The Best Feeder Insects for Leopard Geckos, Ranked
I sell discoid roaches, so I'll be upfront about that — and then I'll be honest about every feeder on this list, including the ones I don't sell. Leopard geckos are strict insectivores: they don't eat fruit, vegetables, or any plant matter, so 100% of their nutrition comes from the insects you choose. A poor rotation leads to obesity, deficiency, or metabolic bone disease (MBD). A good one keeps a leo healthy for 15–20+ years. This ranking weighs nutrition, sizing, digestibility, safety, and convenience specifically for leopard geckos.
#1: Small to medium discoid roaches
Protein ~20% · Fat ~6–7% · Moisture ~60–65%
Discoid roach nymphs are the ideal staple. They deliver high protein with moderate fat — the right macronutrient balance for a species that gains weight easily. Small nymphs suit juveniles, medium nymphs suit most adults. They move at the perfect speed (catchable but stimulating), can't climb the glass so they stay on the floor where your gecko hunts, don't bite, don't smell, don't chirp, and gut-load exceptionally well.
Best for: Daily staple at all life stages. Downsides: Higher per-unit cost than mealworms or crickets, and a leo raised only on mealworms may need a session or two to recognize them as food. Like all feeders here except BSFL, discoids are phosphorus-heavy, so dust with calcium. When you're stocking up, All Angles Creatures carries discoid roaches in nymph sizes matched to leos.
#2: Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL / Calciworms)
Protein ~17% · Fat ~14% · Calcium ~900+ mg/100g
BSFL are special because of their naturally high calcium — close to 1,000 mg per 100 g, the rare feeder that brings calcium built in. For a species as MBD-prone as the leo, that's enormously valuable.
Best for: Regular supplemental feeding 2–3 times a week alongside a roach staple; especially good for growing juveniles and breeding females. Downsides: Higher fat than roaches, small (adults need several), and fairly sedentary — some leos ignore them. Offer them in a small dish that concentrates the wriggling to trigger a strike.
#3: Mealworms
Protein ~20% · Fat ~13% · Moisture ~62%
The classic leo feeder: cheap, widely available, easy to store (they go dormant in the fridge and keep for weeks), and leos love them.
Best for: Convenient backup and rotation feeder. Downsides: Fat is nearly double a discoid's — fine in rotation, problematic as a sole staple. Tough chitin is harder to digest, and they don't gut-load as effectively as roaches.
#4: Silkworms
Protein ~9% · Fat ~1% · Moisture ~83%
A premium feeder: exceptionally low fat, high moisture, soft-bodied, and irresistible to most leos thanks to their slow wriggle.
Best for: Supplemental feeding 1–2 times a week, great for overweight leos, hydration, and picky eaters. Downsides: Low protein makes them a poor sole staple; expensive, short shelf life, and seasonal availability.
#5: Hornworms
Protein ~9% · Fat ~3% · Moisture ~85%
The hydration heroes — essentially water delivery systems. Desert leos often underdrink, so the moisture helps, and the bright color triggers strong feeding responses.
Best for: Occasional treat and hydration boost once or twice a week, especially during shed cycles. Downsides: Too much water and too little protein for regular use, and they grow fast — a right-sized worm becomes too big within days. Refrigerate to slow growth and only offer worms no wider than the space between the eyes.
#6: Superworms
Protein ~20% · Fat ~18% · Moisture ~58%
Good protein, but high fat. Larger and more active than mealworms, so they're exciting prey for adults — but their size and tougher shell make them adults-only.
Best for: Occasional treat for adult leos, once a week or less, for variety. Downsides: Not safe for juveniles, high fat, and they can bite — an uneaten superworm in the enclosure is a small risk to a sleeping gecko.
#7: Crickets
Protein ~15–21% · Fat ~6% · Moisture ~73%
The most available feeder, and nutritionally adequate, but the practical downsides are real: they smell, chirp all night, die fast, escape, and bite your gecko if left uneaten. Their calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is among the worst of any feeder (~0.13:1).
Best for: Emergency or budget feeder. Downsides: For leos often kept in bedrooms, the noise and odor alone make crickets a poor everyday choice.
#8: Waxworms
Protein ~14% · Fat ~25% · Moisture ~58%
Candy. Irresistibly fatty and genuinely addictive — leos offered them regularly start refusing everything else, holding out for more.
Best for: Very rare treat (once every two weeks at most), or for tempting a sick or underweight gecko under vet guidance. Downsides: Extreme fat, low protein, and behavioral feeding problems. Many experienced keepers skip them entirely.
The ranking at a glance
| Rank | Feeder | Protein | Fat | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discoid roach | ~20% | ~6–7% | Staple |
| 2 | BSFL | ~17% | ~14% | Calcium supplement, 2–3×/wk |
| 3 | Mealworm | ~20% | ~13% | Rotation / backup |
| 4 | Silkworm | ~9% | ~1% | Low-fat treat, picky eaters |
| 5 | Hornworm | ~9% | ~3% | Hydration treat |
| 6 | Superworm | ~20% | ~18% | Adults-only occasional |
| 7 | Cricket | ~15–21% | ~6% | Emergency / budget |
| 8 | Waxworm | ~14% | ~25% | Rare treat only |
Feeding tips
Sizing rule: Never offer a feeder wider than the space between your leo's eyes. This prevents the choking and impaction leos are especially prone to.
Frequency:
- Juveniles (0–6 months): daily, as many as they'll eat in ~15 minutes.
- Sub-adults (6–12 months): every other day, 5–8 feeders.
- Adults (12+ months): every 2–3 days, 5–8 feeders.
Supplementation: Dust with calcium + D3 at every feeding for juveniles, every other feeding for adults. Multivitamin dust once a week. A small dish of plain calcium in the enclosure lets a leo self-supplement when it needs to.
Ideal weekly rotation (adult leo):
- 2–3 feedings: discoid roach nymphs (staple)
- 1 feeding: mealworms or BSFL (variety and calcium)
- Occasional: silkworm, hornworm, or superworm for enrichment
The bottom line
Build a leopard gecko's diet on a staple roach, add BSFL for calcium, rotate in mealworms for convenience and silkworms/hornworms for variety and hydration, and keep superworms, crickets, and waxworms in the treat-or-emergency column. Size everything to the eyes and dust with calcium, and you've got a leo that thrives for the long haul.
Want the deeper comparisons? See discoid roaches vs. fruit flies, discoid roaches vs. red wigglers, and why silkworms work for picky reptiles. For nutrition fundamentals, the MSD Veterinary Manual is a reliable non-commercial source.