Skip to content

Can Leopard Geckos Eat Earthworms? What You Need To Know.

A photo of some earthworm for leopard gecko feeding

I am sure I am not the only leopard gecko owner that has thought about this question, can Leopard geckos eat earthworms?

Well I set out on a mission to do lots of research as I wanted to find out the truth. I would not want to feed my pet something that could harm it and I certainly would not want to recommend something bad to my readers.

So everything I learnt is below and by the end of this article you can decide if you want to feed your leopard gecko earthworms.

Will a leopard gecko eat earthworms?

Before we get onto the question of if we should feed our leopard geckos earthworms I want to answer this question first. Because if your pet will turn its nose up at an earthworm we do not need to go any further!

So will a leopard gecko eat an earthworm?

Earthworms are not toxic to Leopard Geckos however you will find that your Leo does not enjoy eating them. Earthworms produce a substance when stressed or under attack that Leopard Gecko do not like the taste of. For this reason it is best not to give them as food.

So the answer to that question is yes, a leopard gecko will eat an earthworm if it is given the opportunity. It has been known for some geckos to actually choose not to eat worm though so it can be a bit hit and miss really.

Now we should look at if it is actually safe to feed our pets earthworms.

Can leopard geckos eat earthworms and is it safe?

We know that they will generally eat them if we allow them to but is it a good idea? Can leopard geckos eat earthworms and is it safe for them to do so?

Yes leopard gecko can eat earthworms and it is safe for them to do so. You should try to make sure not to feed wild worms to your leopard gecko though as these may contain parasites and other nasties. Instead you can buy earthworms from most pet shops and try to make sure that they are fed as an occasional treat only.

Below is a video from YouTube of a leopard gecko eating a huge earthworm.

Is there enough nutrition in an earthworm for your leopard gecko?

Although leopard geckos will eat earthworms and it is safe to do so it does not mean that it is a good meal for them to have.

Earthworms should only make a very occasional treat for your gecko. Other insects such as crickets and mealworms are much more nutritionally beneficial.

The earthworm is typically made up of around:

  • 83% moisture
  • 10% protein
  • 1.6% fat.
  • There is only a tiny amount of calcium.

Whilst the moisture is good for keeping your gecko hydrated there is not much of anything else beneficial.

For this reason you should only give your leopard gecko an earthworm once or twice every 2 weeks.

If you want to provide your leopard gecko with a healthy and nutritious diet why not take a look at the guide to diet and feeding.

Do not feed your leopard gecko wild earthworms.

I mentioned this above but I think it deserves its own section as it is quite important.

Just as you do with other feeder insects your worms should be store bought. Feeding wild insects to your leopard gecko is a bad idea and that goes for wild earthworms too.

Earthworms sift through the soil and organic materiel and whilst they do this they pick up a heck of a lot of parasites. These are not good for your pet gecko.

Make sure to only feed store bought earthworms and insects to your leopard gecko.

Conclusion.

Earthworms are not the most nutritious food that you can give to your leopard gecko, they have to much water content.

You can give one to your pet every now and again though as it is a good idea to mix up their diet and keep it varied.

Remember though that some leopard geckos hate the taste of earthworms and the mucus that they secrete when stressed. So if your leo will not eat it take the worm out right away.

To prove a point is a video below. In this video the owner tried to feed his Leo an earthworm and the Leo absolutely hates the taste.