Introduction
Leopard Geckos are insectivorous and thrive on a diet of small to medium size insects. Leopard Geckos will also eat small vertebrates in the wild and large adult Leopard Geckos will eat pinkie mice every now and then in captivity, however it is not necessary to feed them pinkie mice and pet Leopard Geckos will happily live on a diet of insects only. Below is a list of insects which Leopard Geckos will eat in captivity.
Mealworms
Mealworms are the larvae of a grain beetle and form the staple diet for pet Leopard Geckos. I feed my Leopard Geckos exclusively on mealworms as do many other breeders including some of the biggest breeders in the world. Mealworms can be fed to Leopard Geckos of all ages from hatchlings to adults. The best way to feed your Leopard Gecko mealworms is to place them in a shallow bowl. Make sure there are always fresh worms in the bowl and your Leopard Gecko will eat them out of the bowl whenever it is hungry. You can put calcium powder in the bowl with the mealworms, your gecko will eat the calcium when it eats the worms. Mealworms are also the most affordable feeder insect and make an economical choice for those of you with lots of Leopard Geckos.
Superworms
Superworms are basically a super sized mealworm and are only suitable for large adult Leopard Geckos. Superworms are high in fat and make a good food for underweight Leopard Geckos or breeding females. However if you feed your gecko too many superworms it will soon become overweight, so feed these insects sparingly. Superworms do not pupate naturally like mealworms do and will last a long time as long as you provide them with bran and slice of apple or potato. The best way to feed your Leopard Gecko superworms is to offer them on feeding tongs.
Crickets
Crickets make a good food for Leopard Geckos of all ages. Make sure to feed the crickets a nutritious diet before you feed them to your geckos. I prefer to offer crickets to my Leopard Geckos on feeding tongs as crickets have a tendency to hide underneath the substrate or in cage decorations. Avoid leaving uneaten crickets in your Leopard Geckos cage. I only feed crickets occasionally as their chirping drives me mad and they tend to die very quickly and are somewhat smelly if not kept clean.
Roaches
Cockroaches of various species are becoming a popular feeder insect. There are over 3000 species of cockroaches and feeder roaches are not the same species of cockroach which are house pests. Some feeder roaches can climb the sides of the cage, avoid these species as they can escape out the top of the cage. Roaches are expensive and not all that readily available. Roaches have more protein than crickets and don’t chirp or smell.
Calcium Supplements
Leopard Geckos require a calcium supplement as feeder insects often have a low calcium content. The best way to provide calcium to to put a powdered calcium supplement in a shallow bowl. Your Leopard Gecko will eat the calcium powder whenever it requires extra calcium. Alternatively dust crickets and roaches in the calcium and your Leopard Gecko will ingest the calcium when it eats the crickets or roaches.