| Impaction in Leopard geckos is very common. What | | | | lack of water or improper hydration causes the body |
| this means is something is blocking your Leo's | | | | to draw necessary fluids from other parts of the |
| intestine. This is usually some kind of material that is | | | | body and in this cases the digestive system. When |
| very difficult to digest or not digestible at all. This is | | | | water or fluids are taken from the digestive system, |
| very serious and should be prevented at all costs. If | | | | a gecko's stool becomes hard and much more |
| left untreated, an impacted gecko will eventually die | | | | difficult to pass. Make sure you have plenty of water |
| from starvation or other complications. | | | | available for your pet. |
| What are some of the causes of impaction and is | | | | Temperature: |
| their any way to treat this without having to take | | | | How would have ever thought that temperature |
| my Leo to the veterinarian? In most cases, the | | | | would be a cause of impaction in Leopard geckos? |
| number one cause of impaction is loose substrate. | | | | Your pet is cold blooded and needs constant heat to |
| Other causes are food, temperature, and hydration. | | | | stay alive. This is usually through an Under tank |
| Any number of these things can lead to a gecko that | | | | Heater or etc. The body temperature of a gecko is |
| is sick and is having a hard time passing its stool. | | | | has direct effect on its metabolism. Cooler |
| Loose Substrate: | | | | temperatures lead to a lower metabolic rate. This |
| This is an area of raising a gecko that gets a lot of | | | | slower metabolic rate has causes the gecko to |
| attention. The biggest question is whether or not to | | | | improperly digest its food. The ideal temperatures |
| use a loose or solid substrate in your Leo's cage. | | | | for proper digestion are 92 degrees to 95 degrees |
| The biggest problem with using a loose substrate is | | | | on the hot side of the tank. This way the can use |
| the possibility of impaction in leopard geckos. Loose | | | | the heat absorbed through their belly to increase |
| substrates such as sand, gravel, or coconut husks | | | | their metabolism to better digest their food. |
| are inviting little chews for your pet. They swallow | | | | Treatment: |
| a few pieces of sand and since many of these | | | | How do you treat impaction in Leopard geckos? The |
| substances cannot be digested, the can cause your | | | | most obvious treatment is to take your pet to the |
| reptile to become impacted. It is better to error on | | | | veterinarian. They will know exactly how to treat this |
| the side of caution and not use a loose substrate | | | | problem. If you are not sure if your Leo is impacted, |
| because of the problems it might cause. | | | | there are a few thing you can do at home before |
| Food: | | | | visiting the vet's office. |
| The mouth of a gecko isn't very big. When deciding | | | | The first thing would be to raise the temperature on |
| what to feed you gecko, the size of the food should | | | | the warm side of the cage to about 97 degrees. |
| definitely be taken into consideration. One rule of | | | | Hopefully, this change in temperature will increase its |
| thumb is the prey should be no larger than 1/2 the | | | | metabolism. Another way to treat impaction in |
| length of the gecko's head. If you feed you Leo | | | | Leopard geckos is to give them a bath in luke-warm |
| something that is too big, it may have eaten it but | | | | water about twice a day. This will generally help |
| that doesn't mean it will have digested it all. This | | | | soften the stool in their belly. The last thing you can |
| also goes for smaller foods also. They might eat a | | | | do is to place 1 - 2 drops of Olive Oil on it's nose and |
| bunch of meal worms, but the amount the have | | | | let them lick it off. This will provide a natural |
| consumed might cause a blockage due to the high | | | | lubrication work as a laxative also. |
| numbers. The inability to digest certain things will | | | | As you can see there are things you can do as an |
| eventually lead to the possibility of impaction in | | | | owner to keep your Leo from becoming impacted. If |
| leopard geckos. | | | | you gecko does become impacted you can try a |
| Hydration: | | | | few of the things mentioned above to help the |
| Just like in humans, hydration is very important to | | | | impaction go away. |
| having successful and healthy bowel movements. A | | | | |