Leopard Gecko Diet Guide: What to Feed Your Gecko

TL;DR: Leopard geckos are strict insectivores that eat only live insects — never fruit, vegetables, or plants — with dubia roaches and crickets as the best staple feeders due to their optimal protein-to-fat ratio. The critical sizing rule is never feed insects wider than the space between your gecko's eyes, as oversized prey causes choking and impaction. All feeder insects must be gut-loaded and dusted with calcium (with D3) at every feeding to prevent metabolic bone disease.

Leopard geckos are one of the best reptiles you can own as a beginner. They're small, gentle, and pretty easy to care for. But feeding them correctly? That's where a lot of new owners go wrong.

This leopard gecko diet guide covers everything you need to know. What they eat, how much, how often, and what to avoid entirely. Let's dig in.

What Do Leopard Geckos Eat?

Leopard geckos are strict insectivores. That means they eat only insects and other invertebrates — nothing else. No fruits. No vegetables. No seeds or grains.

In the wild, they hunt small bugs, beetles, worms, and the occasional small spider. In captivity, you're recreating that diet with feeder insects you can buy online or at a pet store.

The best staple feeder insects for leopard geckos include:

• Crickets — A classic choice. They're nutritious and trigger your gecko's natural hunting instinct. Buy feeder crickets
• Dubia roaches — Arguably the best staple feeder. They're high in protein, low in fat, and easy to keep. Buy dubia roaches
• Mealworms — Fine as a treat or supplement, but too fatty for everyday feeding.
• Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) — Excellent calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. Great as a supplement feeder.
• Waxworms — These are like candy for geckos. Use sparingly as a treat only.
• Hornworms — High moisture content, good for hydration. Use occasionally.

According to ReptiFiles, dubia roaches and crickets make the best staple feeders because they offer a solid nutritional profile without excess fat.

What Size Food Should I Feed My Leopard Gecko?

Size matters a lot when feeding your leopard gecko. A feeder insect that's too large can cause serious problems, including choking or impaction.

The general rule is simple: never feed anything wider than the space between your gecko's eyes.

Here's a rough breakdown by gecko age:

When in doubt, go smaller. It's always safer to offer a slightly smaller insect than to risk your gecko struggling with one that's too big.

How Often Should You Feed a Leopard Gecko?

Feeding frequency depends on your gecko's age. Younger geckos need to eat more often because they're growing fast. Adults can be fed every other day or even every few days.

Here's a simple feeding schedule to follow:

Always feed your gecko at dusk or in the early evening. Leopard geckos are crepuscular — they're most active at dawn and dusk. Feeding them when they're naturally alert encourages good feeding behavior.

Zen Habitats recommends removing any uneaten live insects from the enclosure after 15–20 minutes. Loose crickets can stress your gecko or even bite them while they sleep.

Gut Loading: Why It Matters So Much

Here's something a lot of first-time owners overlook: the nutritional value of a feeder insect depends on what that insect has been eating.

This is called gut loading. Before you feed insects to your gecko, you want those insects packed with good nutrients. A cricket that's been sitting in an empty box has almost nothing to offer your gecko. A cricket that's been eating leafy greens and vegetables? That's a nutritional powerhouse.

Gut load your feeder insects 24–48 hours before feeding them to your gecko. Good gut load foods include:

• Collard greens
• Mustard greens
• Squash
• Carrots
• Sweet potato
• Commercial gut load products like Repashy Bug Burger

Avoid feeding insects citrus fruits, spinach, or any high-oxalate foods before offering them to your gecko.

Dusting Food With Vitamins and Calcium

Even with gut loading, feeder insects alone don't cover all of your gecko's nutritional needs. That's where dusting comes in.

Dusting means lightly coating your feeder insects with a powdered supplement before feeding. You simply toss the insects in a bag or cup with a small amount of powder and give it a shake.

There are two main types of supplements you need:

Calcium Without D3

Use this at almost every feeding. Calcium is essential for bone health and preventing metabolic bone disease (MBD). If your gecko doesn't get enough calcium, their bones can become soft and deformed — and it's heartbreaking to watch.

Zoo Med Repti Calcium without D3 is a reliable and popular choice.

Calcium With D3

Use this 2–3 times per month. D3 helps your gecko absorb and use calcium properly. Don't overdo it though — too much D3 can actually be toxic.

Multivitamin Supplement

Use a reptile multivitamin once every 1–2 weeks. This covers trace minerals and vitamins that aren't always present in feeder insects.

A widely recommended supplement schedule looks like this:

According to The Bio Dude's leopard gecko care sheet, consistent calcium dusting is one of the most important things you can do to keep your gecko healthy long-term.

Can Leopard Geckos Eat Fruits and Vegetables?

No. Leopard geckos cannot digest plant matter. Their digestive systems are built exclusively for processing animal protein.

Some owners try to offer fruit or veggies because they want to add variety. Your gecko will probably ignore it — and if they do eat it, it won't do them any good. Stick to insects only.

This is different from some other lizards like blue-tongue skinks, which are omnivores and do eat fruits and vegetables. Leopard geckos are in an entirely different category.

What Foods Are Toxic to Leopard Geckos?

Some insects and foods can seriously harm or even kill your gecko. Here's what you should never feed:

• Fireflies (lightning bugs) — Highly toxic. Even one firefly can kill a leopard gecko. Never, ever feed these.
• Wild-caught insects — These can carry pesticides, parasites, or other contaminants. Only use captive-bred feeder insects.
• Avocado — Toxic to most reptiles.
• Any insect from your garden or yard — Unknown pesticide exposure makes these dangerous.
• Venomous insects — Bees, wasps, and similar insects can injure or poison your gecko.

When in doubt, stick to commercially raised feeder insects from a reputable supplier. It's not worth the risk.

Leopard Geckos and Obesity

Yes, leopard geckos can become obese. It happens more often than you'd think, especially when owners feed too many fatty treats like waxworms or mealworms.

A healthy adult gecko should have a plump tail (they store fat there) but you shouldn't see fat deposits behind their front legs or on their belly. If your gecko looks round and heavy, it's time to cut back.

Signs of an overweight gecko include:

• Fat rolls or lumps near the armpits
• A very wide, puffy body
• Sluggish behavior

To prevent obesity, stick to the feeding schedule above, limit waxworms to once a week at most, and make sure your gecko has enough space to move around and hunt.

Check out our guide on common lizard owner mistakes — overfeeding is one of the most common issues new reptile owners run into.

What Should a Leopard Gecko Drink?

Leopard geckos need access to fresh, clean water at all times. Use a small, shallow dish that your gecko can easily get in and out of.

Change the water every day or every other day. Leopard geckos don't drink huge amounts, but they do sip water regularly, especially after eating.

Some geckos also absorb moisture during their humid hide time when they're shedding. Make sure one side of their enclosure has a humid hide — a small container with moist sphagnum moss works great. This supports hydration and helps with shedding.

For more on keeping your gecko healthy overall, PetMD's leopard gecko care sheet covers enclosure humidity and hydration in detail.

My Leopard Gecko Won't Eat — What's Going On?

This is one of the most common concerns new owners have. The good news is that it's usually nothing to panic about.

Common reasons a leopard gecko stops eating:

• Shedding — Geckos often refuse food right before or during a shed. This is completely normal.
• Temperature issues — If their enclosure is too cold, they won't digest food properly and will stop eating. The warm side should be 88–92°F and the cool side around 75°F. Read our reptile cold stress guide for more info.
• Stress — A new enclosure, too much handling, or a change in routine can put a gecko off eating for days or even weeks.
• Breeding season — Adult males especially can go off food during breeding season.
• Parasites or illness — If your gecko refuses food for more than 2–3 weeks with no obvious cause, a vet visit is a good idea.

Never force feed your gecko. Give them space, check their temperatures, and be patient. Most healthy geckos will resume eating on their own.

You might also want to review our reptile handling guide — handling too soon or too often after a feeding can cause stress and regurgitation.

Setting Up a Feeding Routine That Works

Consistency is key. Your gecko will do best when feeding happens at the same time each evening. Here's a simple routine to follow:

1. Gut load your feeders 24–48 hours before feeding day
2. Dust insects with calcium right before feeding
3. Offer insects in the enclosure or in a small feeding dish at dusk
4. Remove uneaten insects after 15–20 minutes
5. Refresh the water dish daily

That's really it. Once you're in the habit, feeding your leopard gecko takes about 5–10 minutes every couple of days.

A Quick Note on Feeder Insect Variety

Feeding only one type of insect isn't ideal. Different feeders have different nutritional profiles. Rotating between crickets, dubia roaches, and occasionally worms gives your gecko a more balanced diet.

Think of it like eating only one food every single day — technically you might survive, but you'd miss out on a lot of nutrients. Your gecko is the same way.

Aim for at least two different staple feeders in regular rotation, and toss in a treat feeder like hornworms or silkworms every few weeks to keep things interesting.

Dubia Roaches' leopard gecko care sheet has great detail on feeder insect nutrition if you want to go deeper on this topic.