Raising the Standard: Why Zen Habitats Chooses Blue River Diets for Our Reptiles

At Zen Habitats, our mission has always been to provide reptiles with the best possible standard of care - from thoughtfully designed enclosures to enrichment that encourages natural behaviors. But husbandry doesn’t end with the best housing and lighting. The proper nutrition for each species of reptile in our care is vital for their wellbeing.

Our team of animal techs at the Zen Habitats office feed, observe, and track the health of our reptiles daily. Over the years, we’ve seen the reptile diet market evolve dramatically. And through it all, one truth has stood out: not all diets are created equal.

From Yogurt and Baby Food to Modern Diets

When crested geckos (Correlophus ciliatus) were rediscovered in New Caledonia in 1994, keepers had to get very creative with feeding. Early diets included blends of live insects, mashed fruit, human baby food formulas, and even dairy yogurts for probiotics. While inventive, these mixes weren’t nutritionally balanced or complete, often leading to poor growth, shortened lifespans, and health problems like metabolic bone disease (MBD).

Fast forward to today, and reptile keepers have a range of commercially formulated gecko diets (CGDs) to choose from. These diets are specifically designed to provide the right balance of protein, vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients. But as we’ve learned through years of hands-on reptile care, not every product delivers the results it promises, and as our knowledge about reptile husbandry expands year on year

Why We Trust Blue River Diets

The brand that has earned our trust through several years of testing, is Blue River Diets. Well established in the UK and EU, Blue River Diets is a relative newcomer to the U.S. market - but it’s already setting a new benchmark for gecko nutrition.

What makes it stand out?

• Natural nutrition, developed by veterinary professionals and herpetologists: Protein from insects and plants, plus fruit-based sweetness without artificial additives.
• Gut health support: Postbiotics and bee pollen help digestion and immune function.
• Research-driven formulas: The team conducts frequent expeditions to New Caledonia, studying geckos in their natural habitat to ensure diets align with wild feeding behaviors.
• Variety of blends: From Watermelon Burst to Fruit & Bug, their range covers crested geckos, gargoyle geckos, chahoua, and even leachianus (with the higher-protein Fruit & Bug formula).

Real Results in the Zen Office

Transitioning reptiles to a new diet isn’t always instant. Just like people, geckos have flavor preferences, and adults can be slow to accept change. Our hatchlings, however, took to Blue River right away - a strong indicator that the diet’s formulation is both natural and appealing.

Within weeks, our adults fully transitioned to Blue River Diets. Since then, we’ve observed:

• Steady growth in hatchlings and juveniles.
• Stable calcium sacs in breeding females.
• Healthy weight recovery in males post-breeding season.
• Healthier body condition in adults that previously carried excess bulk on other diets.

Ease of Use

Like other leading CGDs, preparation is simple: mix 1 part diet with 2 parts water into a smooth purée. Serve fresh, remove uneaten portions after 24 hours, and store pre-mixed food in the fridge for up to 7 days.

It’s easy for us as caretakers, and consistent for the animals we serve.

A Shared Philosophy

At Zen Habitats, we believe in the very best standards of reptile care: spacious enclosures, enrichment that encourages natural behaviors, and nutrition that supports long, healthy lives. Blue River Diets reflects that same philosophy. Their commitment to research, transparency, and reptile welfare has never wavered.

That’s why, in our office, we trust Blue River Diets to fuel the animals we care for every day. And we’re proud to recommend it to the wider reptile-keeping community, so much so that our parent company, WeGro Co, is currently the official distributor of Blue River Diets in the US (accurate as of August 2025).

📦 You can purchase Blue River Diets through the official US website or on Amazon.

For those who love diving into the details, we also recommend checking out the full nutritional breakdown available at ReptiFiles

✨ At Zen Habitats, our standard of care extends beyond the enclosure. It’s in every cricket, every product we develop, and every feeding decision we make for our reptiles.