As a beginner reptile owner, you will need to know all the behavior of your leopard gecko. One of the things that you need to know is how fast your leopard gecko can be. This can help in case your gecko escapes from their cage or during the handling session.
Leopard geckos are fast runners. This is because they rely on their speed to escape from predators in the wild.
In this article, you will get an insight into how fast leopard geckos are, what happens if your leopard gecko is too slow, etc.
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Contents
Are Leopard Geckos Fast?
Leopard geckos are regarded to be a fast animal. This is because they are not a great climber, and they need to run fast to escape from predators.
Unlike other geckos species, leopard geckos do not have sticky toe pads that can be used to climb and escape from predators. However, leopard geckos need to run to evade predators.
Baby leopard geckos rely more on their speed to escape from predators. But as they grow old, they become calmer. This is why it is easier to handle older leopard geckos as they don’t have to run away.
What Is The Fastest Gecko?
The fastest gecko is the Namib day geckos, also known as Rhoptropus afer. They are exceptionally fast gecko and are endemic to Southern Africa. Here is a video showing how fast is the Namib day gecko:
Why Is My Leopard Gecko So Slow?
Just like a human, it is normal for your leopard geckos to be sleepy. However, when your gecko is awake, they should respond to stimuli quickly and easily. This means if you touch your gecko, they must react in a way that they felt you.
If your leopard gecko is so slow, that shows they are lethargic and do not have enough energy. If you notice that your leopard gecko is slow, they may be suffering from a sickness or are not eating. You will need to head to an exotic vet as soon as you notice this.
Do I Need To Worry If My Leopard Gecko Is Not So Active?
There are several reasons why your leopard geckos may not be active. Some of the common reasons for this are stated below.
They are Crepuscular
Leopard geckos are crepuscular animals, and this shows that they are more active at dawn and dusk. This means that you do not expect your leo to move around during the day. It is best if you avoid handling and playing with them during the day, not to disrupt their natural cycle.
Furthermore, your leopard gecko may wake during the day to catch a little heat from their heat mats or to soak up the light. They will be active for a short time while they go back to sleep and fully active at dusk or dawn.
Cold Enclosure
Leopard geckos need to stay in an environment with a certain amount of heat and coldness to be comfortable and healthy. If their tank is not at the ideal temperature, it can harm the health, make them stressed out, and even make them inactive.
You can easily fix this by using a thermostat to regularly ensure that their tank is not getting too high or too low.
If you leave your gecko in a tank with an above-average temperature, your gecko will look for the coolest spot in the tank. However, a cold tank will make your gecko sluggish and inactive to retain their body heat.
This is because leopard geckos are cold-blooded animals, and their body will adapt to the temperature that they are exposed to. Cold temperatures will make their body temperature drop, and then their digestive system will slow down.
Too Small Of An Enclosure
There are several types of enclosures that you can choose for your leopard geckos. However, you should know that it is not all enclosures that are meant for every gecko. You will need to choose a terrarium based on their size and how many geckos you want to house together.
If you get a tank that is too small for your gecko, this can stress them out because they will not have enough space to move around comfortably. This may then cause them to become inactive. Leopard geckos are curious animals and love to roam around their tank.
Small enclosures will make your gecko feel stressed and also make them feel vulnerable and cramped up. This means it can be hard for them to move around the tank and will, in turn, limit their movements.
You can get a 10-gallon tank for baby leopard gecko as it has more than enough space for them to explore around. However, you will need a 20-gallon tank for juvenile and adult leopard geckos.
Potential Illness
Your gecko may not be active because it is sick. Leopard geckos can become ill from poor husbandry, stress, impaction, parasitic infections, etc.
If your gecko is suffering from stress, you can simply find out what causes stress and lower it. However, if your leo is suffering from impaction and parasites infection, you may need to visit the vets. You can start by treating a leopard gecko suffering from impaction by giving it a belly rub and warm bath.
But if the symptom persists, you will need to take it to the vet immediately.
Things To Do If My Leopard Gecko Is Not Moving
There are many reasons why leopard geckos are not moving, and a common one is that the tank is not at an optimal temperature. Some of the things that you can do when your leopard gecko is not moving are stated below.
You Need To Adjust Their Temperature
Leopard geckos need an optimal temperature to aid their digestion and health. You need to ensure that their daytime temperature is between 78-85 degrees Fahrenheit. Their nighttime temperature should be between 70-72 degrees Fahrenheit.
Misting Of Their Tank
Your leopard gecko’s tank may be too hot, and you may find it hard to cool their tank down. One of the best ways to speed up the cooling process of your leopard gecko’s tank is by misting the tank. This helps to get your gecko to come out of their hide.
However, you need to ensure that you do not point the nozzle too close to your gecko, not to irritate them.
Always Offer Your Gecko With Nutritious Food.
One of the reasons why a leopard gecko is not moving is that it may have a disease known as metabolic bone disease. This health condition happens when your gecko is not taking in the right amount of calcium. It will then make it weak, fragile, and cause bone deformation.
You can treat this by gut loading and dusting your gecko with supplements like calcium.
Fully understanding your leopard gecko will help you better take care of them. As a suggestion, we would recommend you to get a good leopard gecko book. Not to become an expert on leopard gecko care but will help you avoid the common mistake in new pet lizard owners.
Last update on 2022-12-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Wrapping Up
Leopard geckos are regarded by many as a fast runner. They usually rely on their speed to escape from predators in the wild. However, you can easily catch them if they escape from their cage.