🦎 Introduction
Crested geckos are known for their ease of care—and one big reason is their simple diet. Unlike many reptiles, they don’t require live insects daily. Instead, they thrive on specialized fruit-based meal replacement powders (MRPs) and occasional treats.
In this complete guide, you’ll learn what crested geckos eat, how often to feed them, and what foods to avoid at all costs.
🥣 The Staple: Meal Replacement Powder (MRP)
This is the main diet for most pet crested geckos.
✅ What it is:
A complete powdered mix with fruit, protein, vitamins, and calcium
✅ How to use:
- Mix 2:1 ratio of water to powder
- Serve in a shallow dish
- Replace every 24 hours (don’t let it rot)
Best brands:
- Pangea
- Repashy
- Zoo Med
- Lugarti
🦗 Insects: Optional but Encouraged
While MRPs provide complete nutrition, crested geckos enjoy hunting live insects 1–2 times per week for enrichment.
✅ Safe insects:
- Crickets
- Dubia roaches
- Black soldier fly larvae
- Silkworms (treat)
Always dust insects with calcium + D3 and feed in a feeding container to avoid escapes.
🍌 Fruit Treats (Use Sparingly)
Fresh fruit can be offered once a week as a treat, not a staple.
✅ Safe fruits:
- Banana (mashed)
- Mango
- Papaya
- Watermelon
- Fig
❌ Avoid citrus (too acidic), grapes, and avocado (toxic).
🗓️ Feeding Schedule
| Age/Stage | MRP Frequency | Insects |
|---|---|---|
| Hatchlings (0–6 mo) | Daily | 1–2x/week |
| Juveniles (6–12 mo) | Daily or every 2 days | 1–2x/week |
| Adults (12+ mo) | Every other day | 1x/week optional |
💧 Water & Hydration
- Mist enclosure 1–2 times daily for humidity and drinking
- Provide a small shallow water dish, though many won’t use it
- Hydration also comes from food and fruit-based MRP
🧂 Supplements: What You Still Need
Even if using MRP, it’s helpful to:
- Offer calcium with D3 on insects
- Use plain calcium if enclosure has strong UVB
- Offer multivitamin powder 1x/week for diversity
❌ Foods to Avoid
- Baby food (too much sugar, lacks nutrients)
- Insects from outside or bait shops
- Raw meat or animal protein
- Dairy
- Avocado (toxic)
🐾 Conclusion
Crested geckos are one of the easiest reptiles to feed, making them perfect for beginners. With high-quality MRPs, occasional insects, and proper hydration, your gecko will thrive—and you’ll never need to chase live bugs daily (unless you want to!).