Complete Guide to Zoo Med Crested Gecko Food
By: Jason
Last Updated: March 9, 2023
Nutritionally complete crested gecko diets haven’t always been around, and it took pioneers in reptile care to get us to where we are today. In 1984, Zoo Med Laboratories produced the first multivitamin designed for reptiles that changed the face of pet reptile care. In 2018, after a year of testing, Zoo Med released a new version of their crested gecko diet to meet the dietary needs of these pet lizards. So, what makes Zoo Med crested gecko food stand out?
Zoo Med uses top-quality ingredients and probiotics for premium health. Unlike most other brands, it can be served ‘dry.’ Zoo Med makes three flavors of their ‘normal’ gecko diet mix, plus a version just for breeding adults and growing juveniles.
Learn what Zoo Med is doing today and what to expect when buying their complete gecko diet.
Ingredients
Zoo Med has changed its formula over the years, and the current one stands out.
Their top three flavors (plum, tropical, and watermelon) use nearly the same ingredients. Each has one fruit to make the flavor distinct but is otherwise identical.
Zoo Med uses a ‘fruit first’ approach, with organic dried bananas and mangoes in the top two spots. Two protein sources (see more below) and rice bran come next, with organic dried papaya and fig close behind them. All four fruits in the top seven ingredients grow in the tropics, akin to what wild crested geckos eat.
Every recipe uses both peas and black soldier fly larvae for protein. Using more than one source diversifies the amino acids, and using the high-calcium insect does double duty.
One of the notable choices is adding four natural probiotic microorganisms to help with digestive health.
Zoo Med is the only brand to use vegetable oil in their recipe. Vegetable oil adds fat and moisture to a recipe without changing the taste. I guess that it is needed to offset using as many dried ingredients.
The ingredient list is top-notch and aligns with many of the ‘whole foods’ we promote for crested geckos. The inclusion of probiotics helps them stand out from the other top makers of complete gecko diet food.
Guaranteed Analysis
The first thing to note is that the guaranteed analysis for all three of their flavors is the same. Again, this is a plus. Consistency makes it easier for keepers to change one thing out for another without worry.
The min crude protein in Zoo Med’s formulas is 22%. It’s only slightly higher than the average of the recommended brands, so owners won’t likely notice a difference.
The min crude fat content is on the high side for the compared brands (ignoring BPZ, whose numbers are 2-3x higher).
Zoo Med includes both a min and max calcium (Ca) and phosphorous (P) content on the packaging. Love this! Adding it helps nutrient-minded keepers a lot.
The 2.3% min and 2.8% max Ca results in a 2.9:1 to 3.5:1 Ca-P ratio, which is on the high side.
Lots of protein, fat, and calcium is what pet lizard owners want in the food for their pets. None of the values are so high to call the question of whether they’ve gone too far. Overall, Zoo Med gets high marks here.
Sizes & Price
Zoo Med sells their crested gecko food in 2 oz pouches, 4 oz and 8 oz jars, and a 1 lb pouch.
Zoo Med doesn’t sell their gecko food directly on their website, nor list the prices. A quick search reveals a wide range of prices for the same product. Because of this, it is harder to compare their prices to other brands and even more important to ‘shop around’ before buying.
One trusted online retailer who carried all four sizes had these prices;
2 oz – $6.99 – $3.50/oz
4 oz – $11.99 – $3.00/oz
8 oz – $19.99 – $2.50/oz
16 oz – $34.99 – $2.19/oz
Lower-cost “deals” on the 2-ounce bags were available elsewhere, but it was unclear how long those prices would last.
At the prices above, a one-pound bag of Zoo Med is on par with the other more expensive brand (Pangea). We couldn’t find sales on the larger units, but it is worth hunting for if Zoo Med is your preferred brand.
Palatability
Zoo Med’s newer formula gets lots of love in the reviews from users online. Many commented on how good it smelled, while others focused on how happy their pets were to eat it.
Some people talked about using Zoo Med instead of Pangea or Repashy or mixing it with one of them.
Our crested gecko loves the tropical fruit flavor, and we have yet to try the others.
Feeding Instructions
Most people serve Zoo Med’s crested gecko food as a slurry.
To make it “wet,” mix one scoop of the mix with the same amount of water. Stir well. Add to a feeder bowl and place in the habitat.
The food can also be served dry. Served as a powder, you don’t need to worry about it hardening after a few hours, having to clean the bowl, or throwing away as much uneaten food. It saves you time and money.
Additional Info
How long does the food last?
Prepared CGD is safe for 24-48 hours.
Where can I buy it?
2-ounces and 4-ounce bags are available in large chain pet stores, but they rarely have the more cost-effective sizes.
Zoo Med’s website does not sell its crested gecko diet directly to consumers. Some online retailers carry the product.
Conclusion
Zoo Med changed the formula for its crested gecko diet to something new and much better. This version has high-quality ingredients that provide crested geckos with all the nutrients they need to grow.
One of the things that helps Zoo Med stand out from the other leaders is the inclusion of probiotics to promote gut health.
The other notable difference is the ability to serve their CGD ‘dry.’
Zoo Med is well known for many of its products, and this version of a complete gecko diet lives up to that same standard.
How does Zoo Med compare to other gecko diets? Learn All About Black Panther Zoological Crested Gecko Food