The best crested gecko diet is a commercial powdered gecko food (CGD) mixed with water, plus gut-loaded insects like crickets offered a few times a week.
Get it wrong, and you’ll deal with nutritional deficiencies that are hard to reverse. The good news: the ideal crested gecko diet is simpler than most new owners expect. A high-quality powdered meal replacement serves as the staple, live insects add protein, and fruit is only an occasional treat — never the main course.
The Staple Food: Commercial Crested Gecko Diet
Commercial crested gecko diet — often called CGD or meal replacement powder (MRP) — is the foundation of a healthy feeding plan. You mix the powder with water to a ketchup-like consistency and offer it in a shallow dish. Repashy, Pangea, Zoo Med, and Exo Terra all make well-regarded formulas.
The RSPCA advises picking a good-brand powder and warns against products that list wheat, rice, or bran as main ingredients, since crested geckos struggle to digest grains. Mix only as much as your gecko will eat in one night, and toss anything left uneaten the next morning.
Choosing the right powder matters more than most owners think. If you’re comparing options, the roundup we’ve tested covers what actually works: our picks for the best crested gecko food.
Supplemental Foods: Insects and Fruit
Live insects round out the diet with protein and natural hunting stimulation. Crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and roaches all work as supplemental feeders. Petco recommends offering insects at night two to three times per week for adults, and removing any uneaten insects the next morning — crickets left overnight will stress a gecko and can even bite it.
Gut-loading is the key step. Insects fed nutritious food for 24 hours before serving pass those nutrients on to your gecko. Petco also advises dusting insects with calcium at every feeding and adding a multivitamin once or twice a week.
Can Crested Geckos Eat Fruit?
Yes, but only as a treat.
| Food Type | How Often | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial CGD powder | Daily for juveniles; every 2–3 days for adults | Mix with water; remove uneaten portions in the morning |
| Gut-loaded crickets | 2–3 times weekly | Dust with calcium each feeding; remove leftovers overnight |
| Mealworms or waxworms | 2–3 times weekly | Higher in fat; use as variety, not the only insect |
| Roaches | 2–3 times weekly | Nutritious alternative to crickets |
| Baby food fruit (peach, apricot) | Once weekly as a treat | Never citrus; RSPCA says to skip banana |
Feeding Schedule by Age
Young geckos grow fast and need more frequent meals. Hatchlings and juveniles commonly get fresh CGD daily, with insects offered one to two times per week. Adults slow down: CGD every two to three days with insects about once weekly suits most mature geckos.
Watch body condition rather than following a rigid calendar. A plump tail and rounded belly mean you’re feeding enough; a thin tail and visible ribs signal underfeeding. Obesity is equally common in adult geckos, so if your gecko looks chunky, stretch the gap between feedings to every three days.
Foods to Never Feed
Several foods are actively harmful. Never offer insects caught outdoors, since wild insects may carry pesticides. And avoid any CGD product with grain fillers like wheat, rice, or bran listed near the top of the ingredient list.
Water is part of the diet too. Crested geckos drink from droplets on leaves, so mist the enclosure every evening and let it dry during the day. A shallow water dish adds a backup source.
FAQs
Do crested geckos need live insects if they eat CGD?
Not strictly, but insects are strongly recommended. Quality CGD formulas are nutritionally complete on their own, so a gecko can survive on powder alone. Adding gut-loaded crickets two to three times weekly provides natural protein variety, mental stimulation from hunting, and closer mimicry of their wild diet.
How often should I feed a baby crested gecko?
Offer fresh CGD daily to hatchlings and juveniles. Their rapid growth demands frequent fuel. Keep the portion small — about a teaspoon of mixed powder — and remove any uneaten food each morning. Add insects one to two times weekly once they’re eating well.
Can crested geckos eat mealworms as a staple?
No. Mealworms are high in fat and low in the calcium-to-phosphorus balance geckos need when fed exclusively. Use them as an occasional variety insect alongside crickets or roaches, and always dust them with calcium before serving.
References & Sources
- RSPCA. “Crested Gecko Care Sheet.” Covers diet composition, CGD use, and the calcium risks of citrus and banana.
- Petco. “Crested Gecko Care Sheet.” Details feeding frequency, insect supplementation, and calcium dusting schedules.
- Petco. “Crested Gecko Care Sheet (2016).” Earlier edition covering the same core dietary guidance.