Leopard Geckos are some of the most interesting-looking and intriguing creatures for biologists to study. They are predominantly recognized for their docile nature, slow-paced movements, and nocturnal habits. The infamous reptilians originated in Southern Asia’s vast deserts, but they are now commonly domesticated in the United States. Also, they are vastly studied by researchers and biologists.
Earlier on, Leopard Geckos were commonly fed crickets and a variety of worms. However, extensive research and studies show that Dubia roaches are far more beneficial for the gecko’s health and overall lifespan. You can buy a healthy option like TopFlight Dubia Roaches to feed your Leopard Geckos and improve their overall health. However, before making the decision, you must understand how Dubia roaches exactly affect the geckos.
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Diet of Leopard Geckos
There is a common misconception among people that Leopard Geckos consume fruits and vegetables. However, this is completely untrue, and if you continue this diet, you may affect your beloved pet’s health. Leopard Geckos commonly consume live insects. Their diet includes worms like wax worms, butterworms, silkworms, beetles, tomato hornworms, crickets, and Dubia roaches. Wax Worms and super worms are fed occasionally as they contain high quantities of fat.
How Often Do Leopard Geckos Eat?
Feeding patterns of Leopard Geckos primarily depend on the age factor. Their dietary requirements vary depending on the stage of life that they are living. A baby gecko must be fed every day, whereas you can feed an adult or full-grown gecko every other day or 2-3 times a week.
Baby Leopard Geckos must be fed 5 to 7 small-sized mealworms or crickets every day. You must continue this practice until the geckos reach nearly 4 inches. Larger food portions must be fed to your geckos till they reach the full-grown stage within 10-12 months. You may feed them 6-7 crickets every other day in a week after reaching this stage.
However, while crickets are the common food choice for geckos, Dubia roaches are more advantageous in terms of nutrition. Depending on their size, geckos can consume roaches varying in sizes between 3/16” and ¼”. In mathematical terms, you must feed two Dubia roaches per inch of your gecko.
Benefits of Dubia Roaches to Leopard Geckos
Feeding options like TopFlight Dubia Roaches are increasingly popular among people who have Leopard Geckos at home. The reason is that these roaches have a tremendous dietary advantage over other insects. They are rich in protein content and are known to maintain the health and fitness of your geckos. Moreover, keeping Dubia roaches is simple. You just have to feed them vegetables, fruits, and multigrain cereals. This shall not only enhance the health of the roaches but also prove beneficial for your geckos.
There is a common misconception spreading along with the growing popularity of Dubia roaches. This false trail is the fact that some hobbyists recommend feeding your roaches a high-protein diet containing dog/cat food. Instead of improving their health, the added chemicals and preservatives shall deteriorate the health of your roaches. Therefore, you must always be aware of these misconceptions.
Apart from the health advantage, Dubia roaches are practical and easily accessible. They do not jump, ridding you of the worry of losing them or the occurrence of an infestation. They are low on fat, substantially clean, and rarely smell, jump or make weird noises. Dubia roaches are also famous for breeding well in a colony, which is a significant advantage for hobbyists of Leopard Geckos.
You can easily maintain livestock of Dubia roaches without any significant maintenance and breeding issues. Lastly, these roaches have a long lifespan compared to mealworms, permitting you to keep them for a long time. All these advantages make them ideal for gecko consumption.
Comparison Between Dubia Roaches and Crickets for Leopard Geckos
One of the primary reasons why hobbyists prefer Dubia roaches over crickets is the cricket virus that reduced the cricket population. After that, their accessibility decreased tremendously. The cricket virus managed to cause infestations in domestic households and forced people to incline more towards Dubia roaches.
Moreover, the sounds that crickets make may seem overbearing and obnoxious for some people. The sound may not be a major deciding factor, but it does contribute to people’s inclination towards Dubia roaches. To give a perspective, Dubia roaches provide all the benefits of crickets without the troubling factors.
Roaches such as the TopFlight Dubia Roaches are among the most beneficial, convenient, and uncomplicated insects that you can feed to your Leopard Gecko. These roaches shall improve not only your gecko’s health but also reduce the risks of infestations, bad odor, breeding issues, constant sounds, etc. This is a win-win situation for you.