How to Make a Wild Gecko Eat

There are 155 species and eight families of lizards native to the United States, according to Herpedia (see Reference 3). Ten of these species are geckos, five of them being native and five species that have been introduced to the country. Geckos in the wild will eat a wide variety of foods, including different types of insects from crickets to mealworms, small rodents and even the eggs of other geckos. Feeding your gecko fresh insects and providing it with plenty of water will keep it healthy and hunting.

Things You'll Need

  • Insects
  • Fresh water
  • Shallow bowl
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Instructions

    • 1

      Locate the ideal food for the geckos. Geckos by nature are hunters and geckos from the wild will more readily eat healthy live insects, especially mealworms and crickets. Do not purchase freeze-dried insects as the geckos will find these unappealing.

    • 2

      Place three to five fresh, live crickets into the gecko's cage or aquarium at night. Geckos are nocturnal animals and wild geckos will hunt for their food at night. Cover the gecko's home to ensure the crickets do not jump out during the feeding.

    • 3

      Allow the crickets to remain for 15-20 minutes. After this time, remove anything that the gecko has not consumed.

    • 4

      Feed the gecko twice a day if it is under 7 months of age. If the gecko is older, feed it only two to three times a week.

    • 5

      Provide the gecko with a steady supply of fresh water. Fill a shallow bowl with no more than one-half inch of water to prevent the gecko from drowning.