Feeding your pet leopard gecko is one of the essential things in ensuring that you provide the pet with optimal care. A healthy diet is vital for your geckos as it will help them grow healthy and strong. Being insectivorous, leopard geckos will eat almost all insects they can find and are also not picky eaters.
As such, most leopard gecko pet owners are unsure of which insects are safe and suitable for the lizard, and they often wonder;
Can leopard geckos eat earthworms?
Yes, leopard geckos can eat earthworms. However, earthworms are not a suitable diet for your geckos. They are big and do not have much nutritional value for the leopard gecko. As such, it is best to choose other healthier and safer insects.
Leopard geckos can eat a variety of worms, but earthworms are not a suitable choice. There are several reasons why most experts do not advocate earthworms as a proper diet for your geckos.
Below are some significant reasons why you should not give earthworms to your pet gecko. We will also discuss better, healthier, and safer insects you may offer the gecko.
Disadvantages Of Earthworms For Leopard Geckos
Some pet leopard gecko owners give these lizards earthworms, but if you are one them here are vital reasons to reconsider doing so.
Poor Calcium to Phosphorous Ratio
Regarding essential nutrients, calcium is arguably the most important for most reptiles, including leopard geckos. The benefits of a calcium-rich diet include healthy and strong bones and proper growth and development. Calcium also helps prevent metabolic bone disease (MBD), which affects most calcium-deficit reptiles.
While MBD is not very common in leopard geckos, it can be severe and fatal should the lizard suffer from it. Thus, it is best to avoid risking the illness.
Phosphorus, on the other hand, inhibits calcium absorption in your gecko. It is because phosphorus binds with the mineral, thus making it impossible for calcium to be absorbed in your gecko’s body. Such can lead to calcium deficiency, especially when prolonged.
A kilogram of earthworms contains about 444 mg calcium and 1590 mg phosphorus. This shows that earthworms have about four times more the amount of phosphorus than calcium which is not ideal.
To avoid calcium deficiency, always provide your pet lizard with insects that are high in calcium and low in phosphorus.
Unfortunately, and as seen above, earthworms do not meet this criterion, making them an unsuitable staple for leopard geckos.
High Moisture Amounts
Another thing that makes earthworms unsuitable for your pet leopard gecko is their high moisture content. With over 80% of their body composition being moisture, earthworms are of little nutritional benefit to the pet.
These geckos are naturally desert reptiles adapted to living in harsh desert climates with little to no moisture. They survive with minimal moisture, most of which they get from insects.
Due to the adaption, geckos do not quickly lose moisture. Therefore, when your pet leopard gecko feeds on earthworms, the high moisture may upset its bodily functions, leading to stomach upset. In addition, high moisture content can cause diarrhea in the gecko.
Prolonged diarrhea, in turn, leads to dehydration which can be fatal for your pet lizard.
Harmful Secretions
Yet another reason why you should reconsider giving earthworms to your leopard gecko is that earthworms have harmful secretions.
As a defense mechanism, earthworms secrete some fluid that wards off any predator that may want to harm them.
In addition, these insects also use this fluid to protect their eggs from these predators, making them less attractive to predators.
Apart from this fluid, earthworms also secrete mucus that keeps their bodies hydrated and moisturized.
This fluid aids them in both movement and respiration. Unfortunately, just like the secretion, the hydrating fluid makes it hard for leopard geckos to eat earthworms.
Possible Contamination
Earthworms are burrowing creatures that get most of their nutrition from the soil or dead and decaying animal and plant life. Due to this, there is a high chance that they may ingest materials that are infested with parasites and bacteria. When your gecko feeds on these earthworms, they may transfer the disease-causing organisms.
Contaminated food is one of the easiest ways your gecko may fall ill or die. For this reason, you may reconsider feeding your geckos earthworms.
Apart from parasites and bacteria, earthworms may feed on plants and soils that have been sprayed with chemicals, herbicides, and pesticides. Therefore, when your pet leopard gecko eats such earthworms, they also consume the chemicals.
Chemicals seriously threaten your gecko’s life since they gradually weaken the pet without your knowledge. In addition, since most of these chemicals are not easily digestible, they accumulate in your pet’s body.
When the toxicity rises to a critical level, your pet may face multiple organ failures, including the kidney and liver. Such can be fatal if not treated early; not to forget that the treatment can be costly too.
Collecting your earthworm from uncontaminated soils is the best way to avoid contamination. However, despite your best efforts, the soil may still be infested with parasites, thus ultimately affecting your geckos.
Therefore, the only surest way of avoiding your gecko getting infested with parasites is by avoiding feeding them earthworms, and if you must, avoid wild earthworms.
Risk of Impaction
Leopard geckos are not accustomed to feeding on giant insects, especially when they are still young. An ideal meal for a hatchling gecko is anything below 0.25 inches in length, while juvenile geckos can eat up to about 0.4 inches long. Adult geckos will comfortably munch on worms with lengths of up to 2.5 inches.
Any worms over 3 inches may cause digestion issues for your pet gecko. It is a vital consideration since adult earthworms may reach up to 9 inches long!
Even when your leopard gecko can chew such long earthworms and break them into small bits, it will still experience issues swallowing them. In addition, long earthworms can pose a significant risk of choking and impaction.
If you still want to give your leopard geckos earthworms, the best way to avoid impaction is by slicing them into smaller pieces, hence making it easier for your gecko to ingest them.
However, by chopping them, most nutrients go to waste, and the earthworms will quickly dry up.
From the reasons above, it is clear that earthworms are not a good option for your geckos. However, small and moderately sized earthworms have one significant advantage; they are easily digestible.
It is because they lack chitin, a tough substance common in most insects that is hard to digest.
Best Insect Alternatives for Leopard Geckos
It is evident that earthworms are not a good source of nutrition for your geckos; the disadvantages outweigh the benefits. As such, you must consider healthier and safer alternatives.
Gladly, there is a wide range of insects and worms that you can consider without necessarily having to endanger your pet’s life.
But first, what makes good food for a leopard gecko?
When choosing insects for your leopard gecko, ensure they are;
- Rich in calcium
- Not high in moisture
- Non-toxic
- Easily digestible
- Do not bite
- Rich in nutrients
- Easy for the leopard gecko to hunt as these lizards can get tired of chasing live insects in the enclosure
Now that we know what to look for in leopard gecko’s food, below are some of the best and most nutritious alternatives to consider as staple meals for your pet gecko instead of earthworms;
1. Mealworms
Mealworms are one of the most readily available worms for your pets. They are also easily accessible as you can quickly get them from your local pet store. In addition, they have a high calcium-phosphorous ratio, making them an ideal meal for your gecko.
Yet another advantage of mealworms is that they are high in protein and fat content. While this is a good thing, it is the reason you should avoid feeding too much of them, as your gecko can quickly become obese.
Another drawback is that grown mealworms can be challenging for your leopard gecko to chew because they are big and have a tough exoskeleton.
2. Dubia Roaches
Dubia roaches are another famous food among pet reptile owners, including those with leopard geckos. Some of the best qualities that make dubia roaches so popular include being rich in fat and having a high mineral and water content, besides having an excellent calcium-phosphorous ratio.
In addition, dubia roaches are flightless and silent, making them easy to catch and feed on. Besides, they are not noisy like crickets, so they do not stress your pet.
3. Super Worms
Yet another excellent insect choice for leopard geckos, we have super worms. One of the reasons why they are a popular choice is because they are some of the easiest worms to breed.
Another advantage of super worms is that they are long-lasting, making them a good source of nutrition for your gecko. In addition, with these worms, your gecko will not struggle with digestion are they are pretty easy to digest.
You, however, need to watch them as they have a high-fat content meaning your gecko can quickly gain excess fat if given super worms in plenty.
4. Hornworms
Hornworms are rich in calcium, proteins, and other nutrients vital to a leopard gecko. They also have decent moisture levels, which can help keep your pet leopard gecko hydrated. Another advantage is that they are easy to maintain.
Even so, you should note that hornworms grow big very quickly. Therefore, big hornworms are not suitable for even adult leopard geckos as with giant earthworms. Further, they can cause diarrhea if taken in high amounts due to their high moisture content.
5. Wax Worms
Wax worms are another excellent source of nutrition for your geckos. They are easy to find and breed. With rich nutrients and minerals, your gecko will undoubtedly benefit from eating wax worms.
While wax worms are good for leopard geckos, they should only be provided as occasional treats because they have a high-fat content. When exposed to such, your leopard gecko can grow obese in no time.
6. Silkworms
Silkworms are a good meal for your gecko because they have some beneficial nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
As a result, your gecko can gain many health benefits from them. They also have moderate fat content, meaning they can be used as regular meals without the risk of your gecko becoming obese.
Supplements for A Leopard Gecko
While the above insects are good for leopard geckos, it is still good to consider providing supplements to the lizard.
One of the best and easy ways of doing this is dusting these insects with calcium-rich foods. In addition, you can dust the insects with calcium supplements.
It is also wise to consider getting calcium supplements with minimal amounts of Vitamin D3 if the light in the enclosure does not have UVB.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Do Leopard Geckos Eat?
These lizards are insectivorous, meaning that they feed on insects. Even so, not all insects are safe for the reptile. Reaesrch or ask your vet to ensure that you give the pet appropriate foods.
Can Leopard Geckos Eat Dead Insects?
No, you should not give your pet leopard gecko any dead insects. The dead insects might be toxic to the lizard since it is always hard to tell what killed them, as they might harbor infections or diseases.
In addition, dead insects might have already started decaying, which makes them harmful to your leopard gecko due to the fungi and bacteria affecting their body.
Which Insects Do Leopard Geckos Eat?
Crickets, beetles, silkworms, butterworms, and tomato hornworms are suitable for leopard geckos. Other insects, such as super worms and waxworms, are still good for leopard geckos but only as a treat. They are rich in fat and can cause obesity if eaten frequently.
Conclusion
Earthworms are easy for leopard geckos to digest. However, they do not make a good meal choice because they are high in moisture, hard to chew when big, have harmful secretions and are low in calcium.
It is better to give your leopard gecko safer and more nutritious insects such as super worms, wax worms, silkworms, hornworms, and mealworms. Whichever insects you choose, ensure that they are non-toxic, rich in calcium, don’t have a lot of moisture, have moderate amounts of fat, and are easy for your pet leopard gecko to digest.