What do lizards typically eat?
I am looking into some options for pets that are easy to care for and don’t require expensive diets. What are things lizards typically eat in terms of smaller lizard types like geckos or anoles?
Crickets mostly but they have to be dusted or fed a high-quality diet (the crickets I mean). Some geckos like the crested gecko will eat fruit and may be happy on a fruit only diet but will need a supplement.
Crickets, wax worms, meal worms, and things of similar size really. I think most people just stick with crickets and dust them before feeding as it is the easiest way to go about feeding them.
Anole lizards mostly eat small crickets. They sell powder formulae you can mix with water and feed them but not many of them take to this, especially if they were wild caught.
Fortified crickets. Smaller ones that are still young will eat things like wingless fruit flies and small worms.
marquise_heathcote: Fortified crickets. Smaller ones that are still young will eat things like wingless fruit flies and small worms.
@marquise_heathcote I didn't know there was such a thing as wingless fruit flies until I was in the pet store just the other day. I knocked a tube of them down by accident and it broke open. I was worried they would go everywhere but they just hop!
A lot of people will buy crickets from the pet store and keep a large tank of just them. This way they get good food, breed, and there is a healthy flow of food always available. I heard it can get noise though.
It depends on the type of lizard, like mentioned. I will post something from an article I found that will better explain the differences in their diet than I can. I will put the link below it if you want to finish reading everything on the subject.
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Herbivorous lizards
These lizards are absolutely vegetarian as they chomp on leaves, fruits, and other plants. Regardless of what food they should stick to, sometimes they readily feed on insects which lead them to some health issues. So, if you want your herbivorous lizard to stay healthy, keep an eye on it.
Insectivorous lizards
Some particular lizards including alligator lizards, a true chameleon, and geckos feed on to more than 25 different species of insects. They like to tuck in crickets, locusts, mealworms, and many other small insects.
Carnivorous lizards
Except for Komodo monitors (the largest and heaviest lizard) who feed on carrion, other wild lizards hunt down relatively small creatures including snakes, insects and some lizards. The Carnivorous pet lizards devour on mice, fish, rats, and chicken.
Omnivorous lizards
These lizards are more foodie as they like to consume both plants and animals. Having various food choices, they can dine on what they find first. They feed on insects, mammals, and resort to plants as well.
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Geckos are a good first choice of reptile.
Crickets and mealworms are the staple of a gecko diet. Fruit flies are another good food that can be quite fun to watch!
There's all kinds of insects and worms available at pet stores. Try all them to see what they like best!
You can't go wrong with crickets though.