How often should you feed a leopard gecko?
Feeding a leopard gecko is mostly a question of getting two things right: how often, and how much. Juveniles daily; sub-adults every other day; adults 2–3 times a week. That rhythm changes with age, so treat the sections below as your starting point and then adjust to the individual animal in front of you.
How often to feed a leopard gecko
Juveniles daily; sub-adults every other day; adults 2–3 times a week.
Short answer: Juveniles daily; sub-adults every other day; adults 2–3 times a week.
How much to feed
As many appropriately sized insects as they will eat in about 10–15 minutes.
Getting it right in practice
- Staple feeders: dubia roaches, crickets, mealworms in moderation.
- Dust insects with calcium at most feeds and a multivitamin occasionally.
- Never feed insects wider than the space between the gecko's eyes.
- Always provide a shallow water dish; keep a calcium dish in the enclosure if you prefer, but dusting is more reliable.
How feeding changes with age
Juvenile (0–6 months)
Feeds daily, grows fast, needs a humid hide available from day one.
Sub-adult (6–12 months)
Feeding every other day; adult colours develop.
Adult (12 months+)
Feeds 2–3 times a week; males housed alone, females can sometimes be kept in groups with caution.
Common feeding mistakes
- Eyeballing portions. Measure with a cup or a scale for the first month at least — most owners underestimate how much a leopard gecko actually eats.
- Switching food too fast. Change over 7–10 days, increasing the new food gradually.
- Reading the wrong life stage. Feed juveniles daily; sub-adults every other day; adults 2–3 times a week. for the age your animal is now, not the age it was when you got it.
- Ignoring body condition. Weight is the clearest signal you have. Weigh monthly and adjust portions before the weight becomes a problem.
Related questions
Do leopard geckos need UVB?
They can survive without it if you dust food with D3, but low-level UVB is increasingly recommended and improves activity and appetite. If you use it, keep it low-output — this is a shade-dwelling species.
How often should I feed an adult leopard gecko?
Two to three times a week, offering as many correctly sized insects as it eats in 10–15 minutes. Feed in the evening.
Why is my leopard gecko not shedding properly?
Most often the humid hide has dried out or the humidity is too low. Keep a damp hide available at all times rather than only when you notice a shed starting.
Not veterinary advice. This guide covers husbandry. If your leopard gecko is injured, off food unusually long, or behaving abnormally, contact a veterinarian.