Are you worried about making sure your leopard gecko has a well-balanced diet?
Do you want to learn more about what leopard geckos love to eat?
Leopard geckos are commonly fed mealworms in captivity, and you might ask:
How many mealworms do I feed a leopard gecko?
The best way to determine the number of mealworms is to look at the size of your gecko. The animal should be fed two mealworms for every inch of your gecko’s total length. This means, for example, if you have a 4″ inch leopard gecko, you should feed it eight mealworms per feeding.
Proper feeding is one of the most important parts of caring for your pet.
Keep reading for more information on feeding mealworms to your leopard gecko.
Table of Contents
How Many Mealworms To Feed A Leopard Gecko
| Age of Leopard Gecko | How Often to Feed | How Many Mealworms to Feed |
| Baby | Once a day preferably in the evening | 2 to 3 small-sized mealworms |
| Juvenile | On alternate days | 3 to 4 mealworms |
| Adult | 2 to 3 times a week | 5 to 6 mealworms |
Leopard geckos are insectivores and are most commonly fed mealworms and crickets.
These two kinds of insects are the best for your pet, but you might settle on mealworms because they don’t escape into the cage, or perhaps because you won’t have the sometimes annoying chirping sound you get from crickets.
It is essential to feed your gecko the proper amount of mealworms to avoid overfeeding and causing your gecko to become obese.
Perhaps the easiest way to know how many mealworms to feed your leopard gecko is to measure your pet’s measurement.
For every inch in length of your gecko, give it two meal mealworms per feeding.
If your gecko is 4″ inches long, you will need eight meals, whereas a 3″ inch gecko will only need six meals at each feeding.
How Many Mealworms To Feed A Baby Leopard Gecko
While the above information might be helpful for some, others who have adopted a baby leopard gecko might still be wondering how much they should feed their new pet.
Use the same formula, whether you have a baby, juvenile, or adult leopard gecko.
Your baby gecko should be fed the two mealworms per inch in length, just like their adult counterparts.
The difference with baby leopard geckos is the frequency of the feedings.
And if you’re looking for a more general guide surrounding “how much to feed,” we have a post on how much to feed a leopard gecko that will start you off with a good baseline knowledge.
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How Often Do I Feed My Leopard Gecko
How much you feed your leopard gecko is just as important as how often you do the feedings.
While the two mealworms per inch rule apply to a leopard gecko of any age, the frequency is significantly different.
When you are feeding a baby leopard gecko, you will need to give them mealworms or other insects daily.
This is because they are growing and have a higher metabolism.
Baby Leopard Gecko Feeding Chart
| Day | What to Feed |
| Sunday | 3 mealworms and 3 crickets |
| Monday | 4 dubia roaches and 2 crickets |
| Tuesday | 3 mealworms and 3 crickets |
| Wednesday | 4 dubia roaches and 2 crickets |
| Thursday | 3 mealworms and 3 crickets |
| Friday | 4 dubia roaches and 2 crickets |
| Saturday | 4 dubia roaches and 2 crickets |
As they grow into adults, the leopard gecko will not need to be fed every day if they are healthy.
When your adult leopard gecko is healthy, reduce feedings to every other day, but increase if your pet has been or is sick.
As they regain their strength and recover from any sickness, a leopard gecko will need a little extra attention and should be fed every day.
Feedings are most effective late in the afternoon or early evening.
Adult Leopard Gecko Feeding Chart
| Day | What to Feed |
| Monday | 2 to 3 superworms and 4 crickets |
| Wednesday | 5 to 6 mealworms and 4 dubia roaches |
| Saturday | 2 to 3 superworms and 4 crickets |
In the wild, this is when these animals would be out hunting and feasting.
If you notice your leopard gecko isn’t eating when you feed them, mealworms can be left in a dish in the cage for extended periods so your pet can eat when it wants to.
What Else Can My Leopard Gecko Eat?
Are you concerned your gecko could get tired of eating only mealworms?
Adding other insects to the menu is a great way to add variety, but it also ensures your leopard gecko is getting a well-balanced diet.
Mealworms and crickets are among the best insects to feed your leopard gecko, and they are readily available.
Other options to introduce into your leopard gecko’s diet include waxworms, butterworms, silkworms, tomato hornworms, beetles, sowbugs, and cockroaches.
Waxworms* and butterworms should be fed to your leopard gecko more as a special treat, as these two are very high in fat, and too many too often can cause your gecko to become obese.
*Further Reading: Wax worms and how leopard geckos handle them
If you feed a leopard gecko butterworms too often, these animals have been known to become addicted and refuse to eat anything else.
Keep these as a treat, and you will be just fine.
What Not To Feed Your Leopard Gecko
As discussed above, your leopard gecko is an insectivore, and they should only be fed insects.
It is not a good idea to force your leopard gecko to eat any vegetables or fruits, really any vegetation or leafy greens.
Their bodies cannot digest these things as their bodies are designed for eating meat from insects.
If you give your pet the proper food, gut-loaded or dusted with supplements, they will get all the right nutrients they need, so don’t worry about adding other foods you think will be good for them.
There are a few you should never feed to your leopard gecko as they are toxic to them when it comes to insects.
Like fireflies, bugs you see lighting up are among the insects your leopard gecko cannot eat.
You should also never feed your pet any insects you catch from the wild.
This is because they may have ingested chemicals, parasites, or pesticides harmful to your pet.
It is better to be safe than sorry and not feed wild caught insects to your leopard gecko.
All insects should be live when fed to a leopard gecko and never pre-killed and dried.
Conclusion
Understanding the feeding habits and needs of your pet is essential to care for the animal properly.
When it comes to leopard geckos, you might look to add mealworms to their cage for their regular meals, and when you do, remember to feed two insects per inch of your gecko.
We hope you now have a better handle on feeding mealworms to your leopard gecko, no matter what age they are.
