You see them clinging to the ceiling near the porch light every single night. They're basically tiny, translucent ninjas. Most people just assume they’re eating "bugs," and while that’s technically true, the reality of what do house geckos eat is actually a lot more specific and, honestly, a little more gruesome than you might think. These little guys are opportunistic predators. They aren't just sitting there looking cute; they are calculated hunters that play a massive role in your home's ecosystem.
If you have a Mediterranean House Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) or a Common House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) skittering around your walls, you’ve got a free pest control service. They’re essentially living flyswatters.
The Nightly Buffet: Breaking Down the Primary Diet
So, what’s actually on the menu? For a house gecko, if it moves and it fits in their mouth, it’s probably dinner. In the wild—or, well, in your kitchen—their diet consists almost entirely of insects and arachnids.
They love moths. You've probably noticed them hanging out near outdoor lights because that’s where the moths congregate. It’s like a drive-thru for them. They also go crazy for crickets, small roaches, and those annoying little flies that buzz around your fruit bowl. Spiders are also a huge part of the equation. If you hate spiders, the house gecko is your best friend. They will hunt down cellar spiders and small wolf spiders without hesitating.
Size matters here. A gecko isn't going to take down a giant Madagascar hissing cockroach. They generally stick to prey that is no wider than the space between their eyes. If they try to eat something too big, they can actually choke or suffer from impaction, which is basically a lethal case of constipation.
Interestingly, research published in journals like Herpetological Review has noted that these geckos are highly visual hunters. They don't really care about the smell or the "brand" of the bug. They care about movement. If a beetle is sitting perfectly still, a gecko might crawl right over it. But the second that beetle twitches? It’s game over.
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Don't Feed Them This: The Dangers of "Human" Food
I’ve seen people try to give house geckos bits of ham or bread. Please, just don’t. Their digestive systems are strictly built for chitin and protein. They can’t process complex carbohydrates or processed meats. It’ll just rot in their gut.
Why What Do House Geckos Eat Changes Everything for Your Garden
If you’re a gardener, you should be rolling out the red carpet for these reptiles. Because they are nocturnal, they catch the pests that your daytime lizards (like Anoles) miss.
- Ants: While they won't wipe out a whole colony, they definitely snack on scouts.
- Beetles: Small carpet beetles and garden beetles are a staple.
- Grasshoppers: Only the small ones, obviously.
- Earwigs: Those creepy pincers don't scare a hungry gecko.
It's a common misconception that geckos eat plants. They don't. If you see holes in your hostas, don't blame the gecko. He’s actually there to eat the slug that’s actually eating your hostas.
The Weird Stuff: Cannibalism and Fruit
Here is a bit of a "dark" fact about gecko behavior. When resources are scarce, larger house geckos have been known to eat smaller ones. Yeah, it’s a lizard-eat-lizard world out there. Juveniles have to be incredibly careful because their own cousins might see them as a protein snack.
Also, some species of house geckos have a bit of a sweet tooth. In tropical regions, they’ve been observed licking the nectar from flowers or eating very soft, overripe fruit. It’s not their primary food source, but it provides a quick sugar hit and some hydration. If you’re keeping one as a pet, a tiny dab of organic papaya puree once a month is like a five-star dessert for them.
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Hydration is Key
They don't drink like dogs. You won't see a gecko lapping from a bowl very often. Instead, they drink droplets of dew or rain off of leaves and walls. Their skin is hydrophobic, meaning water beads up on it, which makes it easy for them to lick moisture right off their own "shoulders" or the surrounding surfaces.
Feeding Pet House Geckos vs. Wild Ones
If you’ve decided to keep one of these as a pet—maybe you caught one in the house or bought one from a reptile expo—you can't just hope a fly wanders into the tank. You have to be proactive.
Most owners rely on "feeder insects."
- Pinhead Crickets: These are the gold standard. They are high in protein and easy for the gecko to track.
- Flightless Fruit Flies: Great for babies (hatchlings).
- Dubia Roaches: These are much better than common crickets because they don't carry as many parasites and they don't jump out of the enclosure.
- Mealworms: Use these sparingly. They have a tough outer shell (exoskeleton) that can be hard to digest if the gecko eats too many.
Pro tip: You absolutely must "gut load" your feeder insects. This means feeding the crickets high-quality vegetables like carrots and squash 24 hours before you give them to the gecko. Basically, the cricket is just a biological delivery vehicle for vitamins. If the cricket is empty, the gecko gets no nutrition. You also need to dust the insects with calcium powder. Without extra calcium, house geckos develop Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD), which causes their bones to become soft and deformed. It's a slow, painful way for a lizard to go, so don't skip the dust.
The Hunt: How They Actually Catch Food
It’s all about the "sit and wait" strategy. A house gecko will find a spot near a light source and stay perfectly still for thirty minutes. Their pupils are vertical slits, which give them incredible depth perception in low light.
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When they spot a target, they don't run immediately. They do this slow, rhythmic creep. They'll wiggle their tail slightly—sometimes as a distraction, sometimes just out of pure predatory excitement. Then, a lightning-fast lunge. Their mouths are lined with tiny, needle-like teeth that act like a velcro trap. Once they grab a moth, they'll often shake it or bash it against the wall to stun it before swallowing it whole.
Seasonal Shifts in Diet
During the winter, especially in places like Florida or Texas where these geckos are prevalent, their metabolism slows down significantly. They might only eat once every week or two. You’ll see them tucked into the crevices of your window frames or behind shutters, just waiting for the temperature to climb back above 60 degrees.
In the heat of summer? They are voracious. A single adult house gecko can consume dozens of small insects in a single night. This is when they bulk up their fat reserves, which they store primarily in their tails. If you see a gecko with a nice, plump tail, he’s living the good life. If the tail looks thin and bony, he’s struggling to find food.
Addressing the "Pest" Myth
Some people think house geckos are pests. They aren't. They don't chew wires, they don't eat your food, and they don't carry diseases that affect humans in any significant way (though you should always wash your hands after touching one because of potential Salmonella).
Understanding what do house geckos eat helps you realize that they are actually an invisible layer of protection for your home. They are the reason you don't have fifty more mosquitoes in your bedroom.
Actionable Steps for Gecko Lovers
If you want to support the local gecko population around your home, or if you're looking to optimize a pet's health, follow these specific steps:
- Minimize Pesticide Use: If you spray heavy toxins to kill ants and roaches, the geckos eat those poisoned bugs. The poison accumulates in the gecko, eventually killing it. Try to use gecko-safe or natural pest control methods.
- Leave the Porch Light On: It’s basically a dinner bell. Warm-spectrum LED lights attract plenty of moths without hiking your power bill too much.
- Provide Hiding Spots: Geckos feel safest in tight gaps. If you have a brick wall or some stacked stones, leave them be.
- Calcium is Non-Negotiable: If you have a pet gecko, buy a high-quality calcium supplement with Vitamin D3. Shake the bugs in a bag with the powder until they look like little powdered donuts.
- Check the Tail: Use the tail thickness as a gauge for health. If you're keeping a pet and the tail is thinning, increase feeding frequency or check the enclosure temperature, as they can't digest food properly if they are too cold.
By maintaining a healthy environment for these tiny reptiles, you ensure that the natural balance of insects in your living space stays in check without needing a chemical fogger.