Lizard Insect Feeding Calculator
Last updated: · Reviewed against sources listed below
How many crickets to feed a bearded dragon, or how many mealworms a leopard gecko needs? Enter your lizard's age and feeder insect to get the number per feeding, how often to feed and how many insects to buy each week.
Feeding plan
- Per feeding
- How often
- Buy per week
- Meals per week
- Insects : greens
What the numbers mean: the count per feeding is a starting range. Healthy lizards regulate their own intake, so stop when yours loses interest and remove leftovers. The weekly total is a shopping number — buy a little extra, because some insects die in storage.
How it works
The calculator first finds your lizard’s life stage from its age in months. Each stage has a typical number of insects per feeding and a number of feedings per week, based on veterinary and husbandry guidance. The counts are written for appropriately sized crickets.
Other feeders are converted with a simple factor because they differ in size and food value. Dubia roaches are meatier, so we use about three quarters of the cricket count. Superworms are large, so the count drops to roughly 40%. Black soldier fly larvae are small, so the count rises by about half.
Weekly total = insects per feeding × feedings per week × number of animals. For bearded dragons the result also shows the insect-to-greens ratio. It moves from about 80% insects in babies to about 20% insects in adults, because adult dragons mostly eat vegetables. If you pick a feeder that is not suitable for the chosen age, the tool warns you.
Reference data: insects by age
Bearded Dragon
| Stage | Age | Insects per feeding | How often | Insects : greens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baby | 0–3 months | 10–20 | 1–2 times a day | 80% : 20% |
| Juvenile | 4–11 months | 10–20 | 1–2 times a day | 60% : 40% |
| Sub-adult | 12–17 months | 10–15 | 3–5 times a week | 30% : 70% |
| Adult | 18+ months | 10–15 | 2–3 times a week | 20% : 80% |
Leopard Gecko
| Stage | Age | Insects per feeding | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baby | 0–3 months | 5–7 | once a day |
| Juvenile | 4–11 months | 6–8 | every other day |
| Adult | 12+ months | 6–10 | 2–3 times a week |
Blue Tongue Skink
| Stage | Age | Portion | How often | Diet mix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baby | 0–3 months | a portion about the size of its head | once a day | 70–80% protein, 20–30% greens and vegetables, fruit no more than 10% |
| Juvenile | 4–11 months | a portion about the size of its head | 3–4 times a week | 70–80% protein, 20–30% greens and vegetables, fruit no more than 10% |
| Adult | 12+ months | 1–2 tablespoons, about the size of its head | 2–3 times a week | 40–50% protein, 50–60% greens and vegetables, fruit no more than 10% |
Feeder insects compared
| Feeder | Count vs. crickets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crickets | ×1 | Staple feeder. Remove uneaten crickets after 10–15 minutes; they can bite. |
| Dubia roaches | ×0.75 | Staple feeder. Meatier than crickets, so fewer are needed. |
| Mealworms | ×1 | High in fat and chitin. Fine as a staple for leopard geckos, but only an occasional extra for bearded dragons. |
| Superworms | ×0.4 | Large and fatty. Only for adults; treat as an occasional extra. |
| Black soldier fly larvae | ×1.5 | Naturally high in calcium. Small, so more are needed per feeding. |
Frequently asked questions
How many crickets should I feed a bearded dragon?
Babies (0–3 months) usually eat 10–20 small crickets per feeding, once or twice a day, and juveniles eat a similar amount. Adults need far fewer insects: about 10–15 crickets two or three times a week, with fresh greens making up most of the diet. Enter your dragon’s age above for a weekly total.
How many insects should I feed a leopard gecko?
Babies usually eat 5–7 small insects every day. Juveniles eat 6–8 insects every other day, and adults eat 6–10 insects two or three times a week. Leopard geckos are insectivores, so they need no vegetables. Watch the tail: a plump tail means good condition, while a thin tail is a reason to check your husbandry or see a vet.
What size insects should I feed?
Pick insects no longer than the space between your lizard’s eyes. Oversized insects can cause choking, and in young animals they are linked to impaction, a blockage of the gut. When you are unsure, go one size smaller and feed a few more.
What is gut-loading?
Gut-loading means feeding your insects a nutritious diet, such as fresh greens, carrots or a commercial gut-load food, for 24–48 hours before you offer them to your reptile. Your lizard then gets those nutrients too. It works alongside calcium dusting, which adds minerals to the outside of the insect.
Can I leave insects in the enclosure overnight?
It is better not to. Crickets and some other insects can chew on a sleeping lizard and stress it. Feed during the day, let your lizard eat for 10–15 minutes, then remove anything left over. Worms can be offered in a smooth-sided dish they cannot climb out of.
Sources
- VCA Animal Hospitals — Bearded Dragons: Feeding
- VCA Animal Hospitals — Leopard Geckos: Care
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Reptiles (Exotic and Laboratory Animals)
- ReptiFiles — Bearded Dragon Food
- ReptiFiles — Leopard Gecko Feeding
Where sources disagree we show the range they share. See our sources and methodology for how every number is checked.