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How often to feed a leopard gecko — by age, feeders and schedule

Feeding a leopard gecko is simple once you match the frequency to the animal's age. Hatchlings are growing fast and eat almost daily; adults are easy to overfeed. Here's a practical schedule and the feeders worth keeping in rotation.

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Feeding frequency by age

• Hatchlings (0–4 months) — feed daily or every other day, offering as many appropriately sized insects as they'll eat in about 10–15 minutes.
• Juveniles (4–12 months) — feed every other day; they're still growing but no longer need a daily meal.
• Adults (12+ months) — feed roughly every 3–4 days. Two to four feeder insects per session is a common guideline, adjusted to body condition.

A simple portion rule of thumb: offer prey no wider than the space between the gecko's eyes, and count two appropriately sized insects per inch of the gecko's length per feeding for younger animals.

Best feeder insects

Build the diet around a few staples and rotate for variety. Good staples include crickets and dubia roaches — both lean and well-proportioned. Use richer feeders like mealworms, superworms and waxworms sparingly; waxworms in particular are fatty treats, not a main course. Always gut-load feeders with fresh vegetables for 24–48 hours before offering them, so the gecko gets the nutrition second-hand.

Supplementation matters as much as frequency

Leopard geckos need calcium and vitamin D3 to avoid metabolic bone disease. A common routine is to dust feeders with plain calcium at most feedings and a calcium-with-D3 plus multivitamin supplement once or twice a week. Many keepers also leave a small dish of plain calcium in the enclosure. Follow the directions on your specific products and don't over-supplement vitamin A and D3.

Reading body condition

The tail tells the story. A healthy leopard gecko stores fat in a plump tail roughly as wide as its neck. A pencil-thin tail suggests underfeeding or illness; an obese gecko with a bloated body and fat deposits suggests it's time to stretch the schedule. Weigh periodically and watch the trend rather than a single number.

If a gecko suddenly refuses food, loses weight, regurgitates, or shows lethargy or a thinning tail, consult an exotics vet — these can signal impaction, parasites or other issues.

Log feedings & weight in HerpLog →

HerpLog records every feeder, refusal and weight so you can dial in the right frequency over time. See also: leopard gecko care guide · reptile husbandry log app.