Feeding your lizard properly is one of the most important parts of good reptile care. Every species has different needs, and understanding how they eat in the wild helps us give them the best possible diet in captivity. This guide explains the basics in a clear, easy way so you can feel confident about feeding your reptile.
What Your Lizard Eats in the Wild
Different lizards eat different things depending on where they come from and how they live. A few things to think about:
- Where do they live? Desert, forest, scrubland, tropical or temperate areas
- When are they active? Daytime (diurnal), night‑time (nocturnal), or dawn/dusk (crepuscular)
- How do they live? Climbing (arboreal), ground‑dwelling (terrestrial), burrowing (fossorial)
- What do they eat? Insects, vegetation, or a mix of both
By understanding their natural lifestyle, we can choose foods that match what they would eat in the wild.
Livefoods and Vegetation: What’s Available
Most pet lizards eat a mixture of live insects and vegetation. Here are some of the most common options:
Livefoods
- Locusts – great staple, easy to gut load
- Crickets – reliable and cost‑effective
- Mealworms & morio worms – use sparingly; higher fat and tougher skins
- Calci‑worms – excellent calcium levels
- Dubia roaches – highly nutritious and ideal for many species
- Waxworms & butterworms – very fatty; occasional treats only
- Silkworms – superb nutrition but delicate and seasonal
Vegetation
Supermarket salad mixes are convenient but often low in fibre and minerals. Better options include:
- Dandelion
- Plantain
- Clover
- Sow thistle
- Edible flowers (hibiscus, nasturtium)
- Safe herbs (basil, coriander, mint)
Offering a wide variety of vegetation helps create a balanced, natural diet.
Choosing the Right Foods for Your Species
Different lizards need different diets:
- Bearded dragons
- Babies: mostly insects
- Adults: mostly vegetation
- Leopard geckos & fat tails
- Insect‑only diet
- Uromastyx
- Tough desert plants, flowers and seeds
- Chameleons
- Insectivores with a strong need for hydration
- Skinks
- Omnivores that enjoy insects, vegetation and occasional fruit
If you’re unsure, our team can help you choose the right foods for your pet’s age and species.
Food Size and How to Serve It
Insects
Baby lizards should be fed insects no larger than the space between their eyes. Healthy adults can manage larger prey such as adult locusts or dubia roaches.
Vegetation
Don’t chop vegetation too small — tearing leaves helps clean their teeth and encourages natural feeding behaviour.
Feeding Frequency
Babies
Feed daily, especially if kept in groups.
Omnivores (e.g., bearded dragons)
- Morning: vegetation
- Later in the day: insects
Nocturnal/crepuscular geckos
Feed in the late afternoon or evening. Meal‑replacement gecko diets should be offered just before lights out.
Body Condition: What a Healthy Lizard Looks Like
A healthy lizard should have:
- No visible hip bones
- Ribs that can be felt but not seen
- Bright, open eyes
- Good muscle tone
- Species‑appropriate body shape (e.g., plump tail for leopard geckos)
If your lizard looks thin, dehydrated or lethargic, contact a reptile vet straight away.
Keeping a simple weight record is a great way to spot changes early.
Supplements and Gut Loading
Supplements are important, but more is not always better. Fat‑soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) can be harmful in excess.
Recommended routine
- 2–3 times a week: multivitamin/multimineral
- Other feeds: plain calcium
- Gecko diets: no extra vitamins needed, but dust any insects offered
Gut loading
All feeder insects should be fed a nutritious diet for 24–48 hours before being given to your lizard. This boosts their vitamin and mineral content naturally.
Enrichment Feeding: Small Bugs for Hunting Practice
Offering small, safe feeder insects as enrichment is fantastic for your lizard’s mental and physical wellbeing. Tiny bugs encourage:
- Natural hunting behaviour
- Increased activity
- Better coordination
- Mental stimulation
- Confidence in young or nervous animals
Species that benefit especially from enrichment feeding include geckos, skinks, young dragons and chameleons.
Even herbivorous species like uromastyx may enjoy chasing the occasional tiny insect for enrichment — just keep it very occasional.
Need Help Choosing the Right Diet?
Every lizard is different, and our team is always happy to help you choose the right foods, supplements and feeding routine. Pop into the shop or get in touch — we’re here to support you and your scaly friend.
- Email info@evolutionreptiles.co.uk
- Call us on 01865 372200
- Visit us
FAQs: Feeding Your Pet Lizard
1. What vegetation can I safely feed my lizard?
Most lizards benefit from a varied mix of safe vegetation such as dandelion, plantain, clover, sow thistle, edible flowers and reptile‑friendly herbs. Supermarket salad is okay occasionally, but it’s usually lower in fibre and minerals than wild or home‑grown plants.
2. How often should I feed my lizard?
Baby lizards need feeding every day. Adult omnivores (like bearded dragons) should have vegetation in the morning and insects later in the day. See our Bearded Dragon care guide for more information. Nocturnal geckos should be fed in the late afternoon or evening when they naturally start hunting.
3. What size insects should my lizard eat?
Baby lizards should only be given insects no larger than the space between their eyes. Healthy adults can manage larger prey such as adult locusts or dubia roaches, depending on species.
4. Do I need to use supplements?
Yes — but in moderation. Use a multivitamin/multimineral 2–3 times a week and plain calcium on other feeding days. All feeder insects should be gut loaded for 24–48 hours before feeding to boost their nutritional value.
5. Can I offer small bugs as enrichment?
Absolutely. Tiny feeder insects are brilliant for enrichment and encourage natural hunting behaviour, confidence, activity and mental stimulation. This is especially helpful for geckos, skinks, young dragons and chameleons.
Last updated 23/9/26