What to Feed a Leopard Gecko: Complete Diet Guide

Leopard geckos are strict insectivores — no vegetables, no fruit, ever. A gecko diet is really a question of which insects, how often, and how you prepare them.

Staple feeders

Mealworms: the classic leo staple — easy to keep, easy to portion, and geckos love them. Many keepers leave a shallow escape-proof dish of mealworms in the enclosure. Crickets: leaner, and their movement triggers strong hunting behaviour — great enrichment. Small dubia roaches: arguably the best nutrition of the three; use nymphs sized to your gecko.

Rotate at least two staples. A gecko fed one insect forever can become a stubborn single-food eater.

Treats

Superworms for adult geckos only, once a week at most — they're fatty and large. A visibly plump tail is normal for a leo; a plump body is not.

Schedule by age

Hatchlings and juveniles (under 12 months): feed daily, as many appropriately sized insects as they'll eat in 10–15 minutes. Adults: every 2–3 days, roughly 6–8 insects per feeding depending on size. Evening feedings suit their crepuscular rhythm.

The size rule

Nothing longer than the space between your gecko's eyes. Oversized prey causes regurgitation and can put a gecko off food for days.

Calcium and gut-loading

Gut-load feeders for 24–48 hours, dust with calcium + D3 at most feedings for juveniles (slightly less often for adults under good husbandry), and keep a small bottle-cap of plain calcium powder in the enclosure — many leos self-regulate by licking it. This routine prevents metabolic bone disease, the most common preventable illness in pet geckos.

Won't eat?

Check temperature first — a cold gecko won't feed (warm side should sit around 31–33°C floor temperature). Shedding, breeding season and winter cooling all suppress appetite temporarily. Switch feeder type before panicking; a cricket often tempts a gecko that's bored of mealworms. Weight loss plus refusal for more than two weeks means a vet visit.