What do Leopard Geckos eat?

Leopard Geckos are mostly insectivorous and benefit from eating a wide variety of captive-bred live food. In order for your Leopard Gecko to be healthy, you need to ensure their food is dusted in supplements according to a set schedule, and that they have access to UVB and basking opportunities.

Staple Foods

The following insects can be fed reguarly, as a part of your Leopard Geckos varied diet. Variation is key, we recommend feeding your gecko at least 3 species of insect reguarly.

Dubia Cockroaches

Pros

Very easy to keep alive
Cannot climb or fly, so don't escape easily
Cannot reproduce without more heat and humidity than British houses provide in the event of an escape
Don't smell
Very nutritious
Quiet
Can be fed veggie scraps and cat food

Cons

Many people dislike the idea of keeping cockroaches
Difficult to release into an enclosure, as they don't move around much and will burrow into soil.
Relatively expensive

Buy Dubia Roaches

Locusts

Pros

Easy to keep alive
Relatively slow-moving (easy to catch)
Can be released into an enclosure, allowing for hunting enrichment
Cheap to buy
Can be left unattended in an enclosure, unlikely to bite
Quiet
Can be fed veggie scraps and cat food

Cons

Can jump so escapes more likely

Buy Locusts

Red Runner Cockroaches

Pros

Nutritious
Fun for your gecko to hunt
Silent
Easy to keep alive
Very cheap to buy
Can be fed veggie scraps and cat food

Cons

Many people dislike the idea of keeping cockroaches
Can breed in your house if they escape
Bad smelling
Smaller size so your gecko will need to eat more

Buy Red Runners

Silkworms

Pros

Very nutritious
Leopard Geckos love them
Don't smell

Cons

Expensive
Difficult to keep alive
Difficult to breed
Can only eat mulberry leaves (you can buy paste)

Buy Silkworms

Mealworms

Pros

Very cheap
Somewhat nutritious (hard exo-skeleton)
Very easy to keep alive
Can be fed veggie scraps and cat food
Most geckos from breeders will be established on mealworms
Can be left in a bowl so geckos always have access

Cons

Can have a small when large amounts are kept
Often used as a geckos only food source, which isn't ideal
If allowed to pupate, they will become darkling beetles which Leopard Geckos don't like to eat

Buy Mealworms

Crickets

Pros

Nutritious
Great for hunting enrichment
Very cheap

Cons

Difficult to keep alive
Smell bad
Quite loud (even 'silent' varieties chirp)
Good at escaping

Buy Crickets

'Every Once in a While' Foods

The following insects can be fed semi-reguarly, as a part of your Leopard Geckos varied diet. I don't recommend feeding these more than once a week

Superworms / Morio Worms

Pros

Leopard Geckos (mostly) love them
Very cheap

Cons

Not the healthiest
Can bite - some people squash their heads, I personally just feed them head first

Buy Superworms

Fruit Beetle Grubs

Pros

Add interesting variety to your geckos diet
Reasonably easy to keep alive

Cons

Very powerful jaws, 100% need to have their heads crushed before feeding
Messy
A tad expensive

Buy Fruit Beetle Grubs

Calci-worms

Pros

Add interesting variety to your geckos diet
Nutritious
Cheap

Cons

Quite small, so some leopard geckos won't eat them
Difficult to gutload

Buy Calci-Worms

Treat Foods

The following insects can be fed occasionally, as a part of your Leopard Geckos varied diet. I don't recommend feeding these more than once every few weeks.