There are lots of questions that will come to your mind if you are still new to owning a leopard gecko. One of those questions may be how often do leopard geckos poop and what it should look like.
Although this might seem gross, it is important to know your gecko poop so that you can look after them very well.
Pooping is among the most important body functions in all living things. Leopard geckos need to be pooping regularly as infrequent poops may suggest that something is happening to your gecko.
In this article, we will talk about how often leopard geckos poop, why leopard gecko is not pooping, and how to help your gecko poop.
Contents
How Often Do Leopard Geckos Poop?
How often your leopard geckos poop will depend on your gecko’s diet and how much they eat. Most leopard geckos poop once a day while some (often hatchlings) can poop 2-3 times a day. However, some leopard geckos poop a few times a week.
How much you feed your leopard gecko will determine how often your gecko poop. Since baby leopard geckos need to eat a lot more than juvenile and adult gecko for their growth, they will poop more. Baby leopard geckos can poop 2-3 times in a day.
However, juvenile leos requires more food than adult gecko but lesser than the baby gecko. They can poop more than three times a week. But adult leopard gecko can poop one or more than two times in a week. This is because leos poop less as they get older due to digestive reasons and the little food they eat.
Note: it is not every leopard gecko that eats and poops the same, but this is what you should expect from your geckos as they grow old.
What Does A Leopard Gecko Poop Looks Like
A leopard gecko poop is accompanied by a dry looking white and yellow substance, also known as urates. Urates are leopard geckos’ way of urinating, and it is made up of uric acid. It is usually a dry white or yellow pellet form.
If you have a healthy leopard gecko, then you will easily notice this when your gecko poops. Since leopard geckos are arid species, leopard gecko releases urates instead of urinating to save valuable water.
There are times when you will notice that your gecko excretes white poop that is not urates. When this happens, you will not find brown poop, and it is a sign that your gecko has eaten its own shed skin. You don’t have to worry when this happens because it is completely natural.
Factors That Affect Leopard Gecko Poop
Your Leopard Gecko Is Not Eating Enough
Your leopard gecko will not be pooping regularly if it is not eating regularly. There are many reasons why your leo will not eat, such as low tank temperatures, constipation, stress, impaction, breeding, bullying, parasitic infections, etc.
When this happens, you will need to find out why your gecko is not eating before you can solve the problem.
Their Tank Temperatures Are Too Low
Leopard geckos need high temperatures for digesting their food. This means that if the temperature in their tank is too low, they will not digest their food. This will then lead to poor appetite and digestion as your leo will not be eating much.
Your leopard gecko will also find it hard to excrete the food that is not digesting properly. To avoid this, you need to ensure that the temperatures in your leopard gecko’s tank are at an optimal temperature at all times. You will also need to make sure you provide a heater to heat the floor of their tank.
You Change Your Gecko Tank Or Setup
Most leopard geckos prefer pooping in a spot. This is why your geckos may not poop for a while if you make changes to their tank or change their tank as they will need to adapt to new conditions.
When this happens, you can give your gecko about a week to acclimatize, and you will see that it will start pooping again. You can even help your gecko find a spot by placing a paper towel in their tank or something that you normally use before for easy cleanup.
Your Leopard Gecko Is Dehydrated
Your leopard gecko will not be pooping regularly if it is dehydrated. This is because your gecko needs water to keep their digestive tract healthy and working smoothly. Some of the signs of a dehydrated leopard gecko are sunken eye, wrinkly skin, pooping with small or no urates, etc.
You can prevent your gecko from getting dehydrated by providing a water bowl with fresh water and a humid hide in their tank. If your gecko is suffering from serious dehydration, you can give it a warm bath.
Your Leopard Gecko Is Impacted
Your gecko may get impacted if you are using loose substrate in their tank. Leopard gecko is curious, especially younger leopard geckos, and they can ingest the loose substrate in their tank. Geckos can also ingest sand when you place feeder insects on the substrate.
This is why you need to provide your gecko with a food bowl where you can place their feeder insects. However, when you suspect that your leo is impacted, give it two drops of vegetable oil every other day. You should also avoid feeding your gecko until it poops the impacted matter.
You can also give your gecko a warm bath once or twice a day while you massage their belly from the top to the vent.
The Feeder Insect That You Are Offering Your Leopard Gecko Is Too Big
Leopard geckos can also get impacted if you feed them with a feeder insect that is too large. This is why you need to ensure that you feed your gecko with feeder insects that are not larger than the width between their eyes.
You should also avoid feeding your gecko with insects that are too big or with a very hard shell because it can lead to impaction and even paralysis.
Fully understanding your leopard gecko will help you better take care of them. As a suggestion, we would recommend you to get the best 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
It is important to know how often your leopard geckos poop is an indicator of how healthy they are. However, leopard geckos poop on different days and times, and how often they poop depends greatly on the food they are eating.
Good read: Leopard geckos the manual
