Mealworms are a good food for leopard geckos as part of a varied diet, but they shouldn't be the only insect. They are easy to keep and serve in a dish, and most geckos eat them readily, but they have harder shells and more fat than crickets or dubia roaches. Feed mealworms no longer than the space between your gecko's eyes, gut load them, dust them with calcium and serve them in a smooth, steep-sided dish. A juvenile eats about 5 to 8 mealworms every other day and an adult 6 to 10 two to three times a week, mixed with crickets or dubia roaches.
Below is how many mealworms to feed by age, how to keep them alive for weeks, how to gut load and serve them, and how they compare with superworms and waxworms.
How many mealworms to feed a leopard gecko
| Gecko | Mealworm size | How many | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baby, under 4 months | Small, 1/2 inch, as an extra only | 2 to 4 | Every day, with small crickets or dubia |
| Juvenile, 4 to 12 months | Small to medium, 1/2 to 3/4 inch | 5 to 8 | Every other day |
| Adult, over 12 months | Medium to large, 3/4 to 1 inch | 6 to 10 | 2 to 3 times a week |
These are starting points. Let your gecko eat what it wants in 10 to 15 minutes, and use mealworms for no more than about half its meals. A healthy adult has a tail about as wide as its neck. If the tail gets fatter than the head, cut back on mealworms and feed more crickets or dubia. Many keepers start babies on small crickets or dubia and bring mealworms in once the gecko is a few months old.
Are mealworms good for leopard geckos?
Yes, in moderation. Here is how they stack up:
- Easy to keep. They live for weeks in a tub of bran in the fridge, don't smell, chirp, climb or bite.
- Easy to serve. They stay in a dish, so you can leave a few out overnight and see what was eaten.
- Higher in fat and chitin. Their tougher shells and higher fat mean they shouldn't be the only food, especially for babies or overweight geckos.
- Low in calcium. Like every feeder, they need gut loading and calcium dust.
The old story that mealworms chew their way out of a gecko's stomach is a myth. Use mealworms that are the right size and your gecko will digest them fine.
Buying mealworms
Mealworms are sold by count and size. A pack of 500 to 1,000 medium mealworms lasts one adult gecko a month or more. You can buy live mealworms on Amazon. Order early in the week, and check the seller packs them with cold packs in hot weather.
Dried mealworms are not a good substitute. Most leopard geckos only eat moving prey, and dried insects lose much of their moisture and nutrition. Save them for wild birds.
How to keep mealworms
- Use a shallow, ventilated tub. A plastic tub with small holes in the lid works. Mealworms can't climb smooth plastic.
- Add an inch or two of bedding. Wheat bran or oats are both bedding and food.
- Add moisture with vegetables. A slice of carrot or potato gives them water. Replace it every few days before it goes mouldy. Never add a water dish.
- Keep them cool. Store mealworms in the fridge at about 45 to 50°F, which slows them down so they don't turn into beetles. Take out a few days' worth, warm them up and feed them for a day before you offer them to your gecko.
- Clean out the dead ones. Remove dead or black mealworms and change the bran every few weeks.
Mealworms left at room temperature turn into pupae and then darkling beetles within a few weeks. Don't feed beetles to your gecko. If you want to breed your own, keep a separate tub of beetles at room temperature and harvest the young worms.
Gut loading and dusting mealworms
Warm the mealworms you plan to use to room temperature and feed them a gut-load food such as Repashy SuperLoad plus carrot or greens for at least 24 hours. Just before feeding, shake them in a cup with a pinch of calcium powder. Our leopard gecko calcium powder guide has the full dusting schedule.
How to serve mealworms
- Use a smooth, steep-sided dish such as the Exo Terra worm dish, so the worms can't burrow into the substrate.
- Put the dish on the warm side, where your gecko spends its evenings.
- Use tongs for a fussy eater. Wiggling a mealworm in front of your gecko often gets it hunting.
- Don't leave a full dish out all the time. Free feeding can make a gecko overweight. Put out a measured amount and remove what's left the next morning.
Mealworms vs superworms, waxworms and other feeders
| Feeder | Use as | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mealworms | Regular food, up to half of meals | Easy to keep and serve; harder shell and more fat than crickets |
| Crickets | Staple | Lean, cheap, and their movement gets geckos hunting |
| Dubia roaches | Staple | Most food per insect, quiet, live for months |
| Superworms | Treat for adults, once or twice a week | Bigger and fattier than mealworms; can bite, so only for adults |
| Waxworms | Occasional treat | Very fatty; good for putting weight on a thin gecko, but geckos can get hooked on them |
Most leopard geckos do best on crickets or dubia roaches as the staple, with mealworms as a regular extra and superworms or waxworms as treats. Our leopard gecko food guide compares every feeder insect.
Leopard gecko mealworms FAQ
Can leopard geckos eat mealworms?
Yes. Mealworms are a good regular food for leopard geckos. Because they have more fat and a harder shell than crickets or dubia roaches, feed them as part of a varied diet rather than as the only insect.
How many mealworms should I feed my leopard gecko?
About 5 to 8 mealworms every other day for a juvenile and 6 to 10 two to three times a week for an adult. Let it eat what it wants in 10 to 15 minutes, and mix mealworms with crickets or dubia roaches.
Can baby leopard geckos eat mealworms?
Yes, a few small mealworms as an extra, but small crickets or dubia roaches are better as a baby's main food because they are easier to digest.
Can I leave mealworms in my leopard gecko's tank?
Yes, a few in a smooth, steep-sided dish overnight is fine. Don't leave a full dish out all the time, as free feeding can make a gecko overweight.
Do mealworms need to be kept in the fridge?
Yes. At about 45 to 50°F they go dormant and live for weeks. At room temperature they turn into beetles within a few weeks.
Are superworms better than mealworms?
No. Superworms are bigger and fattier, so they are better as a treat for adults. Mealworms are the better everyday worm.
Setting up for a new gecko? See our leopard gecko starter kit checklist for everything else you need.