Yes, geckos can eat hornworms, and most geckos love eating them. Hornworms are rich in moisture, thus helping keep your pet hydrated. Even so, you should only give them in moderation since hornworms can be addictive, yet they do not have the best nutritional content for a leopard gecko.
Leopard geckos feed on a variety of insects in the wild, including hornworms. The array helps meet their nutritional needs. However, when trying to imitate their wild diet in captivity, it is good to remember that not all insects make a staple diet for leopard geckos.
Below, we discuss the nutritional value of hornworms, their advantages to leopard geckos, and why you should only provide them as a treat.
Nutritional Value of Hornworms
| Item | Percentage Content |
| Moisture | 85% |
| Proteins | 9% |
| Fat | 3% |
| Fiber | 1.2% |
| Phosphorus | 139 mg/100 g |
| Calcium | 46 mg/100 g |
Benefits of Hormworms For Leopard Geckos
Leopard geckos feed on hornworms in the wild, and there must be good reasons for this. So here are the benefits of giving your leopard gecko hornworms, though just as a treat.
Rich In Moisture
Hornworms, as with most worms, are rich in moisture. It is vital since this lizard gets most of its hydration from insects. Unfortunately, these lizards are not excellent at drinking water. Therefore, to prevent dehydration and related issues, you need to occasionally feed the gecko with insects that hydrate them, such as hornworms.
Hornworms also make an excellent choice for a dehydrated leopard gecko.
Easy To Digest
Hornworms have soft skin, making them easy for your leopard gecko to digest. Even their horn-like structure is easy to digest, and they have no chitin, which is common in other insects such as mealworms and crickets. As such, hornworms have minimal risk of choking or causing impaction for your leopard gecko.
Low In Fats
These worms only have about 3% fat content. It is significantly low compared to other insects, such as mealworms. Low-fat content reduces the risk of obesity in your leopard gecko. Obesity can be challenging to reverse in leopard geckos and severely affect the pet’s quality of life.
Easy to Catch
Leopard geckos are not great at hunting, and insects that move a lot, such as crickets, can be challenging for the pet to feed. Gladly, hornworms move slowly and do not fly; your leopard gecko will catch them quickly.
Disadvantages of Hornworms For Leopard Geckos
Low In Proteins
Proteins are vital in leopard geckos for the growth and development of various organ systems. Sadly, hornworms are low in this essential nutrient, which can lead to protein-deficiency-related problems such as stunted growth. Therefore, giving your pet gecko other protein-rich insects such as super worms, crickets, and mealworms is wise.
Addictive
Leopard geckos love the taste of hornworms and can easily get addicted to them. Such is not good since your pet might refuse to eat other more nutritious worms making it hard to provide a balanced diet.
Short Lifespan
Hornworms hardly last for more than two months. The short lifespan can lead to wastage, especially since you only feed a few hornworms to the lizard weekly. Given how expensive these hornworms are, such wastage can make the cost of keeping your leopard gecko high.
Grow Fast
Besides their short lifespan, hornworms also grow quickly and can grow big. It is no wonder that they are, at times, called Goliath worms. A juvenile leopard gecko can still eat grown hornworms, but it is not advisable.
Tips On How To Enhance Hornworms’ Nutritional Value for Your Leopard Gecko
While hornworms are only suitable as a treat, you can do a few things to them so that your gecko gets optimal benefits from eating them. They include:
Dusting
You can dust the hornworms with multivitamins and calcium powder before giving them to your leopard gecko. Such helps increase the nutrients your leopard gecko gets since hornworms are not nutrient-rich.
Gut-loading
Gut-loading is common in feeding leopard geckos and other insect or worm-eating pets. It means feeding the insects with nutrients and minerals-rich foods within a specific duration before feeding the insects to your leopard geckos.
By doing so, you indirectly pass these nutrients to your leopard gecko, thus increasing the amount your gecko gets from eating the insects.
However, it is worth noting that gut-loading hornworms is not easy because hornworms love sweet foods and hardly feed on anything else.
Besides gut-loading and dusting, you should also consider providing supplements to meet your leopard gecko’s nutritional needs.
How Many Hornworms Should My Leopard Gecko Eat?
Hornworms are an occasional treat; the correct number to give your leopard gecko depends on its size.
A juvenile leopard gecko should not eat more than 3 small hornworms at a go. Else, they might become addicted or sick.
On the other hand, adult leopard geckos can eat up to 4 hornworms in one sitting. Even so, hornworms should not be given to any leopard gecko more than 2 times a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Worms Safe for Leopard Geckos?
Yes, a variety of worms, including silkworms, hornworms, super worms, and wax worms, are safe for leopard geckos. Before providing them as a staple, research to see if the worms have the right nutritional balance for your pet leopard gecko.
Can A Baby Leopard Gecko Eat Hornworms?
Yes, baby and juvenile leopard geckos can eat hornworms. Even when grown, hornworms are often not too big for a leopard gecko, and there is minimal risk of choking. Even so, it is best to choose small hornworms for your baby or juvenile leopard gecko, as they are easier to digest.
Are Hornworms Harmful To A Leopard Gecko?
No, hornworms are not harmful to your leopard gecko. They are very safe for the lizard to eat and do not have toxins. In addition, hornworms do not bite or sting the gecko, despite having a horn-like structure.
Ensure you get your hornworms from a credible source since others might contain parasites. Parasitic infections in leopard geckos are dangerous as they can lead to extreme sickness in the lizard. Consider refrigerating your hornworms first, as this kills most parasites, including mites and ticks.
Conclusion
Hornworms are rich in moisture, low in fats, and easy for the leopard gecko to catch and eat. Even so, they do not meet the nutritional needs of your pet leopard geckos because they are low in proteins, among other nutrients.
As such, hornworms are only a good choice for a leopard gecko when given as a treat, not a staple.
Dusting and gut-loading the hornworms can benefit your leopard gecko more than providing plain hornworms.