The first few rounds of this diet have been received impressively by geckos and hobbyists alike! All of our geckos are fed it, and unlike the other commercially sold diets out there, this is truly designed with a gecko's nature in mind. Our entire mission is to develop a diet that works – both nutritionally and palatably.
For a limited time, pricing is 20% off the listed market pricing below:
50g (1.8oz) -
$6.40 $8 *special trial size!*
100g (3.5oz) -
$9.60 $12
250g (8.8oz) -
$17.60 $22
500g (17.6oz) -
$30.40 $38
1000g (35.3oz) -
$52.00 $65
Shipping is $5.80 up to 500g and $12.35 for up to 2kg (2000g) via USPS Flat Rate!
Ingredients:
Insect protein powder, dried honey powder, brown rice flour, mango, banana, calcium carbonate, xanthan gum, guava, spirulina algae, carrot, dried hibiscus flower, papaya, beet root.
Guaranteed analysis:
Protein: 28%
Fat: 14%
Fiber: 4%
Calcium: 1%
Phosphorus: 0.4%
Please email with any questions, I reply the fastest that way: Blackpantherreptiles@gmail.com - Thank you!
Our novel gecko diet is designed to deliver exactly what your gecko has evolved to metabolize over their 100 million years of existence. The protein source we use is solely insect-based, for a number of reasons. Firstly, plant-based protein sources often lack certain essential amino acids while animal (or insect) derived protein are complete. Geckos haven’t particularly been observed seeking out vegetative matter in the wild, so why feed it to them in captivity? Other protein sources such as egg or whey also come with a burden. To give a bit of background, biotin is vitamin (specifically a coenzyme) that is required for cell growth, the synthesis of fatty acids, and to metabolize proteins and fats. It is found ubiquitously in small amounts in most sources of nutrition. Eggs contain a large amount of avidin, a protein that binds biotin and blocks the body from using it. Pasteurization has been suggested as a method to inactivate avidin, though most people don’t know that there are two commercial processes of pasteurization:
1. Heating the egg, though this causes the other proteins in an egg to denature, vastly changing the texture and consistency.
2. Treating the egg with ozone (O3, which produces free radicals) or another oxidative gas under pressure. The reactive gas is then displaced by an inert gas.
In the case of the first, the temperature at which pasteurization occurs is typically not high enough or prolonged long enough to fully denature avidin. In the second method, avidin would not be denatured at all. Whey protein on the other hand, does not contain avidin, but can contain lactose – a sugar many non-mammalian animals cannot digest as they don’t have lactase (the enzyme that breaks down lactose into it’s respective monomers: galactose and glucose).
Now that we’ve covered protein, let’s talk a little about fat. Not all fat is bad! The analysis for total or crude fat done for animal feed does not distinguish between good fats and bad fats. Overall, insect protein is high in polyunsaturated fat (think omega 3 fatty acids) and quite low in saturated fat. Fat is required for growth and health and most insectivorous geckos require a larger amount of fat than we may think. Typical staple insects even fed to geckos in captivity contain a broad range of fat content, though most are considerably high. Here are some common ones, listed below:
Cricket
Protein (% dry wt): 64.9
Fat (% dry wt): 13.8
Roach
Protein (% dry wt): 53.9
Fat (% dry wt): 28.4
We kept the amount of fiber low, as high fiber often occurs in vegetation. Although geckos don’t eat vegetation or grain, they do eat fruit, which does contain some dietary fiber, albeit not as much. The fruits included in our diet are wild-harvested from renewable resources, and each plot of land that they come from has, at minimum, a three-year history of no pesticide or prohibited substance application. The carrots, beets, and hibiscus flowers come from premium “all-natural” suppliers. Every ingredient is selected with care, is non-GMO, and is human-grade (yes, even including the bugs!).
Our belief is that “frugivorous gecko” is a misnomer. The staple diet in the wild is typically insect-based while fruit simply comprises a small percentage. We let nature do what nature does right, and use only whole ingredients which provide the broadest spectrum of vitamin and mineral diversity and complete nutrition. Our novel diet is designed to offer just that. With the delicious flavor of tropical mangos, bananas, guavas and papaya, and the unparalleled nutritional composition of insect protein, it’s hard for any gecko to resist!
Developed by:
Kaiden Waldron-Francis, B.S.
Sneha Borikar, PhD candidate (vertebrate genetics and epigenetics)
Because other suppliers don’t, we will! Here is a breakdown of why we include what we do in the list of ingredients:
Beet root – Rich in vitamin A and other important vitamins, also a great source of pigments.
Brown rice flour – a thickening agent that also provides minerals
Carrot – a great source of beta-carotene
Dried hibiscus flower – rich in anthocyanins and a natural ‘preservative’, if you can call it that based on how fresh it is!
Dried honey powder – rich in flavor, and also has antimicrobial properties
Insect protein powder – Only the best source of protein for an insectivore!
Mango, banana, guava, papaya – high in natural carotenoids, flavonoids. Did we mention that they also taste great?
Spirulina – Often called a “superfood”, it’s high in tyrosine, an amino acid used for a ton of important biological functions!
Xanthan Gum - an all-natural thickener.
Linear Mode
