{"id":211,"date":"2021-05-16T18:44:33","date_gmt":"2021-05-16T18:44:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beingreptiles.com\/?p=211"},"modified":"2022-10-26T08:17:08","modified_gmt":"2022-10-26T08:17:08","slug":"can-leopard-geckos-eat-worms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beingreptiles.com\/can-leopard-geckos-eat-worms\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Leopard Geckos Eat Worms? 8 Types of Worms to Feed Them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many types of worms are a great source of nutrition for leopard gecko pets. They provide protein, calcium, and fat. However, there are some worms that are recommended for geckos, and others are not good for the reptile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leopard geckos eat different types of worms including mealworms, superworms, silkworms, and phoenix worms with the exception of earthworms. Most types of worms nourish geckos with proteins, calcium, and other important dietary requirements.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can leopard geckos eat earthworms?<\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Types<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Leopard geckos can eat earthworms, but they should not be their main source of food. In fact, the geckos do not like eating earthworms because they secrete an unpleasant substance when under duress that the lizards don’t like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earthworm can provide a good amount of protein and fat to gecko pets, but also contain high levels of calcium that is bad for the animal’s long-term health<\/strong>. This type of worm can cause kidney stones in leopard geckos over time because it contains too much calcium and phosphorus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of Worms to Feed a Leopard Gecko<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Various types of worms can be eaten by leopard geckos without any problems, including black soldier fly larvae (larvae), mealworms, waxworms, silkworm pupae, etc. They all offer different nutritional benefits for lizards that can vary from one type to another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the types of worms you can feed your leopard gecko:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Waxworms<\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"Wax<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

You can feed your gecko waxworms, which are high in fat and protein. They also offer a great source of calcium for the gecko as well. This is the most nutritious type of worm you can feed your gecko because they are high in fat, protein, and energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Waxworms can make up one-third of your leopard gecko’s diet. However, it is good to feed 1-3 waxworms your gecko 1-3 times per week depending on the size of the reptile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s a table with waxworm feeding information for leopard geckos:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutrition<\/strong><\/td>Fat 22.19%, Protein 15.50%, Fiber 7.69%<\/td><\/tr>
Number of worms<\/strong><\/td>3-5 waxworms<\/td><\/tr>
Feeding frequency<\/strong><\/td>1-3 times per week<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pro tip: <\/u><\/strong>Feed leopard geckos waxworms sparingly. Geckos can easily become spoiled on waxworms and soon enough, you may notice them refusing to eat other foods.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Superworms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Super<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Superworms are a great food for your gecko because it provides them with the perfect balance of protein, fat and other nutrients that make up their diet. You can offer one or two superworms per week as treats to your gecko to keep it happy and healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feeding your gecko too many superworms can lead to obesity because of the high fat content, so make sure to monitor your gecko’s weight and limit its intake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The general rule of thumb is that you can feed your lizard 2 feeder superworms for every inch of the gecko’s length. Use superworms<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutrition<\/strong><\/td>60% moisture, 19% protein, 16% fat, 4% fiber.<\/td><\/tr>
Number of worms<\/strong><\/td>1-3 superworms<\/td><\/tr>
Feeding frequency<\/strong><\/td>Once a week<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Note<\/em><\/strong>: For baby leopard geckos, superworms can be too big and difficult to chew. Limit feeding them this food until when they grow to at least 6-8 inches long.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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READ MORE: Leopard Gecko Superworms: Nutrition and Safety Measures<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. Butterworms<\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"Butterworms<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Butterworms can be great food for leopard geckos. They are widely available and provide the perfect amount of protein, fat, calcium, sodium, phosphorous, magnesium, and vitamins A to D without being overly rich in any one nutrient which is important when feeding lizards because of their small stomachs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Butterworms also help prevent constipation among other things because the worms’ diet consists primarily of high-fiber plant material such as leaves from palm trees or old coconuts that contain cellulose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feed your leopard gecko 5 butterworms per day<\/strong> to keep them well-fed and healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutrition<\/td>60% moisture, 16% protein, 17% fat, 1% fiber<\/td><\/tr>
Number of worms<\/td>2-5 butterworms<\/td><\/tr>
Feeding frequency<\/td>Once a week as a treat.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Note<\/strong>: Leopard geckos can get addicted to butterworms quite easily, so use them as a treat only. Their high fat content can also make your gecko obese. You want to give just a few of these worms just once a week to keep the reptile’s weight in check.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caution<\/u><\/strong>: Butterworms secrete an acid-like substance that can irritate the gut of your pet, so limit the number and frequency of feeding your leopard gecko with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Phoenix worms (calci worms)<\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"Phoenix<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Phoenix worms(black soldier fly larvae) are commonly used as a feeder insect for reptiles, and can be an excellent choice as a treat. In terms of nutrition, they provide the leopard gecko with high moisture content, protein, calcium to keep bones strong; and vitamin A which is necessary for eye function and reproduction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The phoenix worm should not be offered more than once per week or it may contain too much fat<\/strong> in its tissue that can lead to obesity in reptiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, phoenix worms have around 200mg of chitin per gram so while it’s very nutritious, they can cause impaction in your gecko’s gut<\/strong> that can cause discomfort and even death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also shouldn’t be just any old phoenix worm that you’re picking up from pet store shelves – make sure you get them from reputable breeders who don’t use pesticides on crops where their ingredients come from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutrition<\/td>64% moisture, 17% protein, 11%    fat, 6% fiber<\/td><\/tr>
Number of worms<\/td>2-5 (depending on the size)<\/td><\/tr>
Feeding frequency<\/td>Once per week<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

5. Buffalo worms<\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"Buffalo<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Buffalo worms are the larvae of a small beetle and are about 1cm long. Due to their small size, they’re commonly used as a mealworm” type of insect food for pet geckos and lizards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buffalo worms are a great type of worms to feed leopard geckos with. They are specifically great for baby geckos because of their small size, thin exoskeleton,and softer texture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n