Do Geckos Only Eat Insects? (What’s Really on Their Menu

Most geckos mainly eat insects, but some species also eat fruit, nectar, or other small foods. It really depends on the kind of gecko and where it lives. Some are picky hunters, while others are more flexible with what they eat.

Why Bugs Are The Main Food For Geckos

Insects are small, easy to catch, and packed with protein, the perfect food for a gecko’s body.

In the wild, a gecko will hunt crickets, beetles, moths, flies, and even spiders. These insects give them the energy to move, climb, and stay alert.

Protein keeps their muscles strong, their tails healthy, and their colors bright. Basically, insects work like a natural multivitamin, full of nutrients that help them survive.

How Geckos Hunt Insects

Geckos may look cute and calm, but when it comes to hunting, they’re serious. Most hunt at night when bugs are out.

Their big, sensitive eyes can spot even the tiniest movement in the dark, and their sticky toe pads let them climb up walls or plants without making a sound.

Some geckos sit perfectly still and wait for an insect to come close. When it does, they snap forward fast and grab it with their tongue and jaws.

Watching one hunt feels like watching a tiny, silent predator doing what it does best.

Do All Geckos Only Eat Bugs?

Not all of them. While most geckos mainly eat insects, a few also enjoy other foods.

• Crested geckos eat insects in the wild but also go for soft fruits like bananas or figs, and sometimes nectar.

• Day geckos often sip nectar and eat sweet fruit from flowers or trees.

• Leopard geckos, though, stick almost completely to insects.

So while bugs are the main food for most, not every gecko is strictly an insect-eater.

Why Some Geckos Eat Fruit

For geckos living in tropical forests, fruit is a natural source of sugar and hydration.

Crested geckos from New Caledonia, for example, eat soft fruit that’s fallen to the ground. Nectar also gives them extra water and energy.

Even though a gecko’s body is designed for catching insects, it can digest some fruit. That extra bit of variety keeps its diet balanced and helps with energy for climbing, escaping, and even breeding.

Can Pet Geckos Eat Anything Besides Bugs?

If you keep a gecko as a pet, you can copy what it would eat in the wild, but you’ve got to do it carefully.

For strictly insect-eating species like leopard geckos:

• Feed crickets, mealworms, or dubia roaches.

• Dust the insects with calcium and vitamins to keep them healthy.

For fruit or nectar eaters like crested or day geckos:

• Offer fruit purees or special powdered gecko diets made for them.

• You can still give live insects sometimes for variety.

Basically, it depends on the kind of gecko you have. Feeding the wrong foods too often can make your gecko sick.

Why Live Food Is Important

Geckos like to chase what moves. Movement triggers their hunting instincts. That’s why most prefer live insects, watching them hop or crawl sets off a natural reaction to strike.

If you try giving a gecko food that doesn’t move, it might just ignore it, even if it’s hungry. That’s why feeding dead bugs or random fruit without any movement usually doesn’t work well for insect-only species.

How Often Should Geckos Eat?

Young geckos are always hungry because they’re growing fast. They might eat every day. Adults eat less, maybe every two or three days, depending on how big the food is.

Fruit-eating species may nibble a few times throughout the day, especially if the fruit is soft and juicy.

Keeping a good feeding schedule helps your gecko stay healthy and keeps problems like obesity away.

Leopard Gecko vs Crested Gecko Diet

Leopard geckos live in dry, rocky areas of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India. Bugs are everywhere at night, but fruit is rare.

They hunt crickets, moths, and beetles, swallowing them whole. Their tails store fat for times when food is hard to find. Their bodies are built completely for insect hunting, not fruit eating.

Crested geckos, on the other hand, come from tropical forests in New Caledonia. They hunt insects but also eat soft fruit that drops from trees. Sometimes, they even lick nectar from flowers.

In captivity, crested geckos do great on a mix of fruit-based powdered diets and a few insects. That setup is close to what they’d get in the wild.

How Diet Affects Shedding And Health

Protein from bugs and moisture from fruit help geckos shed their skin easily. Without enough nutrients, shedding can get messy and incomplete.

Calcium and vitamin supplements are also very important to prevent weak bones or other health problems. This matters even more for pet geckos that don’t get natural sunlight or a variety of insects like wild ones do.

Can Geckos Eat Vegetables?

Not really. Geckos aren’t built to digest leafy greens or hard plant parts. Their stomachs just can’t handle that kind of food.

Some fruit-eating geckos can have a little soft fruit or pureed veggies once in a while, but for the most part, insects or proper gecko diet formulas are best.

How To Offer A Balanced Diet

For insect-eating geckos:

• Feed live insects and dust them with calcium and vitamins.

• Switch between different insect types for variety.

For fruit-eating geckos:

• Offer fruit-based diet powders mixed with water.

• Give live insects occasionally for enrichment.

Always check what your specific gecko species needs before adding new foods. It’s an easy way to avoid health issues later.

How Geckos Catch And Eat Bugs

Geckos use their tongues and small sharp teeth to catch food. Most bugs get swallowed whole. Their tongue flicks out fast, almost like a mini catapult, sending the bug straight into the mouth.

Some geckos are smart enough to wait for a bug to come close, showing patience that surprises many owners. This hunting instinct is exactly why live insects are so important, it keeps them active and alert.

What Happens If A Gecko Eats Only One Kind Of Bug

Feeding the same insect over and over, like crickets every day, can cause problems. Not all bugs have the same nutrients. Some lack calcium or vitamins, which can lead to weak bones, slow growth, or shedding trouble.

Variety is key. Mixing crickets, mealworms, and roaches, plus adding supplements, keeps your gecko strong and healthy.

Can Geckos Eat Human Food?

No. Geckos can’t eat processed human food like bread, cheese, or sweets. Their bodies just aren’t made for that, and it can make them very sick or even kill them.

Even geckos that eat fruit should stick to natural or powdered forms, not sugary snacks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do geckos only eat insects?

Most geckos eat mostly insects, but not all of them eat only bugs. Insect-eating geckos (like leopard or house geckos) hunt crickets, roaches, and worms. But others, like crested or day geckos, also eat fruit, nectar, or fruit-based diets.

Do geckos only eat bugs?

Leopard and house geckos mostly go after crickets, roaches, and mealworms. Crested and day geckos, on the other hand, enjoy soft fruits or nectar too. Bugs make up most of their diet, but some like to mix in a bit of sweetness now and then.

Can geckos survive on a diet only consisting of bugs?

Yes, many geckos can survive on a diet of only bugs, as long as those insects are nutritious and gut-loaded.

In the wild, most geckos eat insects exclusively, which provide protein, fat, and some vitamins. In captivity, though, you need to make sure the bugs are healthy and sometimes dusted with calcium or vitamins, because a diet of plain insects alone might miss key nutrients over time.

Conclusion

So, do geckos only eat insects?

Mostly yes, but not all of them. Many geckos eat insects for protein and energy, but tropical species like crested or day geckos also enjoy fruit and nectar.

The main thing is to know what kind of gecko you have and feed it the right foods. Bug eaters do best with live insects, while fruit eaters need fruit and sometimes insects too.

Feeding the right diet keeps your gecko healthy, colorful, and active. Insects might be the main course, but for some geckos, a little fruit makes life even sweeter.