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

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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

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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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Giant Mealworms Hormones

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Are giant mealworms treated with growth hormones?  This is a question often asked, but rarely answered.  People will say “yes, giant mealworms are treated with hormones”.  But when asked for specifics, most don’t know for sure.  We will clarify this question for you once and for all.  Our goal is to educate and inform.  We are not here to tell you whether you should use giant mealworms as feeder insects.  You should make this decision yourself.

Giant Mealworms – What are they?

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Leopard Gecko Breeding Season 2018

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The 2018 leopard gecko breeding season is upon us.  Every year adult female leopard geckos will start to ovulate around January through June/July.  If you have an adult leopard gecko, you should start to notice some behavior and feeding changes soon.

Both male and female leopard geckos could refuse food off and on throughout the breeding season, as we outlined in “My Leopard Gecko Won’t Eat” article.  Some leopard geckos will fast through the whole season.  You should not be alarmed.  This is all part of the normal leopard gecko breeding season cycles. Continue reading “Leopard Gecko Breeding Season 2018”

Do Leopard Geckos Bite? Herpetophobia

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Do leopard geckos bite?  We see this question pop up every now and then.  It is a fair & valid question.  Perhaps you are a concerned guardian looking for information on leopard geckos before purchasing one.  Or maybe you are wanting to get into reptiles but you don’t like reptiles that bite.  Some people even have fear of reptiles, called herpetophobia.  It is a rather common animal phobia.  Herpetophobia is a condition that can be managed and cured with proper clinical treatment.

Do leopard geckos bite?  The answer

Yes, leopard geckos can bite.  But it’s not common for leopard geckos to bite.  When scared or threatened, leopard geckos most often choose to flee rather than fight.  When leopard geckos do bite, sometimes there are reasons for it.  We’ll go through some of the reasons below so you can be informed and perhaps avoid getting bit in the future.

1.  Male leopard geckos can get territorial

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Should I get a male or female leopard gecko as pets?

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One of the topics we see popping up every now and then is the question, “should I get a male or female leopard gecko as pets?”  You are new to the hobby, and you are wondering whether male or female leopard gecko make the best pets.  In this article we will go over male vs female leopard gecko behavior, their differences, and what you can expect out of them.  Our goal here is to help you make informed decisions so you can pick out the leopard gecko pet that works best for you.

Male or Female Leopard Gecko As Pets – Temperament

Leopard gecko temperament isn’t determined by sex.  We have seen equal number of aggressive females as there are aggressive males.  Leopard gecko’s temperament comes down to individual geckos.  It’s worth noting that some breeders believe temperament can get passed down through breeding.  The idea is to breed a pair of gentle leopard geckos for a greater chance at producing offspring that are more docile in nature.   And vice versa, often when breeding a pair of aggressive geckos, their offspring tend to be more aggressive and skittish as a result.  This isn’t 100% however, as temperament is still quite unpredictable.

One thing that affects temperament above all else in our opinion is leopard gecko’s sexual maturity.  As we have discussed in another article, all leopard geckos go through puberty.  Male leopard geckos will first hit sexual maturity at around 6-8 months old.  Female leopard geckos will hit sexual maturity and ovulate for the first time at around 8-12 months old.  Their temperament tend to change a bit as males get territorial for the first time.  Females on the other hand will usually stop eating as they ovulate and potentially become gravid. Continue reading “Should I get a male or female leopard gecko as pets?”