Feeding schedule
By life stage
A complete MRP (Mourning Gecko Diet) mixed fresh forms the backbone of feeding at every age — frequency and portion size scale with age, while live insects stay optional enrichment throughout.
| Life stage | Frequency | Amount | Feeder sizing | Calcium | Multivitamin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hatchling 0 – 2 months | Fresh MRP smear offered every night | A pea-sized smear on a leaf or dish lid, replaced nightly whether eaten or not | N/A — MRP paste; any live insects offered must be flightless fruit flies or springtails only | Included in MRP formula | Included in MRP formula |
Juvenile 2 – 6 months | Fresh MRP every other night; fruit flies 2–3x weekly if offered | A pea-to-dime-sized amount of MRP | Fruit flies and springtails only — anything larger is unsafe | Included in MRP; dust fruit flies with calcium | Included in MRP formula |
Sub-adult 6 – 10 months | Fresh MRP 3–4 nights per week; fruit flies 2x weekly if offered | A dime-sized amount of MRP | Fruit flies, springtails, or pinhead crickets at most | Included in MRP; dust any live insects offered | Included in MRP formula |
Adult 10+ months | Fresh MRP 3x per week; live feeders optional, 1–2x weekly | A dime-sized amount of MRP, adjusted to appetite and colony size | Fruit flies, springtails, or pinhead/small crickets (2nd–3rd instar) | Included in MRP; dust any live insects offered | Included in MRP formula |
Body condition check: A healthy mourning gecko has a full, rounded body and tail base without looking overly padded. A visibly pinched tail base or protruding hip bones suggest underweight; an excessively rounded, bulging body suggests overfeeding — most often from too much fatty optional insect feeding rather than MRP itself, which is portion-controlled by design.
Removal timing: Fresh MRP should be removed and replaced within 24 hours whether eaten or not, to prevent mould in a humid enclosure. If offering optional live insects, remove anything uneaten within 15 minutes — loose crickets left overnight will bite a sleeping gecko.
Water: Fresh water must be available at all times in a shallow dish. Shallow enough that your gecko cannot drown — no deeper than their belly. Change it whenever it is soiled, which may be daily.
Bathing: Mourning geckos do not need regular baths and should not be bathed as a routine — it stresses them. The exception is retained shed: a 10–15 minute warm shallow soak helps loosen stuck skin. Never use soap, and never leave a gecko unattended in water. For a fuller guide on shedding and retained shed, see the shedding page →