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.
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.
