My leopard gecko won’t eat – feeding problems – behavior change

my leopard gecko won't eat extreme emerine albino not eating

One of the most commonly asked questions is “what do I do, my leopard gecko won’t eat”.  Your geckos have stopped feeding on a regular schedule, you are now wondering if there’s something wrong.  The very first thing you should check is your husbandry.  If you have not read our leopard gecko care guide, you should take a look.  It contains detailed valuable information on proper husbandry.

Leopard geckos require proper belly heating in order to digest food

If you do not provide proper belly heat, they can’t digest food properly, and could stop eating as a result.  The ideal belly heat is between 88 – 93 degrees Fahrenheit.  Gecko owners often make the mistake of measuring the air temperature because they purchased a leopard gecko “kit” from the pet store, as they usually come with a stick on thermometer.  It’s important you measure the floor temperature where your gecko will be laying on to get the proper temperature reading for belly heat.  You can easily and quickly measure your tank’s floor temperature by using a temperature gun like Etekcity’s Digital Laser Infrared Thermometer.  Just point and click.  Or if you prefer constant reading, a digital thermometer with a probe.

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Superworm Shortage – A Virus

superworm shortage virus

There is currently a nationwide superworm shortage affecting the feeder supply chain. If you have tried to order superworms lately, you may have noticed the supply is scarce. Many feeder suppliers are limiting the amount of superworms you can purchase from them. This issue started in 2020, and two and half years later, we are still feeling the effects of the shortage. So what caused the superworm shortage?

Superworm Shortage – The Cause

Several events happened that led to the nationwide superworm shortage. First, the COVID pandemic started in 2020, causing people to stay indoors. As people gave up on outdoor activities and hobbies, they took up pet ownership. Over 11 million households in the United States got pets during the pandemic. The demand for feeder supplies grew.

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Leopard Gecko Feeding – Feeder Insects Nutritional Value Facts

leopard gecko feeding feeder insects nutrition dubia roaches

Leopard geckos are insectivores, they must be fed on live insects.  In this guide we will explore leopard gecko feeding options and nutritional value of common feeder insects.

Leopard Gecko Feeding – What feeder insects to use?

Leopard geckos can be fed on a wide variety of insects, popular choices including, but not limited to, crickets, mealworms, superworms, dubia roaches, hornworms, waxworms, phoenix worms, silkworms, butterworms, and more.  Some feeder insects are more readily available so they are more affordable and easier to find.  We will review some popular feeder insects used for leopard gecko feeding.

Crickets

Nutritional Information:  Moisture 69.07%, Fat 6.01%, Protein 21.32%, Fiber 3.2%, Ash 2.17%, Ca ppm 345, P ppm 4238, CA/P ratio 0.081% (source)

Pro:  Easy to find, cheap, low fat, high protein, easy to care for, gut-loads well, erratic movement stimulates feeding

Con:  Noisy, unpleasant smell, short lifespan, jumpy, hide in crevices hard to fish out of the tank, can bite your gecko, can carry parasites

Mealworms

Nutritional Information:  Moisture 62.44%, Fat 12.72%, Protein 20.27%, Fiber 1.73%, Ash 1.57%, Ca ppm 133, P ppm 3345, CA/P ratio 0.040% (source)

Pro:  Easy to find, cheap, high protein, easy to care for, decent lifespan (can be prolonged by refrigeration), no mess or smell, easy to breed your own feeder colony

Con:  Higher fat content, bad calcium to phosphorous ratio, doesn’t gut-load as well (small digestive tract), slow movement may not stimulate your leopard gecko feeding as much

Notes:  Giant mealworms are mealworms treated with juvenile hormone analog, S-Methoprene.  S-Methoprene is an insect growth regulator, it prevents the mealworm from pupating.  We have an article if you wish to learn more about how giant mealworms are created.  Read the article so you can decide for yourself whether you want to use giant mealworms as feeders.

Superworms

Nutritional Information:  Moisture 59.37%, Fat 17.89%, Protein 17.41%, Fiber 6.80%, Ash 1.20%, Ca ppm 124, P ppm 2320, CA/P ratio 0.053% (source)

Pro:  Easy to find, cheap, decent protein, easy to care for, long lifespan (no refrigeration needed), no mess or smell, easy to breed your own feeder colony

Con:  High fat content, lower protein, may not be suitable for younger/smaller geckos, bad calcium to phosphorous ratio, doesn’t gut-load as well, can bite

Dubia Roaches

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Leopard Gecko Ovulation – Breeding Season

leopard gecko ovulation breeding season

Leopard gecko breeding seasons usually start around January of each year, and they last through June/July. During the breeding season, your female leopard geckos will ovulate. In this article we will show you how to spot leopard gecko ovulation. We will also explore changes in behavior from both male and female leopard geckos. You will learn what to expect during the leopard gecko breeding season, as well as the normal cycles your geckos go through each year.

Leopard Gecko Ovulation – What do they look like

During the leopard gecko breeding season, female leopard geckos will produce ovum, the female reproductive cell. Ovum (plural ova) tends to start as a small pink round dot near their stomach in the middle of their abdomen. Ovum can be hard to spot at first, as they blend in with their stomach. See the picture below for an early stage ovulation.

leopard gecko ovulation during the breeding season
Female leopard gecko ovulation – early stage ovum
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Leopard gecko heating temperature requirement. Under tank heating pad. How to install UTH. Digital thermostat.

leopard gecko heating under tank heat pad zoo med

Leopard gecko heating requirement

Leopard gecko heating and temperature requirement is an important topic.  We’re happy to provide you some factual information and clear a few things up for gecko hobbyists.  Leopard geckos require belly heating in order to digest food properly.  This is why under tank heating pads are preferred.  Some people mistaken leopard geckos with diurnal species such as iguanas and bearded dragons.

Difference between diurnal and crepuscular species

Diurnal species require basking light as they absorb UVB and heat through their backs.  They are active during the day when the sun is shining bright, and they sleep throughout the night.  UVB triggers vitamin D3 synthesis, and with vitamin D3, they are able to absorb calcium properly.  Where as leopard geckos are crepuscular, they are the most active during fading light, such as around dusk and dawn.

Leopard geckos wake up early in the morning to hunt for food.  They will sleep through the day, often burrow deep underground or inside rock crevices to hide completely away from sunlight.  Then they wake up later in the afternoon to hunt for food again.  This is their normal daily cycle, the very definition of crepuscular species.  Their exposure to sunlight is very limited in the wild.

Leopard gecko heating requirement is different, they absorb heat through their belly instead.  It’s through belly heating that they are able to digest food properly and have a healthy life.  In the wild heat traps underground and inside rocks long after sunset.  Leopard geckos are able to find belly heat throughout the night.  They are also known to navigate at night using natural moonlight.

Leopard gecko heating with under tank heating pad

Under tank heating pads, or UTH for short, come in all different sizes.  What you want is for your UTH to cover roughly 1/3 of your tank.  Zoo Med ReptiTherm is a popular brand, we’ve been using them for over 7 years with great success.

Here is how you would install this under tank heating pad.  First you stick the pad under your tank, like this:

leopard gecko heating under tank heat pad zoo med

leopard gecko heating under tank heat pad zoo med uth

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Leopard Gecko Habitat – In Quarantine

leopard gecko habitat terrarium tank setup

Looking for a new hobby to get into while being quarantined? You could setup a leopard gecko habitat without ever leaving your home. Many are practicing social distancing during these trying times. But just because you have to be in isolation, doesn’t mean you need to give up on fun hobbies. Read on and we’ll show you how to properly setup a leopard gecko habitat, and how you could order leopard geckos online and get them shipped to your door.

Why Leopard Gecko As Pets

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