Is it Safe for Geckos to Eat Moths?

Moths are part of the natural diet of many gecko species and make an excellent, healthy treat for pet geckos. Unlike other wild-caught feeder insects, moths do not have chewing mouth parts and feed only on flower pollen or liquids -- if they feed at all -- so there is no risk of pesticide ingestion for your geckos.

  1. Significance

    • While most geckos in captivity are fed a regular diet of crickets, waxworms and mealworms, geckos are not picky feeders and consume a wide range of insects in the wild, including moths. Moths do not have the same digestive system as crickets and mealworms, making it more difficult to increase the nutritional content of moths through gut loading with vegetables and fruits before feeding. However, moths are highly mobile and provide your gecko with plenty of exercise as it hunts down the meal.

    Feeding Moths

    • Moths should not be the primary food source of pet geckos but make a healthy supplement from time to time. Feed a moth or two to your gecko once each week in the summer, in addition to their regular diet. You can offer the moths at any time, but many nocturnal species of geckos will not hunt down the moth until night. Even terrestrial species, such as leopard geckos, will readily hunt down moths in their enclosure.

    Catching Moths

    • One advantage of feeding moths to a pet gecko is that moths are a free food source and are easy to catch in most locations. Simply turn on a porch light in summer and wait for moths to arrive. Many species of moths are attracted to bright lights at night and will land near the light fixture. Catch as many moths as you want to feed your gecko and place them immediately in the enclosure.

    Moths in Gecko Enclosures

    • Sometimes moths appear in gecko enclosures several days after feeding waxworms to your gecko. Uneaten waxworms that find their way into the soil in a gecko enclosure may develop into an adult wax moth. Most geckos will quickly eat wax moths, but some may take a couple of days to find and capture the adult moth. Wax moths are not harmful for geckos and can be left in the enclosure as a special treat for your gecko.