How to Avoid Leopard Gecko Health Issues

By Jo S. Morris

It'd be pretty irresponsible to own a pet, no matter what kind, and not take it to a vet when it's required. Sometimes things get serious enough that you need expert help, and that's where vets come in. Still, wouldn't you rather avoid leopard gecko health issues as much as possible by doing what you can before they arise?
 
Here's how to do what you can to avoid health problems with your leo:

Think seriously about sand

Do you know how many hits you get on Google if you search for "leopard gecko" and "impaction"? You get 22,600 - that represents a lot of people concerned about this all-too-common health problem.

If you didn't already know, sand impaction is where a leopard gecko eats sand and it gets stuck in their digestive system. This causes pain, bloating, and eventually (if the leo is unable to pass the sand and doesn't receive treatment) death.

So how do you avoid your leo developing sand impaction? Here is the formula:

- If possible, avoid putting sand in your leo's habitat altogether. There are plenty of other substrates to choose from, such as slate tile or coconut husk.

- If you put sand in your leo's tank, use only a fine 'play sand' (this is a screened and washed sand with a fine, rounded grain).

- Don't put juvenile leopard geckos on a sand substrate - wait until they are at least 5-6 months old.

- Supply plenty of dietary calcium. Leos are more prone to eating when they feel calcium deficient, so provide them with a bowl of calcium powder, gut load feeder insects with food containing calcium, dust feeder insects with more calcium powder, and consider switching to a feeder insect that naturally contains more calcium (such as silkworms).

Choose food carefully

Strange as it may sound, obesity is another common health issue with leopard geckos.

To avoid obesity problems, don't feed your adult leo a diet comprised only of worms, as these tend to be fatty compared with crickets and roaches. Instead, alternate between feeder insect types every 3-6 months.

Also, don't feed your leo more than 3 times per week, and when you feed it don't give it more feeder insects than it can eat in 15 minutes.

Ensure there's adequate heat

Leopard geckos need a high temperature of around 90 degrees Fahrenheit in their environment. This is necessary for all kinds of reasons, but health-wise there are two important ones: to aid digestion, and to maintain a properly-functioning immune system.

Remember that you must carefully and accurately measure the heat in your leo's tank so that you can be sure that it's the correct temperature. Use an infrared temperature gun (search the web for "temp gun")) to precisely measure substrate surface temperatures - mercury thermometers may not give you an accurate reading unless they are positioned exactly.

A word of advice here: The vet you choose must have knowledge of reptile care in order to be able to advise on any leopard gecko health issues.