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

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

Introduction to Leopard gecko supplementation

Food supplementation plays a vital part in keeping pet Leopard geckos healthy. Dusting is the process of coating insects, or other foodstuffs, with a powdered supplement prior to being fed. Other ways of supplementing a Leopard gecko’s food include gut-loading and sprinkling.

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Leopard gecko supplementation

Leopard geckos have special needs when it comes to calcium and vitamin D supplementation. They will tolerate the absence of ultraviolet lighting (UV) if adequate dietary calcium and vitamin D are provided⁽³²⁾.

Being crepuscular to nocturnal, not a lot of basking takes place, so there is not a lot of opportunities to metabolise vitamin D. Calcium and vitamin D are consumed from adequate amounts in their diets⁽³⁴⁾.

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Leopard gecko supplementation

Supplementation through dusting

Dusting can be done on any feeder insect, but it is very popular (and quite simple) to do with live crickets and mealworms. Food is simply mixed with a moderate amount of supplement powder in a spill- or escape-proof plastic bag or container.

In order to keep it fresh, dusting should be done just prior to feeding the insects or greens to Leopard geckos.

Supplements for dusting

Any powdered form of Leopard gecko supplementation can be used for dusting food. Commercial reptile or Leopard gecko supplements should be used.

The two main supplements recommended for Leopard geckos are multi-vitamin mixtures and calcium/Vitamin D3 combinations. Calcium supplementation should be done 2 to 3 times a week, and multi-vitamin mixtures should be given every other day.

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

Nutrition support in Leopard geckos is often required in the case of anorexia or inability to eat. It is often used as part of a medical treatment plan until such a time food consumption has returned to normal.

Introduction

Refusal to eat and weight loss are often seen in Leopard geckos due to ill health and other medical conditions. Correct nutrition during, and after, diagnostics and treatment can significantly shorten recovery times and even be life-saving. It will help to gain the weight that was lost, allow growth and to maintain hydration. Nutritional support is often instigated by the attending veterinarian, but can continue long after the patient has been discharged. Although nutritional support should only be instigated in hydrated patients, hydration requirements will often be met by feeding.

Important nutritional factors for Leopard geckos include the timing and duration, type of nutrition, energy composition (calories), feeding volume and frequency and method of administration (feeding methods).

Timing and duration

Nutritional support in Leopard geckos are indicated during times where there has been or will be, prolonged periods of starvation. It becomes life-saving in cases where there is weight loss. Depending on the reason for starvation, the duration of nutritional support might be anything from temporary (i.e. days in the case of clinical helminth/worm infestations) to life long (e.g. force-feeding of poor eating Cryptosporidium infected Leopard geckos). Stomach and assist feeding (see later) might have to be continued after discharge. Nutritional support is usually ceased when the patient starts to eat voluntarily.

In a clinical situation where there the patient is severely emaciated and dehydrated, hydration needs to be corrected before feeding is started.

Type of nutrition

Leopard geckos are considered insectivorous, but carnivorous diets can also be used. Some authors prefer to start enteral feeding severely emaciated patients with electrolyte solutions such as half-strength Pedialyte (74 kcal/200ml) or Gatorade (80 kcal/350ml)⁽³⁸⁾. This is done for several days⁽³⁸⁾, given at 20 – 30 ml/kg/per day⁽²³⁾. These solutions can also be used to dilute food. After enteral feeding, Leopard geckos can be fed blenderized insects (e.g. as fed ‘gut-loaded’ crickets[1 375 kcal/kg ]⁽⁸⁾), or Emeraid Intensive Care Carnivore (5.14 kcal/g dry weight), Clinicare Feline (1 kcal/ml) or Carnivore Care (24 kcal/Tbsp).^(23)(38) With limited resources, Hill’s Prescription Diet a/d (183 kcal/156 g can) at a 50% dilution was used with success (author’s experience).

Energy composition (calories)

The energy required for maintenance (aka “standard metabolic rate” or SMR) in reptiles is calculated as 10 x (BW[kg])^0.75) per day. For example, a 50 g Leopard gecko has a SMR of 1 kcal/day. The SMR also needs to be adapted for additional energy requirements (illness, growth, etc.). This is done by multiplying the SMR by an estimated illness factor of between 0.2 and 4.0⁽³⁸⁾. The starting point for total energy requirements (TER) will be at 20 – 25% (see below).

Feeding volume

When it comes to the volume of nutrition, guidelines include ~15 – 30 ml/kg/day (1.5 – 3% BW). It is preferable that the total energy requirements (see TER above) is appropriately diluted, initially using electrolytes and later water, to meet the volume criteria. The daily volumes are best divided into several small meals spaced evenly over 24 hours⁽³⁸⁾. The starting point for volume will be at

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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).

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

Introduction to Leopard gecko supplementation

Nutritional supplementation is the addition of nutrients like amino acids, vitamins and minerals to a diet. It is necessary for Leopard geckos because their diets are often deficient in required nutrients such as amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

For Leopard geckos, food supplements can either be added by the dusting of live prey, feeding gut-loaded foods to live prey or by direct supply.

Feeder insects such as crickets and cockroaches can be gut-loaded with an appropriate mineral/vitamin supplement. Gut-loading should take place at least 24 to 48 hours prior to feeding to Leopard geckos

In addition to gut-loading, all feeder insects, including mealworms, waxworms and Phoenix worms, should be dusted two to three times a week with an appropriate Calcium/vitamin D3 combination powder.

Image by Renier Delport

An ad lib supply of powdered Leopard gecko calcium/vitamin D3 supplement should be supplied in a small dish or lid for extra Calcium needs.

Natural Leopard gecko supplements

In their natural environment, Leopard geckos are adapted to eat a variety of food. Natural foods generally complement each other in the supply of all the nutrients they need. Vertebrates and invertebrates, an important food component in wild Leopard geckos, are generally more balanced with regard to vitamins and minerals because they are fresh and exposed to balanced wild vegetation.

What supplements to use for Leopard geckos

The most important mineral supplement for Leopard geckos is calcium. This is especially true for growing and gravid Leopard geckos. A good quality lizard calcium supplementation includes some form of vitamin D3.  Calcium supplements usually come in a powdered form which can be used to dust insects with. Calcium supplementation should be supplied three times a week for growing and gravid Leopard geckos and two times a week for adult males.

Note that multivitamin / multi-mineral supplementation is not sufficient as a Leopard gecko calcium-only supplementation. When these supplements are used, they must be used in addition to a good calcium supplement.

The post Leopard gecko supplementation appeared first on Leopard Gecko.

Food supplementation by dusting

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

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

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The post Leopard Gecko Calcium 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.