Short answer
Feed juveniles live insects daily or every other day, and adults every other day to two or three times a week. Use insects no bigger than the gecko's head, gut-load them for 24–48 hours, dust them with calcium, and add a multivitamin about once a week. Keep a dish of plain calcium and fresh water out, and remove uneaten insects after about 30 minutes.
Feeding schedule by age
Sources give slightly different schedules. All of them feed young geckos more often than adults.
| Age | VCA1 | RSPCA3 | Zen Habitats7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juvenile | Every 1–2 days | Daily | Daily |
| Young adult | — | — | Every 2–3 days |
| Adult | 2–3 times a week | Every other day | Every 4–7 days |
A practical routine: feed juveniles daily, young adults every second or third day, and adults two or three times a week. Then adjust to your gecko’s weight. Weigh it every week or two in grams. If the weight drops or the tail thins, feed more often; if it is gaining steadily as an adult, feed less often.
How much to feed
Two sources use the same rule of thumb: about two insects per inch of body length at each feeding.67 A 7-inch adult would get about 14 small crickets, or fewer if the insects are larger.
- Size: no insect bigger than the gecko’s head.3
- Time limit: remove anything not eaten within about 30 minutes,2 so loose insects do not bite the gecko.3
- Where: feeding in a separate container stops the gecko swallowing substrate.3
Which insects
| Insect | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crickets | Staple2 | Active, triggers hunting |
| Dubia roaches | Staple2 | Easy to keep; cannot climb smooth walls |
| Silkworms | Staple2 | Soft-bodied |
| Locusts | Staple2 | Common in the UK, less so in the US |
| Mealworms | In moderation2 | Fine as part of a mix |
| Superworms | In smaller numbers1 | Large |
| Waxworms | Treat only23 | High in fat |
Leopard geckos eat live insects.16 They do not eat fruit, vegetables or pinky mice.6
Gut-loading
Gut-loading means feeding the insects a nutritious diet before they become your gecko’s food. Feed them for 24–48 hours first.3 VCA suggests at least 24 hours, with fresh greens such as turnip greens, collards or parsley.1 The RVC recommends a complete invertebrate diet.2
Calcium and multivitamins
Insects are low in calcium, so supplements are not optional.
- Dust insects with calcium at feedings.14
- Keep a small dish of plain calcium in the enclosure all the time.13
- Add a reptile multivitamin. The Liverpool vet practice suggests once a week;4 the RVC alternates calcium and multivitamin dustings.2
- Feed right after dusting, before the powder falls off.2
- Follow the label to avoid overdosing.3
Young, fast-growing geckos need more. Vet Times describes calcium and multivitamin supplements daily for juveniles and every other day for adults.5
About vitamin D3: if your enclosure has no UVB lamp, use a calcium or multivitamin product that contains D3. If it does, ask your vet whether you need both. Too much D3 is also harmful. See Do leopard geckos need UVB?
A sample week for an adult
| Day | Feeding |
|---|---|
| Monday | Insects dusted with calcium |
| Wednesday | Insects dusted with calcium |
| Saturday | Insects dusted with a multivitamin |
| Every day | Fresh water and a dish of plain calcium |
This sample follows the adult frequency from VCA and the weekly multivitamin from the Liverpool vet practice.14 Adjust it with your vet, especially for juveniles and egg-laying females.
Water
Keep a shallow dish of clean water available at all times and change it daily.12 Do not add vitamin drops to the water.6
Common questions
How many crickets should a leopard gecko eat?
Reptiles Magazine and Zen Habitats both use a rule of about two insects per inch of the gecko's length at each feeding. Let your gecko's weight and tail be the guide: a slowly thinning tail means it needs more.
Can leopard geckos eat mealworms every day?
Mealworms are fine in moderation, but the RVC lists crickets, dubia roaches, silkworms and locusts as the main staples. Variety is better than one insect.
Can leopard geckos eat fruit or vegetables?
No. They are insectivores and eat live insects. Fruit and vegetables go to the insects as gut-load food, not to the gecko.
How long can a leopard gecko go without eating?
Adults store fat in their tails and may skip the odd meal. A gecko that refuses food and loses weight, or a juvenile that stops eating, should see a reptile vet.
Sources
Numbers in the text link to these sources. We checked each one on the date shown.
- 1Leopard Geckos: Care and FeedingGregory Rich, DVM. VCA Animal Hospitals. Checked Oct 29, 2026.
- 2Leopard gecko care factsheet (2024)Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital, Royal Veterinary College. Checked Oct 29, 2026.
- 3Leopard gecko care sheetRSPCA. Checked Oct 29, 2026.
- 4Leopard gecko husbandry and careFilipe Martinho, MRCVS. University of Liverpool Veterinary Practice. Checked Oct 29, 2026.
- 5Management, care and common conditions of leopard geckosMarie Kubiak. Vet Times. Checked Oct 29, 2026.
- 6Leopard Gecko Care SheetInformation from Ron Tremper. Reptiles Magazine. Checked Oct 29, 2026.
- 7Leopard Gecko Care GuideZen Habitats (enclosure maker). Checked Oct 29, 2026.
Update history
- : First published.
- : Re-checked every claim against its sources; corrected wording, numbers and attributions.