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Health and Disease

Leopard Geckos being quite hardy and very tolerant with their environmental requirements makes it unlikely that you will have any health related problems with them at all. They will not often suffer from the diseases and ailments list below, they are included here only to make you aware of some of the medical problems that can occur in rare situations.

Metabolic bone disease (Hypocalcemia)

MDB is caused when a leopard geckos diet does not contain enough calcium. In order for the leo to attain higher levels of usable calcium the leo's body then begins to extract calcium from its own bones. Symptoms associated with this include lethargy, painful swollen joints, unusual curvature of the legs, soft jaws and an overall weakness in the animal. With leopard geckos being somewhat more resistant to complications regarding low calcium levels and this being one of the most easily preventable diseases that can occur you should almost never see this problem. To prevent MBD all you need to be aware of is that you need to add calcium supplements to the live food you are providing to your geckos be they meal worms or crickets etc

Tail Loss

Gecko's will drop their tails if they are threatened or grabbed by the tail. Cage mates have been known to accidentally grab the tail of another, which has caused the tail to drop. If this happens you should remove the gecko as soon as possible, keep them warm, fed and watered regularly as they use their tails as fat reserves and are more vulnerable to stress at this time. The tail will grow back but it will not look the same as the old one. It will be shorter and fatter than the original.

Quarantine

You should quarantine every new reptile for at least 3 months to prevent the spread of disease and parasites between your animals. Once you are completely satisfied that your reptile is healthy should you introduce it to your other animals.

Respiratory infections

With leopard gecko's respiratory infections can be caused by prolonged exposure to temperatures less than 73 Degrees Fahrenheit or humidity levels that are too high. Low temperature causes a suppressed immune system, which allows respiratory infection to take hold. Symptoms are usually not easy to identify and may just be the signs that your leo is in a distressed state and seems to be panting and leaving the mouth slightly open most of the time. Mild cases can easily be cured by making the temperature in the enclosure slightly higher, a day time temperature of around 84-90 degrees Fahrenheit with a night time temp drop to no less than 80 degrees. If symptoms persist it is recommended that you seek expert advice from your local veterinary surgeon.