Leopard geckos feed on a variety of insects both in the wild and in captivity. These fat-tailed lizards hunt during the dawn and dusk and sometimes extend the hunting into the night. They come across a variety of insects in the wild, and while you would try to replicate their wild diet in captivity, it is good to know that not all insects are good for leopard geckos. So,
Can leopard geckos eat dubia roaches?
Yes, dubia roaches are safe and suitable for leopard geckos. As such, you can provide them to your lizard in captivity. In addition, Dubia roaches are rich in nutrients and make a good staple for leopard geckos.
Dubia roaches belong to the cockroach family and are a common food choice for pet reptiles. There are many suitable reasons why you should include dubia roaches as a regular food for your leopard gecko. As we will see in this article, they are packed with nutrients and minerals in quantities that are ideal for leopard geckos’ needs.
Dubia Roaches Nutritional Value
| Nutrient | Content |
| Moisture | 61% |
| Protein | 30% |
| Fat | 7% |
| Calcium | 20 mg/ 100 g |
| Ash | 2% |
Benefits of Dubia Roaches for Leopard Geckos
With the above nutritional value of dubia roaches, here are the benefits of giving the pet lizard these insects.
Rich in Proteins
Well-reared dubia roaches contain more than 30% protein which is higher than in most other insects suitable for leopard geckos except silkworms which have almost 65% protein content. Proteins are vital for growing, developing, and repairing various organ systems in the leopard gecko and most other animals. They are arguably the most vital nutrient for the lizard.
The percentage of proteins in dubia roaches is excellent for the leopard gecko’s needs but not too much to risk causing obesity in the lizard. Thus, you can give the lizard the insects without worrying about compromising its health.
Source of Moisture
Although adapted to surviving in arid and semi-arid areas, water is still vital for the growth and survival of leopard geckos. Since they do not drink water often, leopard geckos get most of their moisture intake from the insects they feed on.
Dubia roaches are a suitable source of this moisture. In addition, the moisture levels are just the right amount, so they do not cause diarrhea since leopard geckos are not used to taking a lot of water.
Providing the dubia roaches with foods such as potatoes before giving them to the leopard gecko helps increase the moisture your pet lizard consumes.
Fat
Leopard geckos store fat in their tails. In fact, a healthy leopard gecko’s tail must be almost the same size as the rest of its body. The extra fat comes in handy when the lizard doesn’t get food or when sick. In addition, a fat tail means more energy reserve.
Source of Calcium
Dubia roaches have decent calcium levels. The mineral is vital for the lizard as it helps grow their bones. It also helps prevent metabolic bone disease, although it is less common with leopard geckos than with turtles and bearded dragons.
Less Chitin
Another advantage of Dubia roaches is that they are easy to digest since they have little chitin, a rigid exoskeleton. In fact, dubia roaches have the least amount of chitin compared to all other types of roaches.
Such not only make it easy for your pet leopard gecko to chew but also minimizes the risk of impaction.
Other Benefits
Besides the above, other advantages of dubia roaches for leopard geckos include the following;
- Dubia roaches don’t make a noise like crickets
- Dubia roaches do not fly and can’t climb glass and other smooth surfaces; hence they will not fill the leopard gecko’s enclosure or your home. It also makes it easy for sick leopard geckos to eat the insect
- They are easy to breed and grow quickly
- Available in varying sizes; thus, you can choose what is appropriate for your leopard gecko
- Odorless
Evidently, dubia roaches are an excellent choice for leopard geckos. Even so, they still have a disadvantage in that they are not always available in pet stores and are more expensive than other leopard gecko insects, such as mealworms and crickets.
The benefits of dubia roaches greatly outweigh the drawbacks, and the flaws have no negative impact on the lizard.
How to Prepare Dubia Roaches For Your Leopard Gecko?
With the above benefits, there’s no doubt that dubia roaches make a great staple food choice for a leopard gecko. But how do you feed dubia roaches to a leopard gecko? Here are effective tips on how to prepare these roaches for the lizard.
Dusting with Calcium
Dubia roaches have decent amounts of calcium; even so, it is advisable that you dust the insects with calcium powder to enhance the quantities the lizard gets. Calcium is vital for various functions in the leopard gecko, including aiding the growth and development of healthy bones.
Gut Loading
Gut loading is a standard method of increasing the nutrients a leopard gecko gets from eating an insect. Giving the insects nutrient-rich vegetables within a few hours before will help your leopard gecko get the nutrients.
How Many Dubia Roaches to Feed a Leopard Gecko?
Baby leopard gecko can eat about 4 to 8 dubia roaches, but they should not be bigger than a quarter inch. The small size prevents overeating and makes it easy for the leopard gecko to feed.
Regarding juveniles, depending on whether you are giving them other insects, feeding the juvenile leopard gecko with not more than 10 average-sized dubia roaches is safe. Lastly, adult leopard geckos can eat between 8 and 15 dubia roaches or not more than an inch and a half size.
How Often Can I Give My Leopard Gecko Dubia Roaches?
You can give them to the lizard every other day as Dubia roaches are a safe leopard gecko staple.
Do Lizards Eat Roaches?
Monitor lizards, leopard geckos, and bearded dragons are some of the most common lizard pets. Bearded dragons eat dubia roaches, but they should not be bigger than the size of the space between their eyes.
On the other hand, most monitor lizards are drawn toward roaches and feed on them. As seen above, leopard geckos also eat roaches, and these insects form a good part of their diet.
Besides dubia roaches, some lizards also eat cockroaches.
Dubia Roaches Vs. Crickets: Which is better for Leopard Geckos?
Most leopard gecko owners often wonder whether dubia roaches are better than crickets for leopard geckos. Regarding calcium content, dubia roaches have amounts that make them more beneficial to the lizard. Even so, you should still dust dubia roaches and crickets when giving them to a leopard gecko.
Crickets have reasonable amounts of proteins but not as much as dubia roaches. The higher protein content in dubia roaches makes them a better choice for supporting muscles and general growth in your leopard gecko.
Other reasons dubia roaches would make a superior choice for your leopard geckos than crickets are that dubia roaches are easier to digest, dead dubia roaches do not have a strong smell compared to crickets, don’t climb, or jump, ad have a longer lifespan.
Another reason to choose dubia roaches over crickets is that the latter grows big very quickly. Giving crickets to your pet gecko can be challenging due to the quick growth, especially if the pet is a baby or juvenile. Six weeks are enough for crickets to mature into adults from eggs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Dubia Roaches Bite?
While leopard geckos eat insects, some insects, such as crickets, present the risk of harming the lizard through bites. Gladly, dubia roaches do not bite, and they will not harm your leopard gecko in any other manner.
Can Baby Leopard Geckos Eat Dubia Roaches?
Yes, it is safe to give your baby leopard gecko dubia roaches daily. Even so, ensure that the roaches are not bigger than a quarter inch and not more than 8 roaches in a day. Alternatively, you can give your leopard gecko 2 roaches for each inch of its length.
What Do Leopard Geckos Eat?
These geckos are insectivorous, meaning that they only feed on insects. Some of the best insects you can give your pet leopard gecko include dubia roaches, crickets, black soldier flies, and mealworms. Avoid dead and wild insects and also glowing ones.
