Crested geckos are probably one of the easiest geckos to care for. They require temperatures that can generally be achieved at and around room temperatures, although 75 to 80F is optimal. And, they eat a simple diet that just mixes with water. They like crickets on occasion, but the crested gecko meal replacement is the essential diet for crested geckos.

If you really want to provide a treat, you don't want to feed baby food because although it is formulated to healthy babies, it doesn't provide the same nutrients to geckos.

The homemade diet below is not a good staple diet, and should only be used as an occasional treat for your gecko(s). You need to provide Crested Gecko Diet (CGD) meal replacement on a regular basis in order to ensure that your gecko(s) is receiving the proper nutrients that he deserves.

A healthy treat that you can make at home is an all natural smoothie. Below you can check out a recipe that I got from Woodlandedge Herps and the re-formulated diets that I made for my own crested geckos.

Ingredients:

1 large can approx. (800 g/ 28 oz)- of unsweetened mango pulp

1 small to medium ripe banana

1 to 2 soft pears

3 to 4 figs

One or two other fruits in season

One can of low fat, unsweetened yogurt (strawberry, mixed berries, or peach)

Directions:

1. Put all of your fruits in the blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour the pureed fruits in a mixing bowl.
3. Add the one serving size container of yogurt and mix thorough.
4. Scoop into ice trays and freeze.

When feeding, you will thaw out the ice cubes and put in the bowls. You may consider adding bee pollen, another blended mix of fruits, a different yogurt flavor, finely chopped figs to the top of the mix to give it a little more flavor before feeding.

Remove whatever is not eaten the next day, as the fruits will spoil rather quickly.

** Note: The bacteria in the yogurt is safe for the geckos as it will help with digestion. It is thought that yogurt produces an enzyme during fermentation.

I still followed the basic directions, except I went ahead and blended in yogurt with the fruits in the blender to save from dirtying the extra dish.

I actually made three different types of smoothie mixtures.

The first included:

• 1/2 container of no sugar, low fat raspberry yogurt.
• 1 banana
• 8 strawberries
• 1 mango
• 1/4 cup of apple juice

Makes 2 full trays.

The second mixture included:

• 1/2 container of no sugar, low fat raspberry yogurt
• 2 white peaches
• 2 pears
• 45 grapes (without the skin)
• 1 small jar of peach baby food

Makes 4 full trays.

The third mixture included: (I lost the exact measurements)

• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Apple juice
• Peach baby food

Makes 1 and a half trays.

From the three different types, I found that my geckos enjoy the first one the best. Although, I haven't tried the third blend of fruits, but I expect that they will enjoy it as it is primarily berries.

You cannot use any and every fruit to blend up for your crested geckos. IE avoid citrus fruits suchs grapefruit, oranges, lemons, limes, and tangerines.

Fruits that you want to consider include:

• Banana
• Blackberry
• Figs
• Grapes
• Mango
• Papaya
• Peach
• Pear
• Raspberry
• Strawberry

Just remember that these homemade crested gecko smoothies are not meant to be a staple diet. You can use them as occasional treats, but do not offer them daily, as your gecko will not be receive the proper nutrients that he needs. I like to give my older juvenile and adult crested geckos the mix once a week and no more; I do not offer the mix to hatchlings as I want to ensure that they are eating CGD.