Why leopard gecko not eating

Stress can also be a cause of loss of appetite. Stress can come from multiple sources including any of the illnesses listed above. It can also come from excessive handling. So if you notice your gecko is hiding and refusing food after handling it for a while then you should probably lessen interaction with it. There is also such a thing as picky eaters amongst reptiles so you may have to try other types of feed to get your gecko to eat better.

Leopard geckos are by nature, hunters, so they usually eat moving insects. If their feed does not move too much, they may not immediately recognize it as food and fail to eat it. They may also be picky eaters so changing their diet to other feeder insects could get them interested in their food as well. Make sure you gut load or dust the insects before feeding them to your gecko to provide proper nourishment.

Worms such as mealworms and superworms can be high in fat and can be tough to digest causing issues or even impaction so make sure you feed them with these food types sparingly. As mentioned, loss of appetite is a common symptom of many underlying issues or stressors. Make sure everything is in order in terms of husbandry and that nothing is affecting your Leopard gecko, health-wise.

If you have a gecko housed with others then it may be stressed out by the living situation so you may need to reconsider. If you notice other health conditions such as lethargy, excessive hiding, and signs of infections in addition to the loss of appetite then you may need to see the vet.

If your gecko loses a lot of weight in a short period then you should definitely get it checked by a specialist as well. Loss of appetite can be caused by different reasons. The best way to prevent this would be to ensure that proper conditions, especially with regards to heating and lighting, are met.

Leopard geckos can go without eating for up to two weeks at a time especially during shedding and brumation. They can live off the fat reserves on their thick tails. However, if this causes rapid weight loss then it may be a symptom of other health issues such as a parasite infection or an impaction. A Leopard gecko will not intentionally starve itself outside of shedding or brumation season. There may be other health issues that are causing your gecko to lose its appetite such as a parasitic infection, impaction, or digestion issues due to poor heating and lighting.

A detailed study on Leopard geckos: Natural history and biology of hobbyist choice leopard gecko Eublepharis macularius. Short article on care: Leopard Gecko Husbandry and Nutrition. Leopard Gecko Not Eating? Published By Lara Sotto. Last Updated On September 20, Should you see a Vet? What's In This Guide? How long can leopard geckos go without eating? Will a leopard gecko starve itself? Lara Sotto. Lara Sotto is a marine biologist, freelance animal writer, and reptile lover.

She is passionate about empowering reptile owners with the information they need to give the best care possible for their reptiles. She is currently taking up her Ph. If the terrarium temperature is too low, the leopard gecko will slow down its bodily functions and not consume food. To get your leopard gecko eating again, you will need to keep the terrarium temperature between 94 and 97 degrees using a halogen bulb or other heating method. If you have one of these bulbs installed, make sure that it is operating correctly, and remember to change the bulb every six months because the bulb loses its ability to create UV light long before it burns out.

The easiest way to check the temperature is with a thermometer terrarium thermometer and make adjustments accordingly. If you just brought your leopard gecko home, it might be that your pet is not yet used to its new home. It can often take several days for your pet to become comfortable in a strange environment. Leopard geckos that are rehoming will usually begin to eat on their own again with no intervention. Some will eat in a few days, while others can take weeks.

The leopard gecko can live a long time without food, but if it lasts longer than about three weeks, we recommend taking your pet to the vet. Impacted feces can occur if your leopard gecko eats too many hard-shell bugs. The chitlin they contain obstructs the colon resulting in your pet refusing to eat. A diet of mealworms and crickets is best for minimal risk of fecal compaction. Ensuring your pet is properly hydrated is also important, so make sure there is a clean water supply in the habitat.

You can also try to loosen the impaction by giving your pet frequent warm baths. Gently rubbing the belly while bathing can also help break up the stool. If the problem lasts more than three weeks, you will need to take your pet to the vet. Some wounds can take a long time to heal, so you will need to be patient. Once your pet is feeling better, it should begin to eat again as normal.

Make sure to coat the insects with a vitamin-rich calcium powder to help replace what was lost. It could be that your pet is unable to see its food due to poor eyesight. Poor eyesight is more common in older or injured leopard geckos, but any can be affected. Vision impaired geckos will not be able to catch crickets, so they will need a diet of mealworms placed close by their mouth. A common cause of temporary blindness in geckos is an incomplete shed.

If there is not enough humidity in the tank, the skin over the eyes can become stuck. Ensure that your terrarium has a properly set up moist hide so it can properly shed. The reason your leopard gecko is not eating could be as simple as you have already fed it enough and it is not hungry. Asking your pet to eat more might result in indigestion, upset stomach, and vomiting. Paper towels you just replace. We do recommend Eco Earth coconut fiber for moist-hide and laybox substrate.

High persistent humidity can cause upper respiratory infection. Neither of which are ideal for leopard geckos. Being placed in a completely new living environment is a big deal to them. It could take days or even weeks before they get settled in.

Leopard geckos mark their scent by dragging their tail base around the tank. Make sure they have fresh water, and just leave them to settle in. Assuming your husbandry is good and your geckos are healthy, you just may have a picky eater. We have posted an article with tips on how to get your geckos to feed more. We highly recommend you to read both articles as they both contain valuable information for gecko hobbyists.

Yes superworms can bite, so can crickets. If your geckos stop wanting to eat superworms or crickets, you may want to try feeding them a different insect. For a list of good feeder choices for leopard geckos, see our guide on insect feeder nutrition. Sometimes they will get over it after awhile. But often they will remember what bit them and will refuse to eat the same feeder insect. We have witnessed a gecko violently regurgitate a superworm out after getting bit by it on the inside.

The gecko went on to never touch a superworm again. So keep in mind if you do feed superworms and crickets, you may need to change up the feeder insects if your geckos stop eating them. Many would assume their geckos are just picky eaters. But sometimes there are reasons why they stopped eating them. If you are housing more than one leopard gecko in the same tank, and one of the geckos stopped eating, you may need to think about separating them.

While female leopard geckos generally get along given proper tank size and number of hides available, leopard geckos are solitary creatures. They prefer to live alone, this is how they are in the wild. Male and females may get together for a quick mating session, but they move on right after. Key to housing multiple geckos is to make sure they are similar in size and temperament. If you have one gecko that is much larger than the other, the larger gecko might bully the smaller one.

Any type of aggressive and bullying behavior will cause stress to your geckos. When geckos are stressed, they could stop eating as a result. But during feed time they may get aggressive or competitive over food. If you see this happening, you best start building a new tank and separate your geckos. Leopard geckos operate on basic instincts; they are territorial, and they care about their food.

A stressed female forced to hide from the male is almost guaranteed to stop feeding. We recommend housing male and females separately for their well-being. Another reason your leopard gecko could stop eating is that they are sick or have parasites. We are talking about g a week kind of rapid weight loss. If your leopard gecko is losing weight rapidly, you should immediately take your gecko to a reptile vet.

One thing the vet will ask you for is their fecal sample. Watery stools is a sign of possible parasites. Doing a fecal exam will determine if your gecko has parasites. Rapid weight loss and a fast shrinking tail, with possible tail loss, are also signs of parasites or diseases. Some vet clinics will allow you to request a fecal float without a full examination. If you have a relatively healthy leopard gecko, but you have doubts about your gecko possibly being infected with parasites, you can take a fecal sample in to your vet clinic and do a fecal flotation.

This is a cheap and quick way to find out if your leopard gecko is infected with parasites. Leopard geckos will shed normally by themselves every once in awhile. Young geckos shed often, usually once a week or two. This is because they are constantly growing.

Adult geckos shed less frequently, usually once every month or so. By providing a moist-hide, you will ensure your geckos can successfully shed on their own. Once they defecate after they shed, their stools usually look a bit yellow. Now if they start to shed excessively, multiple times a week, and they appear to be having bad sheds, this is a sign they are sick. You can assist them by bathing them in lukewarm water and help them shed. But if this continues, you will want to take your gecko to a reptile vet.

Bad sheds can be painful to them. Multiple bad sheds one after another could cause a condition in which the geckos become unable to shed the skins on their own.

The dry skins will layer on top of each other, constricting the gecko.