Leopard geckos are one of the most popular pet lizards, but they can easily become malnourished if their dietary needs are not met. If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: malnourished leopard geckos exhibit weight loss, lethargy, poor shedding, and bone/muscle loss.
They become malnourished from improper diets, parasites, illnesses, or inadequate heating/lighting.
In this comprehensive guide, we will cover the signs and symptoms of a malnourished leopard gecko, the potential causes, and how to nurse your gecko back to full health through adjustments to their diet, environment, and veterinary care.
Signs and Symptoms of Malnutrition
Malnutrition occurs when leopard geckos do not receive proper nutrients. This can lead to concerning symptoms that require evaluation and treatment from a veterinarian. Recognizing key signs of malnutrition early on gives the gecko the best chance at recovery.
Weight Loss
One of the most obvious signs of malnutrition in leopard geckos is abnormal weight loss. Healthy leopard geckos should maintain a plump tail base and rounded body condition. According to ReptiFiles, leopard geckos losing more than 5 grams over 2 weeks without reasonable cause warrants a veterinary visit to assess the gecko’s health.
Lethargy and Weakness
Malnourished leopard geckos often become less active and weaker compared to their normal state. You may observe reduced climbing or hunting behavior. The gecko may fail to right itself when flipped on its back.
Significant lethargy or mobility issues lasting over 48 hours requires prompt veterinary care.
Poor Shedding
Trouble shedding the skin is a key indicator of illness in leopard geckos. Skin sheds aid growing juveniles and provide necessary micronutrients. Geckos obtain some vitamins and minerals by eating their shed skin.
ReptiFiles notes that poor shedding and shedding complications can reflect nutritional imbalances or disease.
Loss of Bone and Muscle Mass
Chronic malnutrition causes leopard geckos’ fat and muscle reserves to dwindle. You may notice their spine and pelvis becoming more pronounced. Their thick tails grow skinny. Sunken sides and loose skin also signal depletion of fat and muscle tissue.
If untreated, loss of bone and muscle mass causes organ damage, paralysis, and eventual death.
Causes of Malnourishment
Improper Diet
One of the most common causes of malnourishment in leopard geckos is an improper diet. Leopard geckos are insectivores and need a diet high in insects and calcium. Feeding too many worms or calorie-dense feeders like waxworms can lead to obesity.
On the flip side, not providing enough variety of feeder insects or enough calcium can cause deficiencies over time. The ideal leopard gecko diet consists of 3-5 feeder insects 3-4 times per week, with a focus on calcium-rich feeders like dubia roaches and crickets.
Veggie mixes can supplement but should not replace insects.
Parasites
Intestinal parasites like pinworms, roundworms, and coccidia can drain nutrients from a leopard gecko’s body, leading to weight loss and malnourishment over time. These parasites interfere with the absorption of nutrients in the gut.
Some signs of a parasitic infection include weight loss, lack of appetite, abnormal stools, and a dull, stretched out appearance. Parasites can be treated by a vet with medications like fenbendazole and ponazuril.
Proper husbandry like consistent tank cleaning and avoidance of contamination between geckos can help prevent parasites.
Illnesses
Certain illnesses in leopard geckos can make it difficult for them to digest and absorb nutrients properly. Metabolic bone disease is perhaps the most well-known illness that leads to malnourishment. Without proper calcium and vitamin D3, geckos develop soft bones and deformities.
Other conditions like mouth rot make it painful to eat, gastrointestinal infections impair nutrient absorption, and kidney/liver disease prevent proper metabolism of nutrients. Treating the underlying illness with vet care and adjusting husbandry is key.
Providing assisted feedings may help keep weight on while sick.
Incorrect Heating and Lighting
Leopard geckos are ectothermic, meaning they rely on external heat to power their metabolisms and digestive systems. Incorrect temperatures can directly impact their ability to digest and assimilate nutrients from food. Temperatures that are too cold cause gut stasis and appetite loss.
But excessively hot temperatures also stress geckos out. The ideal temperature range is 88-92°F on the warm end and 70-75°F on the cool end. Using an under tank heater with a thermostat prevents overheating.
Equally important is proper lighting – leopard geckos need overhead heating lamps and linear UVB lamps to synthesize vitamin D3 for calcium absorption. Without UVB, MBD can result.
Treating a Malnourished Leopard Gecko
Adjusting the Diet
The most important step in treating a malnourished leopard gecko is adjusting their diet. Start by eliminating any unhealthy insects from their diet, like mealworms, and focusing on more nutritious feeders like dubia roaches, crickets, and black soldier fly larvae.
Make sure the insects are gutloaded with nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, and high calcium gutload powder. Offer insects daily and make sure your gecko is eating enough – about 10-15 insects every other day for juveniles or 5-10 insects 2-3 times per week for adults.
You can also try offering small amounts of pureed baby food (without onion or garlic) a few times a week to help get their weight up.
Supplements and Vitamins
Supplementation is crucial for leopard geckos with malnutrition. Use a calcium supplement like Repashy Calcium Plus 3-5 times per week and a multivitamin like Repashy Vitamin A Plus 1-2 times per week.
For severely underweight or vitamin deficient geckos, you can also use an appetite stimulant like Fluker’s Repta+Boost once or twice a week. Talk to an exotic vet about prescribing vitamin injections if your gecko is refusing food.
Proper supplementation provides essential nutrients and helps get their weight and health back on track.
Treating Underlying Illnesses
It’s important to identify and treat any underlying illness causing your leopard gecko to be underweight. Parasites like coccidia, crypto, or pinworms can hinder weight gain, so take a fecal sample to the vet for testing.
Metabolic bone disease, mouth rot, and respiratory infections also need to be diagnosed and treated. Provide supportive care like fluids, appetite stimulants, and pain medication. Your exotic vet can prescribe antibiotics, antifungals, or other medications to get illnesses under control so your gecko can start gaining weight.
Improving the Habitat
Check that your leopard gecko’s habitat supports good health. The temperature should be 88-92°F on the warm side with a basking spot of 90-95°F. The cool side should be 70-75°F. Use an under tank heater, ceramic heat emitter, and thermostats to maintain proper temperatures.
The humidity level should be around 40-60%. Upgrade to a 20 gallon long tank or larger if needed. Add more hides, plants, and enrichment. Switch to paper towel or reptile carpet substrate temporarily while your gecko recovers.
Clean the tank at least once per week and disinfect with a reptile-safe dilute bleach solution. An optimal habitat reduces stress and supports weight gain.
Preventing Future Malnourishment
Providing a Nutritious Staple Diet
The key to preventing malnourishment in leopard geckos is providing a nutritious staple diet. The optimal staple diet consists mainly of insects like mealworms, crickets, silkworms, and roaches. These should make up 60-70% of their diet.
Mealworms are an excellent staple as they are high in protein and fat. Crickets are great for variety and roaches/silkworms provide key nutrients. Feed appropriate sized insects based on the gecko’s head size to prevent choking. Adults should be fed insects 2-3 times per week.
Babies and juveniles with faster metabolisms can eat small amounts daily.
Gut Loading Insects
It’s critical to “gut load” feeder insects prior to feeding. This involves providing the insects a nutritious diet that they digest and store within their bodies. Popular gut loading foods include: leafy greens like kale/spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, and high calcium gut load powders.
The geckos then consume these nutrients second-hand by eating the gut loaded insects. Aim to gut load for at least 24 hours before feeding off insects. This helps ensure your gecko gets well balanced and complete nutrition from their insect based diet.
Using Quality Supplements
While a staple diet of gut loaded insects is crucial, many experts recommend dusting insects with supplements 1-2 times weekly as an added nutritional insurance policy. Quality options include: Repashy’s Calcium Plus multivitamin, which provides balanced Ca and vitamin D3.
For variety, rotate with supplements like Repashy’s SuperVite multivitamin. Lightly coat feeders in supplement powder right before feeding. Pay extra attention to juveniles and gravid females who need additional support.
Proper supplementation prevents issues like metabolic bone disease and secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism.
Annual Checkups and Fecal Tests
Prevention is always better than cure when it comes to reptile health. Along with proper husbandry and diet, annual vet checkups help catch issues early. The vet will physically examine the gecko and run diagnostics like fecal tests to look for parasites.
Fecal tests every 6-12 months can identify parasitism before symptoms arise. Your vet may recommend dewormers if parasites are found. They can also recommend changes to diet and environment based on exam findings.
A little prevention goes a long way in keeping geckos healthy and avoiding malnutrition down the road.
Conclusion
Malnourishment in leopard geckos can be life-threatening if left untreated, but the condition is avoidable and reversible with some adjustments to their care. By feeding an appropriate diet, gut loading insects, using supplements, and ensuring ideal habitat conditions, leopard gecko owners can help their pets thrive.
With prompt treatment of any underlying illnesses, malnourished geckos can make a full recovery. Being aware of the signs, causes, and treatments for malnutrition empowers owners to provide these popular lizards with the best possible care.
