Feeding Schedule for Crested Geckos
How often to Feed
When determining how much to feed your crested gecko, it’s best to offer them a small amount of food that they can consume within 15-20 minutes. This helps prevent any unnecessary waste and ensures that they are eating a balanced diet.
Best Types of Food
In addition to the powdered diet, occasionally offering live insects such as crickets or small mealworms can provide mental and physical stimulation for your crested gecko. Fruits like mashed bananas or pureed mango can also be offered in small amounts as a treat.
Feeding Tips and Considerations
Another important consideration is to provide a suitable habitat for your crested geckos. A well-maintained terrarium with hiding spots, climbing branches, and appropriate temperatures will contribute to their overall well-being and appetite.
How Often to Feed Crested Geckos
Feeding your crested geckos is an essential part of their care routine. Proper feeding ensures that they receive the necessary nutrients to thrive and maintain good health. So, how often should you feed your crested geckos?
The general recommendation for feeding crested geckos is every other day. This means feeding them once in every 48 hours. However, it’s crucial to consider the age, size, and overall health of your geckos when determining their feeding schedule.
Feeding Schedule Considerations:
3. Health: If your crested gecko is sick or recovering from an illness, it may have specific dietary needs or limitations. In such cases, it’s best to consult with a reptile veterinarian to determine the appropriate feeding schedule and diet for your gecko’s specific condition.
Feeding Tips:
1. Offer a variety of food: Crested geckos are omnivorous and enjoy a diverse diet. Provide a mix of live insects, such as crickets and mealworms, as well as fruit-based commercial gecko diets. This ensures they receive a balanced nutritional intake.
2. Dust insects with calcium powder: To support proper bone development, sprinkle a calcium supplement on the live insects before feeding them to your geckos. This is especially important for growing geckos and breeding females.
4. Provide fresh water: Always have a shallow dish of fresh water available in your gecko’s enclosure. Change the water daily to ensure cleanliness and hydration.
Summary
| Frequency | Age | Size | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Every other day | Young geckos | Small geckos | Consult with a vet |
| Adjust accordingly | Adult geckos | Large geckos | Recoveries |
By following a proper feeding schedule and considering the specific needs of your crested geckos, you can ensure their overall health and well-being.
Best Types of Food for Crested Geckos: What and How Often to Feed
Insects:
Crested geckos should be offered a variety of insects as part of their diet. Some suitable options include gut-loaded crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and roaches. Insects provide essential protein and other nutrients for your gecko’s growth and development. However, insects should only make up a small portion of their diet, usually around 20%.
Fruits:
Fruits are another important component of a crested gecko’s diet. Offer a variety of mashed, well-ripened fruits such as bananas, mangoes, papayas, and apricots. These fruits are not only tasty for your gecko but also rich in vitamins and minerals necessary for their overall health. Fruits should make up around 50% of their diet.
Commercially available crested gecko diets:
There are also commercially available crested gecko diets specifically formulated to meet the nutritional needs of these reptiles. These diets usually come in a powder form that you mix with water to create a paste. They contain a balanced blend of fruits, insect protein, vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients. Commercial diets are convenient and can make up the remaining 30% of your gecko’s diet.
How often to feed:
Crested geckos should be fed every day. Offer a small amount of food in the evening when they are most active. Adult geckos can usually be fed every other day. It is essential to monitor your gecko’s eating habits and adjust the feeding schedule accordingly. Remember to remove any leftover food after a few hours to prevent spoilage and the growth of bacteria.
Feeding Tips and Considerations
1. How Often to Feed:
2. Types of Food:
3. Feeding Tips:
To ensure your crested gecko receives proper nutrition, here are some feeding tips:
- Offer a variety of live insects to provide different nutrients.
- Provide a shallow dish with fruit purees or nectars for your gecko to lick off.
- Gut-load live insects with nutritious food before feeding them to your gecko.
- Remove uneaten food after 24 hours to prevent spoiling and attracting pests.
4. Considerations:
When feeding crested geckos, there are a few additional considerations to keep in mind:
- Provide a calcium supplement to ensure proper bone development.
- Ensure your gecko has access to clean, fresh water at all times.
- Monitor your gecko’s weight and adjust feeding amounts as necessary.
- Observe your gecko for any signs of illness or dietary deficiencies.
By following these feeding tips and considerations, you can help ensure that your crested gecko receives a balanced diet and maintains optimal health.
I’m Lena Adams—a product of an unconventional upbringing in the African wilderness. My father, a daring explorer of African wildlife, sparked my fascination with reptiles, a passion that intertwined with the tragic loss of my mother during an expedition, leaving an indelible mark on my life. Driven to understand the creatures that captivated my parents, I embarked on my journey, sharing insights about reptiles, frogs, and lizards on my website. Through my explorations and conservation efforts, I honour my family’s legacy while seeking connections—to the creatures, nature, and the mother whose presence I yearn to understand.