My crested gecko ran out of food. Can I give it fruit today?

Thanks for reaching out about Rango. Small, diced pieces of fruit can be offered. Start with small pieces and small amounts to allow the gastrointestinal tract time to adjust. Monitor for defecation but also urination. Good luck.

Crestview can eat crickets, but feeding solely crickets is not a healthy or balanced diet. At most, feed 5-7 appropriately sized crickets twice a week. The majority of the diet should be a crested gecko diet, such as one from Pangea or Repashy. If she doesn't get stressed being moved, you can feed her in a separate container if that is easier for you.

It is always recommended to gut load all prey to maximize nutritional value. Crickets, mealworms and other prey typically arrive from suppliers with a piece of fruit or gel for moisture and cardboard or simple oats for food. When you get them home, offer a high quality baby cereal mix, tropical fish flakes and fresh greens and veggies. The nutrition they receive will then be passed on to Rio. Crickets are more nutritious than mealworms, especially adequately gut loaded crickets. Less chitin as well unless they are freshly molted mealworms. If you feed a diet such as Repashy, Rio shouldn't need additional calcium unless he has a deficiency. This would need to be diagnosed by your herp veterinarian. Since you feed other foods as well, he may not be getting enough calcium, so dusting any live prey would be recommended.

Check the temperature in his enclosure. Low temps can affect appetite in reptiles. Offer prey about 2 hours after the heat lamp turns on in the morning. Make sure he is well hydrated by soaking or misting him regularly. It may be a preference. If he is eating the Repashy CGD regularly, don't worry too much about him eating crickets or not.

Mealworms aren't as nutritious as crickets or even dubia roaches. The increased amount of chitin also makes digestion and issue in juveniles and small reptiles. you can feed freshly molted mealworms, they are "softer". Another option would be calciworms (aka Phoenix worms). Whatever prey you decide to feed Lyra, be sure to gut load them for 24 hours prior to offering. Offer the greens or commercial gecko diet in the morning, about an hour after the lights and heat lamp turn on. You can offer prey later in the day.

Submit a stool sample to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites. Offer fresh crested gecko diet daily. Repashy or Pangea are brands I recommend. You can also offer appropriately sized prey (crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, etc). Be sure to gut load them for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. Confirm proper environmental parameters. Low temps can affect appetite and digestion in reptiles.

Thanks for reaching out about Norman. Geckos should be offered food every other day at least. Mealworms are not a complete meal. A wider variety of insects need to be offered and they need to be gut-loaded. Heat needs to be in the POTZ (Preferred Optimal Temperature Zone) for the species. UVB exposure is necessary for vitamin D synthesis and calcium metabolism. Good luck.