Feeding

The core of a crested gecko's diet should be a complete powdered gecko food, such as Pangea or Repashy, mixed with water to a smooth, ketchup-like paste. These formulas are built to meet nutritional needs on their own, so no fruit or insects are required.

• Hatchlings and juveniles: every night, or at least every other night
• Adults: 2 to 3 times per week

Offer food in a small dish on a raised ledge in the evening, since the gecko is active at night. Remove uneaten food after 24 hours because it spoils quickly, and always keep fresh water available.

Insects are optional. Once or twice a week, many keepers offer a few insects as enrichment. Choose insects no wider than the space between the gecko's eyes, such as small dubia roaches, crickets or black soldier fly larvae. Buy them from a reputable source and never feed wild-caught insects, which can carry parasites and pesticides. Fireflies are toxic and must never be fed.

Avoid feeding fruit as the main diet, baby food, meat and human foods. A gecko on a fruit-only diet can miss out on protein, calcium and vitamins.

Weigh your gecko monthly on a gram scale. Steady gain in a young gecko and stable weight in an adult is the best sign your feeding routine works. A gecko that stops eating, loses weight or shows a thin tail base should be checked by an exotic vet.