Although they are relatively simple to catch, roaches are probably not a reptile’s first food choice. But can or do geckos eat cockroaches? Geckos and other reptiles can gladly eat a variety of live insects without issues.
Yes, geckos can consume cockroaches. However, doing so can be dangerous if cockroaches are the common household variety. In addition, they may carry toxic bacteria, germs, and pesticides that could cause major digestive issues.
Roaches from your neighborhood pet store are a better option. They were raised in a clean environment and have more nutrients than most common insects.
Do geckos eat roaches?
Cockroaches are safe for geckos to eat if raised in a controlled environment. This is because cockroaches contain more nutrients than other insects that geckos are known to consume.
On the other hand, roaches located in a backyard or kitchen are bad for geckos or other pet reptiles.
You can get healthy cockroaches in several places, but your neighborhood pet store is where you should start. If unsuccessful, you can purchase them from an internet pet store.
Pet geckos tend to overfeed when offered food. You may notice this when you give them feeder roaches. While this helps them grow, it also endangers them since overfeeding can cause constipation and impaction.
The size of your pet lizard determines how many cockroaches you can feed at once and, at most, three because the average cockroach is enormous to a gecko. Additionally, it’s crucial to choose cockroaches and insects that are no larger than the gecko’s head width.
Place one cockroach inside the enclosure, and after the gecko notices and eats it, you can add another one.
Insects, or in this case, cockroaches, should always be kept as healthy as possible. This will allow them to provide more nutritional value for the gecko.
What else do geckos eat?
Feed a variety of foods to your geckos that eat insects. Your gecko won’t have a balanced diet if it depends too heavily on one type of meal.
Besides roaches, geckos eat the following:
1. Crickets
The mainstay of the majority of pet gecko diets is crickets. They’re simply the easiest to buy or raise at home, not because they’re healthy.
2. Mealworms
Although they can be too big for some house geckos, mealworms are another essential food source for leopard geckos.
Superworms and waxworms are two incredibly healthy insects. For this reason, offer them only occasionally each week as unique treats.
3. Flies
These little creatures are ideal for small geckos, such as house geckos. Fruit flies are typically the easiest to obtain and buy.
4. Fruits
In addition to consuming insects, some geckos also like to eat fruit. The day, crested, gargoyle, chahoua, and mourning geckos are among the most prevalent frugivorous species. One treat per week should be fruit.
Papaya, pears, blueberries, mango, guava, cherries, pineapple, plums, grapes, apples, melons, and bananas are a few of the favorites. Fruits should always be served in pureed form.
5. Powered food
Gecko powdered diet can also be a good option for your fruit-loving pet if you want to keep feeding simple and nutritionally balanced.
This prepared food lasts up to 7 days in the refrigerator. It can be given to young geckos every day and adults up to 3 times per week.
What other animals eat roaches?
Besides geckos, other animals that eat roaches include the following:
Reptiles
Drop a cockroach into a pet lizard’s territory to observe one foraging. The reptile will strike and eat the roach without hesitation as if it is starving. However, the size of the roaches that a lizard can eat depends on their size.
Furthermore, snakes, young crocodiles, and alligators will also eat cockroaches, so it’s not simply lizards that consume them. Cockroaches may make up a sizable component of the diet of some.
Reptiles eat many insects since bearded dragons eat Calci worms and roaches. Bearded dragons are popular among reptile pet keepers.
Humans
Around the world, cockroaches are a common food source. Roaches are safe to eat when bred and prepared correctly, despite what some might think. They contain a lot of protein and don’t require a lot of resources to raise. They can be fried, sautéed, or roasted for food.
Roaches
Indeed, roaches consume other roaches. Most cockroaches only survive 3 years or less on average. Additionally, they reproduce often, with many nymphs never reaching adulthood.
What exactly is a cockroach to do with all those dead roaches? In the world of cockroaches, nothing is wasted. If there are other roaches around and a roach dies, you may be certain that at least some of it will be used to feed the offspring.
Birds
Insects are a favorite food for many birds. Roaches, however, can be challenging for many birds to hunt because they are nocturnal and excellent concealers. However, a cockroach outside in broad daylight is begging to be eaten by a bird.
All insect-eating birds, such as roadrunners, jays, owls, shrikes, magpies, and robins, consume roaches.
Small mammals
Every predatory carnivorous or omnivorous mammal will consume roaches if given a chance. These include raccoons, opossums, mice, and rats.
Other insects
Many other insects consume cockroaches. Cockroaches are easy prey for other bugs despite having rigid exoskeletons and pointed spikes on their legs. They lack an offensive strategy and are not predatory. As such, when kept together, roaches won’t eat your mealworms or other insects. Anything will devour a cockroach, including spiders and praying mantes, given a chance.