Geckos are fascinating little lizards known for their sticky toes that allow them to climb up walls and across ceilings. If you’ve ever wondered whether these insect-eating reptiles snack on ants, you’re not alone!
To quickly summarize: most species of geckos do in fact eat ants as part of their varied insectivorous diet. Ants make up a nutritious part of the menu for many common pet geckos.
In this nearly 3000 word guide, we’ll take an in-depth look at the diets of different types of geckos and explore specifics such as:
1. What different species of geckos eat
2. Whether ants are part of their natural diets
3. How to provide geckos with proper ant nutrition in captivity
By the end, you’ll be an expert on geckos and their culinary habits when it comes to ants!
An Overview of Gecko Diets
Insectivorous Nature of Geckos
Geckos are primarily insectivorous, meaning they eat insects as their main food source. This makes sense when you consider their biology – geckos have excellent eyesight to spot crawling insects and quick reflexes to snatch them up with their long, sticky tongues.
Wild geckos feed on a variety of insects like crickets, mealworms, moths, flies, spiders, and ants. Their insect diet provides geckos with protein and nutrients like calcium to maintain their bones and teeth.
The insectivorous nature of geckos is a key adaptation that allows them to thrive in their environments.
Differences Between Species
While all geckos are insectivores, their specific diets can vary slightly between species. For example, larger gecko species may eat small lizards, frogs, or even small snakes in addition to insects. Arboreal gecko species that live in trees often feed on insects like caterpillars whereas terrestrial geckos on the ground may eat more ants and beetles.
Desert-dwelling gecko species have adapted to eat smaller insects that require less water content like termites or ants. So while insects are the dietary staple, geckos have adapted to take advantage of the most abundant prey in their specific habitat.
Pet vs Wild Gecko Diets
Pet geckos are commonly fed a stable diet of gut-loaded insects like crickets, mealworms, and dubia roaches. These provide balanced nutrition including protein, vitamins, and minerals to support health. Their food can be lightly dusted with calcium and vitamin D3 supplements as needed.
On the other hand, wild geckos hunt and eat live insects specific to their native habitat. Their diets can fluctuate with insect availability and seasons. Wild geckos may eat more dangerous prey like venomous spiders or scorpions able to be handled by their immune systems.
Pet geckos enjoy consistent nutrition, while wild geckos experience more diverse prey.
Do Pet Geckos Consume Ants?
Leopard Geckos
Leopard geckos are one of the most popular pet gecko species. In the wild, they are insectivores and eat a variety of insects like crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and occasional ants. However, ants contain formic acid which can be toxic to leopard geckos.
So it’s recommended not to feed pet leopard geckos a steady diet of ants.
In captivity, leopard geckos do well on a varied diet including crickets, roaches, silkworms, hornworms. These feeder insects provide leopard geckos with proper nutrition without the risks associated with ants. The occasional ant can be fed as a treat but should not make up the bulk of the diet.
Crested Geckos
In the wild, crested geckos are omnivores and eat insects, fruit, pollen and nectar. Captive crested geckos do not require live insects and can thrive on commercial diets and fruit mixes.
It’s not recommended to feed pet crested geckos ants. Their nutritional requirements are met by commercially available complete diets like crested gecko diet. Live insects like crickets can be given occasionally as treats but ants contain toxic formic acid.
Gargoyle Geckos
Gargoyle geckos have similar dietary needs as crested geckos. In the wild, they are omnivores but in captivity can be fed commercial fruit-based diets. Live insects are not required for their nutrition.
While gargoyle geckos may eat some ants in the wild, it’s advisable not to offer ants to pet gargoyle geckos. The commercial complete diets available provide proper nutrition without the risks of feeding ants containing toxic compounds.
African Fat-Tailed Geckos
African fat-tailed geckos are primarily insectivores eating insects like crickets, roaches, worms in the wild. In captivity, they should be fed appropriate feeder insects like crickets, roaches, mealworms.
Feeding ants to pet African fat-tailed geckos is not recommended due to the formic acid found in ants. While they may eat some ants in the wild, their captive diet should consist of feeder insects without the risks associated with ants.
Do Ants Appear in the Diets of Wild Geckos?
Tokay Geckos
Tokay geckos are known to be voracious insectivores that will eat just about any small critter they can overpower. Ants often make up a portion of their varied diets in the wild. These large geckos have even been observed raiding ants’ nests for easy meals.
Their strong jaws allow them to easily crunch through the hard exoskeletons of ants. Various species of ants like carpenter ants, pharaoh ants, and odorous house ants are readily consumed by Tokays when encountered.
Common House Geckos
The diets of common house geckos generally consist of small insects like spiders, moths, crickets, and yes, ants too. These geckos are very adaptable and can thrive living in close proximity to humans where ants tend to congregate.
Though ants have hard outer shells and can bite, their small size makes them the perfect prey for house geckos. Both the black garden ant and pharaoh ant are ants commonly eaten by house geckos.
Mediterranean House Geckos
Mediterranean house geckos are opportunistic feeders that eat a wide variety of small insects and invertebrates. Ants often wander into houses and become easy pickings for these geckos. Their long sticky tongues allow them to quickly snatch up ants crawling on walls or across floors.
Studies have found various species of ants like Tapinoma ants and Lasius ants present in the stomach contents of wild Mediterranean house geckos.
Asian Rock Geckos
The Asian rock gecko inhabits tropical rainforests across Southeast Asia where it finds plenty of ants and other insects to eat. Its insectivorous appetite leads it to feed on various ground-dwelling and arboreal ants that cross its path.
In fact, ants can make up a substantial portion of the Asian rock gecko’s diet. One study found ants present in 62% of Asian rock gecko stomach samples, with Crematogaster ants being the predominant ant genus eaten.
Nutritional Components of Ants for Geckos
Protein and Fat Content
Ants can provide a good source of protein and fat for geckos. The protein content of ants ranges from 13-25% depending on the ant species, while the fat content ranges from 2-7% (source). This can help support muscle growth and development in young, growing geckos.
Adult geckos also require protein and fat to stay healthy.
Vitamins and Minerals
In addition to protein and fat, ants contain an array of micronutrients like vitamins and minerals. Ants are particularly high in iron, zinc, manganese, and copper. They also contain B vitamins like riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and folic acid (source).
These vitamins and minerals support key bodily functions and maintain the health of tissues and organs in geckos.
Considerations for Feeding Captive Geckos
When feeding ants to captive geckos, there are some factors to consider:
With appropriate selection and supplementation, ants can successfully be part of a balanced and complete diet for pet geckos in captivity.
Can Ants Harm Geckos?
While ants can provide beneficial nutrition, they can also potentially harm geckos in some cases:
| Ant Species | Harmful Effects |
| Fire ants | Painful stings, injuries |
| Carpenter ants | Spray formic acid as defense |
| Pharaoh ants | Rarely sting but can bite geckos |
Geckos may also face risks from eating ants that have ingested pesticides or other chemicals toxic to reptiles. Overall, it’s important to control which ant species geckos are allowed to consume to prevent these potential issues.
Best Practices for Feeding Ants to Pet Geckos
Collecting and Preparing Ants
When collecting ants to feed your gecko, it’s important to take some safety precautions. Wear gloves and protective clothing to avoid ant bites or stings. Use a small shovel or spoon to scoop up ants from an outdoor anthill or nest. Avoid areas that have been treated with pesticides.
Rinse the ants off with water and sort through them to remove any dirt, debris, or bugs you don’t want to feed. Larger ants like carpenter ants can be chopped into smaller pieces for easier eating. Crickets, mealworms, or waxworms can also be “dusted” by rolling them in a container with ants so they get covered with ant scent and nutrients.
Combining Ants with Other Feeders
For variety’s sake, ants should not make up more than 20% of your gecko’s total diet. Feed ants along with other insects like crickets, dubia roaches, silkworms, and mealworms. Ants provide important nutrients, but other feeders offer complete nutrition.
Rotate feeders to prevent your gecko from getting bored. Here are some feeding ratios to follow:
- 80% crickets
- 10% dubia roaches
- 5% silkworms
- 5% ants
Adding ants into the mix stimulates natural foraging behaviors.
How Often and How Many?
Feed ants to adult geckos 1-2 times per week as 5-10% of their total food intake. Juvenile geckos should get ants every 3-4 days since they eat more frequently. A good general rule is to feed as many ants as can fit inside your gecko’s head in one feeding.
An average adult leopard gecko can eat around 4-6 medium ants per sitting. Watch to see if your gecko loses interest so you don’t overfeed. Offer ants in a small bowl so your gecko can choose how many to eat.
Potential Signs of Overfeeding Ants
Geckos are opportunistic feeders and will usually stop eating when full. But it’s still possible to overfeed ants, which may lead to:
| – Lack of interest in other foods | – Loose stool |
| – Obesity | – Nutritional deficiencies |
Monitor your gecko’s appetite and droppings. If their poop becomes runny or they refuse other foods, cut back on ants. Aim for a varied diet with ants as an occasional treat. With proper ratios, ants can provide an excellent source of protein, fat, and nutrients for geckos.
Conclusion
As we explored throughout this 3000 word guide, most types of geckos do naturally eat ants as part of their varied insectivorous diets in the wild. Species ranging from tokay geckos in the rainforests of Southeast Asia to African fat-tailed geckos of arid desert climates will all occasionally munch on ants across their native habitats.
Luckily for keepers of pet geckos, this means ants can make for a healthy, natural supplement to a balanced prepared diet high in essential nutrients. While geckos likely enjoy indulging their inner ant-eater on occasion, be sure not to overdo it!
When fed properly alongside other feeders, ants can be a safe and tasty treat for your little lizard.
We covered a lot of ground exploring common questions around geckos eating ants. Whether you’re a seasoned herpetology hobbyist or researching your first pet lizard, hopefully you now feel equipped with the key facts around gecko diets and answers to your original question – do geckos eats ants?
Short answer: Yes!
