Some people believe the #1 leopard gecko problem is caused by using sand as a substrate. The sand can cause your gecko to become impacted and will not be able to go to the bathroom. Being impacted or not being able to go poo is very painful and can lead to death if not corrected. When using sand as a substrate when your gecko strikes at it's prey and misses he gets a nose full sand, most of the time the gecko can spit out the sand but sometimes it is just not possible and he has to swallow the sand. Another way your gecko could become impacted is if your gecko's body suffering from a vitamin deficiency and the gecko is eating the sand trying to get the vitamins he is lacking.
You should be able to tell impaction by feeling a hard lump on their belly. They should go to a veterinarian but here are some home remedies. Number one, give it a bath and number two, give it a couple drops of olive oil with a baby syringe. Do not force movement of the hind legs if you notice your gecko has lost some movement in the hind leg area.
Impaction is a severe blockage of the intestines and if they still have a good appetite and are pooing you can just about rule out impaction. The grownup geckos don't poo as much as the babies do.
Impaction can be caused by feeding your gecko to many meal worms because the exoskeleton of the meal worms can be hard to digest. Crickets can be their staple leopard gecko feed and supplementing with other insects. Also feed them phoenix worms, wax worms at times because they are full of fat, dubia roaches, silk worms and horn worms. Feeding the geckos the right foods can lesson the chance of them becoming impacted.
Now that we have gone through all of that I will list the things that will cause a gecko to become impacted.
# 1 Loose substrate
Your little pet could possibly chew loose substrate such as sand, gravel or coconut husks and if they swallow any of this they can become impacted because they can not digest any of this.
# 2 Leopard Gecko feed
The mouth of a gecko is small so the prey should not be any larger than one-half the length of the gecko's head. If it is too big he might eat it but might not be able to digest it. Smaller things should be watched to because if they eat too much, like too many meal worms, that could cause a blockage due to too many at one time.
# 3 Hydration
For a healthy and successful bowel movement and just like us people hydration is one of the very important things. The gecko needs to be hydrated properly because if not the body will draw fluids from other parts of the body like the digestive tract. Available water should be there for both your pet and also you.
# 4 Temperature
A gecko is a cold blooded creature and needs a constant heat to stay alive. You can use a heating pad or under tank heater to keep your tank at the desired temperature. Body temperature has a lot to do with the metabolism of a gecko, the lower the temperature the slower the metabolism. This in turn can cause the gecko to improperly digest it's food. 92 to 95 degrees on the hot side of the tank is the best temperature for a gecko's digestion.
The best thing to do if you think your gecko is impacted is to take them to a good vet. By increasing the warm side of tank to 90 degrees this will help to increase the metabolism. Give them a bath in Luke-warm water a couple of times a day to help soften the stool in their stomach. A couple of drops of olive oil on their nose for them to lick off will help in lubrication and act like a laxative.
Do the things mentioned above and you will cut down on one of the major Leopard Gecko problems of ever becoming impacted.
