Leopard geckos are becoming more popular as pets, thanks to their friendly demeanor and lack of aggressiveness. They’re wonderful for novices who are new to reptiles, but they do come with their own set of problems, particularly in terms of understanding how to care for them properly.
When it comes to keeping them, their nutrition is a common topic of discussion. How often should they be fed and how long can they go without eating? I’d like to share with you what I discovered today after researching these interesting lizards’ dietary demands and requirements.
While you don’t need much information to keep your leopard gecko healthy and happy, you will want to know everything there is to know about feeding and what is usual. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the most often asked topics about leopard gecko nutrition.
We’ll go through whether it’s usual for a gecko to refuse food and why they would do so. As well as how frequently, how much, and when you should feed them.
Is it Okay For A Leopard Gecko To Go For A Long Time Without Eating?
Some of these causes are entirely natural, while others might indicate that your pet is suffering from a serious illness. Your Leopard Gecko may refuse to eat at particular times or in certain settings. Even if it has just been a few days, you will want to figure out why this is happening because Leopard Geckos are such simple to care for.
It’s understandable if you’re concerned if they’re refusing to eat. Even if it has just been a few days, you will want to figure out why this is happening. While leopard geckos may spend weeks without eating, they should do so of their own free will, not yours. As a result, stick to a regular eating schedule. It would be ideal if you fed the baby leopard geckos daily.
The Maximum Time A Leopard Gecko Can Go Without Eating
We know why Leopard Geckos refuse to feed, but how long can they go without feeding before their health is jeopardized? Leopard Geckos, including adults and young ones, can usually survive without food for 9 to 15 days without any issues.
Some people, on the other hand, have gone months without eating. Because young Leopard Geckos are still growing and don’t have enough fat stored like that of the adults.
They can’t go without food for as long, so if your baby or young gecko refuses to eat for more than 6 to 11 days, it’s time to take it to the doctor. You must keep a careful check on your Leopard Gecko if it stops feeding. Check for indications of weight loss by looking at its tail to make sure it isn’t losing weight.
Leopard geckos, like other reptiles, store fat in their tails, and a thinner tail is typically the first indicator of weight loss. Examine their backbone to check whether it is visible and prominent since this is another indicator of Leopard Geckos losing weight.
If your Leopard Gecko’s tail is strong and healthy-looking, its backbone is unaltered, and its activity is normal. It is most likely still healthy and will resume feeding shortly. In case your gecko’s tail begins to get thinner, kindly inform the veterinary. A thinning tail might signal a variety of diseases, including harmful weight loss.
Just because a Leopard Gecko can go for a few weeks without feeding doesn’t imply it should go for this long. It’s usually a good idea to stick to a regular meal schedule to keep your gecko healthy and happy
Feed your Leopard Gecko every other day if it is a healthy adult (1 to 2 years old). If it’s overweight or needs to gain weight, feed it once a day until it’s back to its optimal weight and strength. If you have a baby Leopard Gecko, under two years old. Make sure you feed it daily because leopard geckos only consume insects, no greens are necessary.
Every other day, two properly sized insects should be fed to Leopard Geckos for every inch of their entire length. 5-7 tiny crickets or mealworms should be given to baby Leopard Geckos every day until they reach around 4 inches in length.
Leopard Geckos will rapidly get spoilt on waxworms and may refuse other meals, so use them carefully. Furthermore, certain lizards engage in an unusual defense strategy known as death-feigning. Tonic immobility or catalepsy is another term for death faking.
Animals that engage in this activity typically “play dead” by keeping a stiff posture or imitating relaxed muscles, such as fainting Leopard geckos, like dogs, prefer to consume their food rather than go hungry.
Leopard signs happy gecko. He moves in a fluid, easy manner. When he is touched, he has an immediate reaction. When he’s hungry he’ll react to movement both within and outside the tank. When he gets hungry and notices you, he approaches the front glass. If your Leopard Gecko has been injured or is in discomfort, they may stop eating as well.
Abscesses, tail injuries, toe injuries, and eye injuries are all common ailments that prevent your pet from eating. Vision difficulties caused by eye injuries might make it difficult for a Gecko to view their meal well.
Whether you suspect your Leopard is in pain or has harmed themselves, take them to your veterinarian and have them determine if anything is severely wrong. Leopard geckos are perfectly capable of going without food for extended periods. Reptiles, do not require food daily to live, especially during the winter, unlike mammals.
In the wild, geckos may survive the whole winter season without feeding since their activity levels are so low. Cold-blooded creatures do not need to consume as much as warm-blooded animals since they do not rely on food to create body heat as mammals do. This is why, especially during the winter season, reptiles can go for months without feeding.
Despite this, your leopard gecko may be refusing to feed for other reasons.
The Reasons Leopard Geckos Refuse To Eat
As previously stated, leopard geckos, like other reptiles, are known to go for long periods without feeding. Certain causes or conditions, on the other hand, may lead children to refuse or be unable to eat. These are some of them:
Temperatures that are below freezing
There are several things you may try at home before bringing your leopard gecko to the vet’s office if he has abruptly stopped eating but is still active. The most common reason for leopard geckos ceasing to feed is because they are too chilly.
Reptiles rely on external sources of heat instead of burning calories to create body heat. All reptiles bask in the sun to boost their body heat, which is why they do so.
While being coldblooded permits an animal to go for long periods without feeding, it might signal death for a creature without access to a heat source. Coldblooded creatures require a sufficient amount of heat to carry out natural processes like digesting. A leopard gecko’s food cannot be digested when it is too chilly.
As a result, the lizard may decide not to consume any food at all. As a result, make sure your pet’s tank never gets below 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dehydration
When leopard geckos are dehydrated, they avoid eating. As a result, make certain that your pet has enough freshwater. Replace the water dish regularly to prevent your lizard from drinking polluted water.
Stress
When leopard geckos are agitated, they may refuse to eat. A leopard gecko can be stressed by a variety of factors, the most frequent of which include a rapid change in surroundings, unfavorable cage temperatures, sharing a cage with another gecko, and sickness.
Long periods of hiding, showing dull hues, becoming timid, and tail waving are all common indicators of stress. If your pet shows indications of stress, you should take it to the veterinarian.
Breeding Season
Leopard geckos (particularly males) often do away with food for lengthy periods during the mating season. Your gecko’s mating season will begin in January if you reside north of the Equator. However, if you don’t want to breed your gecko, there’s no need for it to go through the breeding cycle or avoid food at this period.
To prevent your gecko from skipping meals during the breeding season, keep their temperatures consistent throughout the year, feed them regularly. Separate males and females, and give them about 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness each day.
Attempt to figure out what’s causing your Leopard Gecko to refuse to feed, the problem and make the required husbandry adjustments. If it refuses to eat, you should take it to a reptile veterinarian to ensure that nothing severe is wrong.
Adult Leopard Geckos can survive without food for 10 to 14 days (possibly even months). But juvenile Leopard Geckos can only survive for a week or two.
This guide has given you some insight into how long can leopard geckos go without food and several reasons why your leopard gecko may refuse to feed.
