Can Leopard Geckos eat superworms? There are some varied opinions on this. But don’t worry, we have you covered with everything you could possibly need to know.
Leopard geckos can eat superworms. However, they are not very nutritious. Due to their size, it is possible that baby leopard geckos might damage their jaw while eating them. They are best used as an occasional treat.
Can Superworms Hurt Leopard Geckos?
Super worms can hurt leopard geckos. Allowing your pet to eat these large insects can damage its jaw, resulting in health problems in the future. Moreover, super worms are high in fat and cholesterol, which can lead to obesity in your Leo.
Superworms are about an inch long and, as such, do not pose a physical threat to the average-sized juvenile or adult leopard gecko.
However, it is important not to make superworms a staple of your leopard geckos diet. They are much larger than the average prey item that your gecko should be feeding on. If your Leo eats too many of them, this could cause stomach upset due to their size.
Can Baby Leopard Geckos Eat Superworms?
You should not feed superworms to a baby leopard gecko that is smaller than 3 inches. This is because of the danger posed by their size relative to your pet’s mouth.
Leopard geckos are insectivores. They primarily eat insects in the wild. It’s crucial that you only feed small insects to baby leopard geckos.
Are Superworms Good for Leopard Geckos?
Superworms are not a nutritionally balanced meal for your leopard gecko. They are high in fat while being low in calcium and vitamin D. They also contain too much chitin, which is indigestible to leopard geckos and can even cause impaction in small amounts!
Still, leopard geckos can get their calcium from insect exoskeletons or by eating the crickets that have eaten plants containing calcium (or even dusting them with a powder supplement). They can also get essential nutrients from the gut-loading of crickets.
Superworms are not a complete food source for leopard geckos and should be used as an occasional treat.
Also, leopard geckos can eat Crickets, wax worms, horned worms, and roaches; all make great treats that provide your lizard with nutrients that superworms lack. Also, remember to dust insects with a calcium supplement.
Can Superworms Cause Impaction in Leopard Geckos?
Superworms can cause impaction in Leopard Geckos if fed in high amounts. They contain high levels of chitin (a type of fibre) which is difficult to digest. They should not make up more than 20% of your geckos diet every week.
You should also only feed your gecko superworms that have been refrigerated or frozen before being offered to them because these worms are less likely to contain the parasitic worm Ascaris.
How Many Superworms Should I Feed my Leopard Gecko?
You should only feed your leopard gecko one superworm at a time as an occasional treat.
Each leopard gecko will eat more or less depending on its age, size, and hunger levels. Generally, you should not feed your leopard gecko any more than the amount it can consume in 30 minutes. Be sure that after feeding, remove uneaten food items so they won’t spoil.
Superworms should be no longer than the space between your leopard gecko’s eyes or about an inch and a half long.
The head of the superworm must always remain intact as it contains many essential nutrients for your pet to digest properly.
Related: Feeding calci worms to your leopard gecko
How often Should I Feed my Leopard Gecko Superworms?
A single superworm daily for juveniles or two per week for adults is plenty to keep your leopard gecko healthy and happy!
How often you should feed your leopard gecko superworms largely depends on its age and size. You should only feed your leopard gecko superworms as part of a balanced diet. Remove the insects from the enclosure if they look like they’re starting to dry out. Remember not to overfeed them.
How To Gut Load Superworms for Leopard Geckos?
Put the superworms in a cup with pinhead crickets and fruit flies for about an hour. This supplies the gut load enzymes that they need to digest the beetle and provide them some extra nutrition through fruits & veggies to ensure maximum nutrient absorption from feeding time on.
Why Won’t my Leopard Gecko Eat Superworms?
Super worms are an excellent food for leopard geckos, but you need to make sure they can eat them. Sometimes this happens when your pet is not eating because of illness or stress. It could also mean that there’s something wrong with the superworms themselves, like if they’re dead on arrival or have gone bad.
To find out if your superworms are good, hold them up to the light. If you can see through them and they’re not soggy or mushy, then they should be fine for feeding your pet gecko. If there is any doubt about their freshness or how long ago they were harvested from a pupa, then you should pass on feeding them to your gecko.
Before offering superworms to a leopard gecko for the first time, they must be properly cared for and are clean. This means removing all leftover food from their enclosure so there’s no chance of mold growth which can be harmful if ingested.
Superworms are also very fatty and can easily cause weight gain if overfed to your pet gecko. Like many other reptiles, Leopard Geckos have a slower metabolism than mammals, so they don’t need as much food as we do!
Related: Can Leopard Geckos eat Stink Bugs?
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, superworms should only be used as an occasional treat for leopard geckos. However, they are not nutritious enough to fulfill the bulk of your lizard’s dietary needs. This is especially important if you happen to have larger than average lizards!
