Complete Reptile Feeding Guide

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What a reptile eats depends entirely on the species. Snakes eat whole prey. Lizards eat insects, vegetables, or both. Tortoises eat plants. Getting the diet right — including feeders, supplements, and feeding tools — is one of the most important parts of captive reptile care. Use the guides below to find the right feeding setup for your animal.

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Browse by Feeder Type

🐭 Frozen/Thawed Rodents

The standard diet for most captive snakes. Frozen/thawed feeders are safer than live prey, more convenient to store, and equally nutritious. Available in sizes from pinky mice through jumbo rats.

🦗 Live Feeder Insects

The primary food source for most insectivorous reptiles. Variety, gut-loading, and dusting are all essential parts of a complete insect-feeding program.

🧴 Supplements

Calcium and vitamin supplementation are essential for insect-eating reptiles. No feeder insect provides complete nutrition on its own.

🥥 Feeding Tools

Feeding by Species

Ball Pythons

Frozen/thawed rodents only. Start with mice for hatchlings and juveniles; transition to rats as the snake grows. Feed every 7–10 days for juveniles, every 10–14 days for adults. Always use feeding tongs. Feeding refusals are common — especially in autumn — and are not always a cause for concern.

→ Best Frozen Feeders — Best Feeding Tongs

Corn Snakes

Frozen/thawed mice. Size up as the snake grows — from pinkies for hatchlings through adult mice for full-grown adults. Feed every 7 days for juveniles, every 10–14 days for adults. One of the easiest snakes to feed — most accept frozen/thawed readily.

→ Best Frozen Feeders — Best Feeding Tongs

Bearded Dragons

Omnivores. Juveniles eat primarily insects (70–80%) with some vegetables; adults eat primarily vegetables (70–80%) with some insects. Staple insects: dubia roaches, crickets, BSFL. Staple vegetables: collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, squash. Dust insects with calcium at every feeding for juveniles; use multivitamin weekly. Always provide a food dish for salad.

→ Best Live Feeder Insects — Best Calcium Supplements — Best Vitamins — Best Food Dishes

Leopard Geckos

Insectivores. Staple feeders: dubia roaches, crickets, BSFL, mealworms (in moderation). Feed juveniles daily; adults every other day or every 2–3 days. Dust with calcium at every feeding; multivitamin weekly. A mealworm dish with smooth sides prevents escape into the substrate.

→ Best Live Feeder Insects — Best Calcium Supplements — Best Food Dishes

Blue Tongue Skinks

Omnivores. Diet varies by subspecies but generally includes protein (insects, lean meat, snails), vegetables, and some fruit. Feed adults every 2–3 days. Dust insect portion with calcium; use multivitamin weekly. A stable food dish is useful for the vegetable and prepared food portion of the diet.

→ Best Live Feeder Insects — Best Calcium Supplements — Best Food Dishes

Russian Tortoises

Herbivores. Diet should consist primarily of leafy greens and weeds — dandelion greens, collard greens, endive, and similar. Avoid high-oxalate foods and fruit. Dust food with calcium regularly. A low-sided food dish keeps greens off the substrate and reduces contamination.

→ Best Calcium Supplements — Best Food Dishes

Supplementation Quick Reference

For insect-eating reptiles with proper UVB lighting:

  • Plain calcium — at most or every feeding
  • Calcium + D3 — once or twice a week
  • Multivitamin — once a week

This is a general starting point. Species, age, and UVB quality all affect supplementation needs. See the calcium guide and vitamin guide for full detail.

Foods to Always Avoid

  • ❌ Fireflies / lightning bugs — toxic to reptiles. Never feed.
  • ❌ Wild-caught insects from unknown areas — risk of pesticide exposure and parasites
  • ❌ Avocado — toxic to many reptiles
  • ❌ Rhubarb — toxic; high oxalic acid content
  • ❌ Spinach and beet greens as staples — high oxalates bind calcium; use sparingly if at all
  • ❌ Live prey for snakes as a routine — live rodents can and do injure snakes; frozen/thawed is safer and equally nutritious

All Feeding Guides

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