The Ultimate Leopard Gecko Diet: What They Can (And Can't) Eat

Getting a leopard gecko’s diet right is the most important part of keeping them healthy for the long haul. Because they’re so popular, new keepers get bombarded with conflicting advice from pet stores, forums, and social media.

If you’re staring at your new pet and wondering what do leopard geckos eat?, the answer is simple: live insects, and strictly live insects.

With so much conflicting advice out there - some say fruit is fine, others say only crickets - it’s easy to get it wrong. The feeding routine below is the short version of what works reliably across years of keeping leopard geckos, and it’s what this guide covers in detail.

Can Leopard Geckos Eat Fruit?

Because other popular pet lizards, like Crested Geckos, Day Geckos, and Bearded Dragons, love eating mashed bananas, mangoes, and greens, many beginners naturally ask: can leopard geckos eat fruit?

They can’t. You should never, under any circumstances, feed a leopard gecko fruit, vegetables, or any plant matter.

Leopard geckos are strictly insectivores. Their digestive tracts are incredibly short and highly acidic, designed specifically to break down the protein and chitin of insects. They have a greatly reduced cecum (the part of the intestine that digests plant matter).

If a leopard gecko ingests a piece of fruit, it won’t digest it. Instead, the fruit will ferment and rot in their stomach. This leads to severe bloating, diarrhea, potentially fatal impaction, and dangerous spikes in harmful gut bacteria. Stick to bugs.

What Do Leopard Geckos Eat? The Staples

Now that we have eliminated plants, here is the core of their diet. A healthy gecko needs a variety of live insects. Freeze-dried or dead bugs won’t do because the movement of live prey triggers their natural hunting instincts.

Dubia roaches are the best staple feeder. They are packed with protein, have a soft shell (easy to digest), live a long time, and best of all, they don’t jump or make noise. Mealworms are the classic choice: easy to store in the refrigerator and very affordable. Because they have a slightly harder outer shell, make sure your terrarium has correct basking temperatures (90-96°F / 32-35°C) so your gecko can digest them properly. Crickets are excellent for getting a lazy gecko to exercise. They move fast and erratically, which is great mental stimulation. One warning: never leave uneaten crickets in the tank overnight. They get hungry and will actually bite your sleeping gecko. Silkworms are an incredibly nutritious, soft-bodied feeder rich in calcium and low in fat. Highly recommended if you can find them.

What About Treats?

Just like humans, geckos enjoy junk food. These should be fed sparingly (no more than once a week or every two weeks) because they’re exceptionally high in fat.

Waxworms are reptile candy: extremely fatty and addictive. Feed them too often and your gecko may become morbidly obese and refuse to eat healthier staples. Hornworms (bright blue or green caterpillars) are packed with water. They lack high protein but are the best choice if you have a dehydrated or sick gecko that needs a moisture boost. Superworms should only be given to fully grown adult geckos. They have strong mandibles and can bite back, so crush the head with feeding tongs before offering.

Gut-Loading and Dusting

Feeding your gecko healthy bugs isn’t enough. You also need to feed the bugs healthy food first. This is called gut-loading. Twenty-four hours before feeding insects to your gecko, feed the bugs fresh carrots, sweet potatoes, or commercial gut-load powder. You are what you eat, and your gecko is what your bugs eat.

You also need to dust your insects with supplements. Leopard geckos need a strict regimen of calcium powder and a multivitamin. Put the bugs in a plastic bag, add a pinch of powder, and shake them gently until they look like little powdered donuts. Dust 2 to 3 times per week with calcium containing D3, use calcium without D3 at other feedings, and add multivitamin once or twice a week. Without calcium, your gecko will develop Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD), a fatal condition that causes their bones to turn to rubber.

Feeding Schedule by Age

• Hatchlings and Juveniles (0 to 6 months): Feed daily. Offer 5 to 7 small insects per feeding, sized no larger than the space between their eyes.
• Sub-Adults (6 to 12 months): Feed every other day. Offer 6 to 8 medium insects per feeding.
• Adults (12+ months): Feed 2 to 3 times per week. Offer 5 to 8 adult-sized insects per feeding. A healthy adult should have a tail that is plump but not wider than its neck. A tail that keeps shrinking instead is a warning sign, and thin tail disease covers what to rule out first.

Hydration

Leopard geckos get most of their moisture from their food, but they still need fresh water available at all times. Provide a shallow, heavy dish that can’t be tipped over. Change the water daily and scrub the bowl weekly to prevent bacterial buildup. A humid hide (a small container with damp sphagnum moss) is also essential for shedding. Place it on the warm side of the enclosure so it stays warm and humid. The enclosure setup guide walks through how to build one and where it belongs in the tank.

Feeding Mistakes to Avoid

• Overfeeding Waxworms: These are fatty treats, not staples. Limit to once every 1 to 2 weeks.
• Leaving Crickets in the Tank Overnight: Crickets get hungry and will chew on your sleeping gecko, causing painful wounds.
• Feeding Dead Insects: Leopard geckos rely on movement to recognize food. They will rarely eat dead or freeze-dried bugs.
• Wrong Prey Size: Insects larger than the space between your gecko’s eyes can cause choking or impaction. When in doubt, go smaller.