No human food is safe for leopard geckos. The reptile feeds on insects and should not be given any other food. It means you can’t give your pet leopard gecko veggies, fruits, salads, eggs, and any other cuisine, irrespective of how much you want to share a meal with the pet.
Human food is often tasty, and while you might want to give your lizard a taste of the same, it is a bad idea .Leopard geckos’ digestive system is not adapted for human food. It is alkaline, unlike the human, which is acidic; it is also short, unlike humans, which is long enough to facilitate effective digestion and absorption of human food.
Toxic Foods for Leopard Geckos
Human food is not the only one you should avoid with your pet lizard. Below are other toxic foods for the lizard; you should never give to a leopard gecko.
Wild Insects
Wild insects often carry harmful chemicals and parasites. Such can affect your leopard gecko when it consumes the same. In addition, they are likely to feed on rotten and other hygienic foods. So, when your leopard gecko eats them, it will transmit the same. Such can cause severe illnesses or even death.
Dead Insects
Dead insects are not as nutritious as live ones. In addition, leopard geckos are used to hunting insects in the wild, which keeps them active and satisfies their urge to hunt. By avoiding dead insects, you are imitating the pet’s natural habitat and ensuring that they feed on nutritionally rich foods.
Another disadvantage of dead insects, other than when freeze-dried, is that they might have bacteria and fungi as they decay.
Lightning Insects
Fireflies and other insects that light up are toxic to leopard geckos.
5 Suitable Foods for Leopard Geckos
Suitable foods for leopard geckos are primarily insects, and such hardly form a part of the ordinary human diet. So here are insects ideal for leopard geckos.
Crickets
Crickets are easily digestible, low in fats, and rich in proteins, making them ideal for leopard geckos. If your gecko enjoys hunting, it will love crickets since they jump, thus will trigger its instincts to hunt. The downside to crickets is that they are noisy, making the environment stressful for the lizard.
Dubia Roaches
Dubia roaches are arguably one of the most common leopard gecko foods. This is because they have suitable calcium, protein, and fat levels. In addition, they do not bite the lizard, nor do they make noise. Your pet leopard gecko will also benefit from the moderate moisture content of the insect.
Mealworms
Mealworms are one of the most common insect choices among pet reptile owners, and there are good reasons for this. The insects are readily available, affordable, and easy to breed. In addition, they make a suitable choice for leopard geckos and are long-lasting.
However, they are rich in fats which can make them addictive. Further, they don’t have excellent calcium levels for a leopard gecko.
Silkworms
These are the larval stage of silk moths. Although not as nutritious as some other insects here, silkworms are richer in calcium and proteins than most other larval insects for leopard geckos. Don’t worry about the lifespan of these worms since your leopard geckos will still eat them even when they grow to become silk moths.
If you still desire to share a meal with your leopard gecko, you may experiment with crickets. Of late, there has been a significant increase in people eating crickets because of their nutritional value. Likewise, some people eat silk moths due to their protein and fats.
Black Soldier Larvae
These insects are rich in calcium and have one of the highest calcium contents among larval insects for leopard geckos. Calcium is vital for bone development and the general functioning of the reptile’s organs. Black soldier larvae flies are also low in fat compared to crickets and mealworms, making them better at lowering the risk of obesity in the lizard.
Gut-loading Leopard Gecko Insects with Human Foods
While leopard geckos can’t eat human foods, you can feed them indirectly with some nutritious raw human foods. For instance, you can provide the above insects with potatoes within 24 hours before giving them to the lizard. Such helps increase the moisture content in the insects the gecko feeds on.
Other human foods you can gut-load leopard gecko insects include vegetables such as carrots, green beans, broccoli, apples, yellow squash, collard greens, and kale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Give My Leopard Geckos Human Food?
No, human food is not suitable for leopard geckos. The lizards only feed on insects and fresh water.
What Should I Do If My Leopard Gecko Eats Human Food?
It is not unheard of for leopard geckos to accidentally eat human food, especially fruits and veggies. If that happens, observe the pet and call an exotic vet if you notice signs of illness, such as lethargy, swollen eyes, etc. Some are not affected by human food, while others will vomit the food due to stomach upsets.
What Foods Do Geckos Eat?
Most types of geckos, including leopard geckos, frog-eyed geckos, African-tailed, house geckos, and tokay geckos, are insectivores and mainly feed on crickets, moths, roaches, and worms. Others, such as crested geckos, feed on vegetables and insects. Verify your geckos’ diet before providing it with fruits or vegetables.
Conclusion
Leopard geckos should not be fed human food. Doing so can make the animal sick and is not worth risking. The only food you can share with a leopard gecko is crickets or silk moths if you are one of the few who indulge in these non-conventional human foods.
Gut-loading leopard gecko insects with nutrient-rich raw vegetables are the closest you should come to sharing your food with the lizard.
