to feeder insects, especially during their early growth stages. The best supplement is calcium carbonate, which is given in the form of a powder that the gecko can eat by sticking it on feeder insects. For growing juveniles under one year old, calcium should be given every one to two feedings. For mature and elderly geckos, the frequency might decrease to two or three times each week. It is sufficient to lightly dust feeders so that the powder is visible but not overly packed on. The gecko shouldn’t have trouble swallowing or coughing while it is eating because of the calcium particles.

Extra Dietary Guidelines

Leopard geckos need calcium, but they also require a balanced diet that includes enough protein and fat, the right amount of phosphorus in relation to calcium, and the right amount of vitamin D3 for calcium absorption. It’s crucial to offer a range of gut-loaded feeder insects in addition to sporadic high-protein feeders like silkworms and hornworms. Nutritious meals of feeder insects also provide vital fatty acids for ailments of the skin and body. It’s also crucial to take a multivitamin supplement containing vitamin D3 1-2 times per week. A diet rich in calcium-rich feeder insects, together with vitamins and other necessary nutrients, will help maintain optimal bone health and stave against metabolic bone disease in leopard geckos.

In summary

For leopard geckos to maintain healthy overall bodies, strong bones, and proper neurological and muscular function, they must consume calcium in their diet. In the absence of appropriate calcium levels, geckos quickly suffer from a crippling metabolic bone disease that causes deformity and ultimately death. Leopard gecko owners can encourage excellent health and avoid expensive veterinary intervention by providing calcium-rich gut-loaded insects at every feeding, administering supplemental calcium supplements one to three times a week, and providing balanced other nutrients, such as vitamin D3. Leopard geckos are wonderful companion pets in captivity for 10–20 years, if they receive the greatest nutrition available. A lifetime relationship between a pet lizard and its owner is ensured by monitoring calcium intake and health. I sincerely hope you find this “Importance of Calcium in the Diet of Leopard Geckos” article helpful.

The post Importance of Calcium in the Diet of Leopard Geckos appeared first on Leopard Gecko.

Crickets are among the main foodstuffs for pet Leopard geckos and other insectivorous lizards. These insects contain most of their requirements, namely proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins and water.

Introduction to feeding crickets to Leopard geckos

The average nutritional composition for a well-fed grey cricket is ca. 21% protein and 6% fat. Their practicality and ease of breeding put them in the top spots when it comes to feeder insects for Leopard geckos.

Cricket sizes

Different sized crickets are fed to different sized Leopard geckos. As a rule of thumb, the crickets should be no larger than the length of the space between the eyes of the Leopard gecko that is being fed.

Commercial crickets are sold as large, medium, small or pinhead sizes. Hatchling crickets, or so-called pinheads, are wingless and literally the size of the head of a standard pin. Pinheads are usually fed to hatchling⁽³²⁾/very small and baby Leopard geckos.

Small crickets are larger than pinheads, but still only a few millimetres long. Medium crickets are about 1 cm / 0.4 ” in length and depending on the species, adult crickets grow up to about 2 – 3 cm / 0.8 – 1.2 ” in length.

Selecting the correct crickets for Leopard geckos

There are various criteria used to select crickets for pet Leopard geckos. It is strongly recommended to only feed commercial crickets bought from reputable cricket breeders or pet shops. Apart from their size, other factors will include quality and price. A ‘fresh’, well-fed cricket will be more nutritious and probably also taste better.

How much crickets to feed

As a general rule of thumb, only the amount of crickets that can be consumed within ten to twenty minutes should be given per Leopard gecko. Depending on the size of the Leopard gecko, the size of the cricket and the frequency of feeding, this can be anything from one or two to about a dozen crickets per feeding. By removing free-roaming crickets after the meal, stress and possible physical nibbling injuries can be prevented.

Cricket species

The two main cricket species fed to Leopard geckos in South Africa are the European house cricket, also called the grey cricket (Acheta domestica) and the Common black cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus). Both these species are high in protein and energy. In comparison with most cockroaches, crickets are more proliferous and softer. They are also easy to dust and gut-load. When compared to grasshoppers and many other feeder insects, they are easier to breed, their legs are more reduced and the thorax is easier to digest, which, more importantly, makes them safe to feed.

Crickets should always be gut-loaded 24 to 48 hours prior to being fed to Bearded dragons. Because feeder crickets have an unfavourable Ca:P ratio (1:12) it is also recommended that they are dusted with an appropriate Leopard gecko calcium supplement two to three times a week.

The post Feeding crickets to pet Leopard geckos appeared first on Leopard Gecko.

Introduction to feeding Dubia roaches to Leopard geckos

As with most other nutritionally balanced insects, Dubias contains most of the main ingredients, namely proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins and water. The fact that Dubias are practical and easy to breed, manageable and non-odorous makes them increasingly popular feeder insects.

Adult Dubia roaches. Image from DragonRancher.com

Female Dubias have no wings where the males do, but rarely flies. They are slow-moving and do not like to climb vertical surfaces. When compared with crickets, they are not noisy.

Dubia roach adults are blackish with brown markings and the growing nymphs are brownish with spots. All stages appear white soon after moulting. Unlike most other cockroaches and crickets, Dubia roaches are known to have a non-odorous smell.

Dubia roaches are well balanced and are great to feed to Leopard geckos. With their relatively soft bodies, they are easy to chew and digest.

Sizes range from nymphs which are about 3 mm / 1/8 ” in length to adults growing to about 3.8 cm / 1 ½ “. This size range is ideal to feed to juvenile and adult Leopard geckos.

Feeder Dubia roaches range from 3 mm / 1/8 ” in length to about 3.8 cm / 1 ½ “. Image from DubiaRoachDepot.com

Feeder Dubias should be gut-loaded twenty-four to forty-eight hours prior to being fed to Leopard geckos.

The post Feeding Dubia roaches to Leopard geckos appeared first on Leopard Gecko.

Introduction to feeding pet Leopard geckos

Leopard geckos are considered entirely insectivorous^(32)(49)(50), meaning they mainly eat and digest insects as food. Popular feeder insects for healthy Leopard geckos include correctly sized crickets^(30)(32)(50) and mealworms^(30)(50). Popular feeding times are during the evenings, dusk and dawn. The diet of Leopard geckos needs to be supplemented with vitamins and minerals.

A variety of gut-loaded insect prey should be offered⁽³²⁾.

Various feeding related items for Leopard geckos and other lizards are commercially available from places like Amazon.com, pet shops, reptile retailers and other online shops.

What wild Leopard geckos eat

Living in harch, dry semi-arid areas of the world, wild Leopard geckos are known to be very adaptable. In nature, Leopard geckos are known to eat scorpions, centipedes, spiders, and beetles⁽⁷¹⁾.

Also see
Natural distribution of Leopard geckos

Feeder insects for pet Leopard geckos

Because of their quality, acceptability, size and availability, crickets and mealworms will often be the most commonly used feeder insects for Leopard geckos. It is important to offer a variety of insect sizes/ages and types. Commercially available insects should take preference over, more dangerous, wild-caught ones and it is preferable that they are obtained from trusted, reputable pet shops and/or insect farms.

Although some Leopard geckos will occasionally accept dead insects, feeder insects should be alive and fresh (i.e. gut-loaded). Commercial insects can either be obtained as needed or can be bred in large or small quantities at home. Some insects such as mealworms are easy to store for longer periods, but Leopard gecko keepers typically buy enough feeder insects to last for about a week.

Other good commercial feeder insects include walking insects such as Dubia roaches^(30)(50), small locusts/grasshoppers^(30)(50)(71) and springtails⁽⁷¹⁾ and crawling insects like waxworms^(30)(50)(71), Phoenix worms, silkworms⁽³⁰⁾ and Trevo worms. The occasional pinky or nestling mouse can also be offered to adult Leopard geckos^(30)(71).

Also see
Feeding crickets to Leopard geckos
Feeding mealworms to Leopard geckos
Feeding silkworms to Leopard geckos

Food sizes for Leopard geckos

Whatever feeder insects are used, they should also be the correct size for Leopard geckos. The average size of the insects that are being fed to Leopard geckos should not exceed the width of the Leopard gecko’s head. In other words, the length between the eyes of the Leopard gecko.

Feeder insects and pinky mice can often be ordered and bought according to their size. Although dependant on the type of insect, sizes are generally marked as (extra small), small, medium and large. Baby Leopard geckos will need small to medium-sized insects where adults will need larger sizes.

The number of insects that will be consumed per feeding will depend on the feeding frequency, type and size of insects, availability of ad-lib food, environmental factors such as average heating, and the age, size of the personal preference of the Leopard gecko. Depending on these factors, anything between one and around ten insects can be considered normal.

Walking insects such as crickets can be offered one-by-one, or a few at a time until the Leopard gecko has lost interest. Some keepers prefer leaving walking insects in the enclosure for up to an hour. Excess (non-eaten) insects should be removed. Free-roaming insects become ‘stale’, can spread diseases, cause stress and possibly cause injuries to sleeping Leopard geckos.

Also see
Tail injuries in Leopard geckos

Crawling insects such as mealworms can be offered ad libitum (always available) in a small shallow escape-proof dish. Although ‘crawlies’ should always be available, they must always be fresh. It is also a good idea to offer crawling insects in the same container as the powdered supplements are offered in (see below).

How often to feed Leopard geckos

The frequency of feeding depends on the age, reproductive status, body condition and health status of Leopard geckos.

It is generally accepted that baby and juvenile Leopard geckos should be fed every day until they are about 1 year of age. So should sick, pregnant females, debilitated and tailless Leopard geckos.

Depending on their body condition score, adult Leopard geckos can be fed every other day.

Supplementation for Leopard geckos

Probably the only disadvantage of feeding commercial feeder insects (vs. wild-caught insects) is that vitamin and mineral supplementation is required⁽⁵⁰⁾. For Leopard geckos, food supplementation is vital^(30)(32).

Because it is not always advisable to supply ultraviolet (UV) lighting to Leopard geckos^(30)(32), calcium and vitamin D₃ supplementation plays an important role in maintaining bone mass and overall health.

Lick supplementation is part of feeding Leopard geckos. In this image, a Leopard gecko is eating mealworms from a shallow dish also containing a powdered calcium/vitamin D₃ supplement. Image by Renier Delport

Feeder insects should be gut-loaded with an appropriate mineral/vitamin supplement and should be dusted two to three times a week with a calcium/vitamin D3 combination powder. An ad-lib supply of powdered calcium/vitamin D3 supplement as ‘lick’, should be supplied in a small shallow dish or lid for additional calcium needs.

Also see
Leopard gecko supplementation through gut-loading
Leopard gecko supplementation through food ‘dusting’
Supplying light to Leopard geckos

Where to feed

The best place to feed Leopard geckos is inside their enclosure — there where the temperature and lighting are more natural and preferable. To prevent accidental ingestion of particulate substrates, such as sand and gravel, food can be offered in shallow containers, on a feeding platform or, if it is tolerated, by hand.

It’s feeding time!

Being crepuscular^(50)(51)(59) to nocturnal^(49)(69) and cathemeral, Leopard geckos will mostly come out to feed during dusk, dawn and the evenings. This makes early mornings and the evenings the best time to offer food to Leopard geckos.

Conclusion

Correct feeding will ensure that Leopard geckos grow strong and healthy. When using the correct food and principles, feeding Leopard geckos becomes less of a chore and more of a pleasure.

The post Feeding pet Leopard geckos appeared first on Leopard Gecko.

Introduction to feeding waxworms to Leopard geckos

Waxworms are soft-bodied larvae and grows to about 2.5 cm / 1 ” in length. In some countries, they are readily available from breeders and specialised pet shops. Due to their size variation, they can be fed to most sizes of Leopard geckos.

They are one of the favourites among pet Leopard geckos, but is also very high in fat and relatively low in protein (ca. 25% fat and 14% protein), which limits their use as a staple diet. Waxworms should mainly be fed as a snack to Leopard geckos, and not a staple or protein source. Other higher protein feeder insects such as crickets and/or cockroaches should make out the bulk of a pet Leopard gecko’s food.

Although high in calcium, Waxworms have poor calcium to phosphorus ratio (1:7) and should be offered in a shallow escape-proof dish with suitable calcium supplementation.

As larvae, Waxworms do not eat any nutrition and will be suitable for feeding for about a month when kept at room temperatures. They are however sensitive to moisture and dark larvae should be discarded.

The post Feeding waxworms to Leopard geckos appeared first on Leopard Gecko.

This article is tagged to be informative to veterinarians too. The information is not a substitute for advice from a veterinarian.

Mineral supplementation plays a vital part in keeping your pet Leopard gecko healthy. One way to add these supplements to their diet is by gut-loading their food. In order to feed good quality feeder insects to your Leopard geckos, they also need to eat good quality food. Gut-loading literally translates to loading the intestines with a highly nutritious food.

Supplementation through gut-loading

Feeder insects such as crickets, mealworms, Dubia roaches, etc. are easy to gut-load. Gut-loading is done by feeding insects a highly palatable and nutritious diet almost immediately prior to feeding them to Leopard geckos. Insects are therefore the ‘transport medium’ for these vitamins and minerals.

Gut-loading food can be dry or fresh. A combination of fresh, everyday fruit and vegetable remains be fed to feeder insects. Dry gut-loading foods can be in the form of various commercial or self-made gut-loading mixtures.

Gut-loading crickets

Crickets are probably the most important insects fed to Leopard geckos. Fortunately, cricket gut-loading is a simple process. It is simply done by replacing their regular (maintenance) food with a high-quality cricket gut-loading food. Crickets should be gut-loaded 48 to 24 hours prior to feeding them to Leopard geckos.

Gut-loading foods

Various commercial cricket gut-load foods are available from most specialised reptile or exotic animal pet shops. The internet can also be valuable in finding gut-loaded foods for crickets and other feeder insects.

Other ways to add supplements to a Leopard gecko’s diet are by dusting powdered, or sprinkling liquid forms directly on their food (usually mealworms).

The post Leopard gecko supplementation through gut-loading appeared first on Leopard Gecko.

Although their natural life cycle is seasonal, silkworms are easy and relative cheap to keep and culture. Other than food items for Leopard geckos and other reptiles, silkworms are popularly cultured on large scale for their ability to produce silk.

In some countries, silkworms are readily available from specialised pet shops and online retailers (Buy live silkworms from Amazon.com). Silkworms are quiet, slow-moving, fairly odourless, need little maintenance and relatively small amounts of space.

Silkworm nutritional values*

Silkworms offer great value as food for Leopard geckos. When looking at their nutritional composition, they are high in protein, vitamines, calcium and other minerals and low in fat:

* Values are averages calculated from sources. Expressed as %DM except moisture.

When comparing silkworms with other crawling food such as mealworms (T. molitor), they have similar amounts of protein (ca. 59% ^{(5) (17)} vs. 54% ^{(1) (2) (4) (5) (6) (8) (9) (14)} ), less fat (ca. 17% ^{(5) (17)} vs. 30% ^{(1) (2) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (14)} ), more usable calcium (Ca:P ratio of about 1:2 ⁽¹³⁾ vs. 1:14 ^{(5) (6) (8) (9) (11) (14) (18)} ) and are just as tasty. When compared to crickets (A. domestica), silkworms have similar protein levels (ca. 64% ^{(3) (5) (6) (8)} vs. 59% ^{(5) (17)} ), less available calcium (ca. 1:5 ^{(6) (8) (18)} vs. 1:2 ⁽¹³⁾ ) and similar amounts of fat (21% ^{(3) (5) (6) (8)} vs. 17% ^{(5) (17)} ).

Silkworm sizes

• Hatchling / first instar 3 mm
• Second instar 9 – 19 mm / 3/8  – 3/4 ” (small silkworms)
• Third Instar 19 – 31 mm  / 3/4 – 1 1/4 ” (medium silkworms)
• Fourth instar 31- 44 mm / 1 1/4 – 1 7/8 ” (large silkworms)
• Fifth instar 50 – 75 mm / 2 – 3 ” (x-large silkworms)
• Moth has a wingspan of 40 – 50 mm / 1.5 – 2 “

Feeding silkworms to Leopard geckos

When available, silkworms can be fed to any size and age Leopard gecko. They are considered palatable (tasty) and are readily accepted by Leopard geckos and other insectivorous reptiles (making them a great choice for picky eaters too). Silkworms have soft bodies that make them easy and safe to swallow and digest. Because of their high protein and available calcium levels, they are popularly fed to gravid female and growing Leopard geckos.

Silkworm life cycle

Silkworms hatch from eggs produced by Mulberry silkmoths. After hatching, a silkworm will grow through several larval stages before pupating and emerging as a silkmoth again.

Newly hatched silkworm larvae are very tiny and will eat for anything between 12 and 56 days, consuming large amounts of mulberry leaves. The time it takes a silkworm to grow is dependant on the environmental temperature and the availability of food. Colder temperatures will prolong this period and vice versa. During their growth period, they will molt four times. The times between their moltings are called instars. The larvae of all four these stages (collectively called silkworms), can be fed to Leopard geckos.

After the last moulting and being about 50 to 75 mm / 2 to 3 “, the silkworm will stop eating and spin a cocoon from its own silk. Metamorphosis (changing into a moth) will take two to three weeks to complete. Moths that emerges from the cocoon will not eat at all. Their only goal is to find a moth of the opposite sex, breed and lay eggs again. A female silkmoth can lay anything from 200 to 500 eggs. Silkmoths are generally not fed to Leopard geckos.

The post Feeding silkworms (B. mori) to Leopard geckos appeared first on Leopard Gecko.

Feeding waxworms to Leopard geckos

Waxworms are the larvae of one of the two related wax moth species, the Lesser moth (Achroia grisella) or the Greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella). Wax moths are pests of bee hives used for honey production, but makes great foodstuffs for pet Leopard geckos. Read article

The post Leopard Gecko waxworms appeared first on Leopard Gecko.

There are various ways a Leopard gecko’s food can be complemented. This article discusses Leopard gecko supplementation through food dusting. Read article

Leopard gecko supplementation through gut-loading

Mineral supplementation plays a vital part in keeping your pet Leopard gecko healthy. One way to add these supplements to their diet is by gut-loading their food. In order to feed good quality feeder insects to your Leopard geckos, they also need to eat good quality food. Gut-loading literally translates to loading the intestines with a highly nutritious food. Read article

Skin eating behaviour in Leopard geckos

As with other reptiles, Leopard geckos go through multiple skin sheds throughout their lives. Unlike most other reptiles, they also eat their shed skins. Read article

Leopard gecko nutritional supplementation

Leopard gecko supplementation is required to add nutrients to their diets. Supplements for Leopard geckos are added directly, through dusting or through gut-loading. Read article

The post Leopard Gecko nutrients appeared first on Leopard Gecko.

Mealworm larvae contain high amounts of fat (ca. 12 – 13%), relatively low amounts protein (ca. 20.3%) and has a Ca:P ratio of about 1:18.

Because of their fats tails, Leopard geckos can eat high volumes of mealworms without problems. Whereas the high fat levels cause obesity and other problems in most other pet lizards, Leopard geckos tend to store this fat in their tails, mainly utilizing the proteins for growth and body function.

Mealworms can be fed in a shallow, escape-proof dish with calcium supplementation to stimulate its intake. They should always be fresh. Uneaten mealworms should be removed and replaced every day. Although mealworms are a relatively good food source for Leopard geckos, it is important not to feed them as the only protein source. Other higher protein feeder insects such as crickets and/or cockroaches should make out the bulk of a pet Leopard gecko’s food.

The post Feeding mealworms to Leopard geckos appeared first on Leopard Gecko.