If you see anything suspicious, have her examined by your vet or an experienced herp vet. Leopard geckos are commonly a mixture of yellow and white and are spotted with black dots. In addition to dusting your lizards food with a calcium and vitamin D3 supplement, keep a small dish full of a calcium supplement (with or without the vitamin D3 supplement). Because leopard geckos are very territorial pets, theyll mark their territory within the tank by dropping a waxy substance from the pores near their vent to not only show that theyre the rulers of their enclosure but sometimes to let female geckos know that theyre ready to mate as well. If your leopard gecko hasnt pooped recently or marked their territory to your knowledge, then more than likely theyre just licking their vents to keep clean. A geckos vent is basically its genital area, where geckos pass fecal and reproductive matter. from Amazon. Bearded Dragon Keeps Licking Me: What Does it Mean? Breeders also offer much more unique and wider color morph variations than what you can find at pet stores. Thanks . Definitely get a thermostat. Ive seen her lick it sometimes. Plus, their adorable grins and cute chirps are particularly endearing! Fighting and other poor behavior among leopard geckos is uncommon, unless males are housed together. Most are common reasons, though some may warrant a trip to the vet. If youre just starting out and arent interested in getting a fancy morph, then a high-quality, well-cared for pet with the typical color pattern for leopard geckos will cost around $20 to $30. Important! You must log in or register to reply here. Treatment of the cloacal infection itself can include the surgical removal of damaged tissues, cleaning the affected area with an antiseptic, applying a topical antibiotic ointment, and oral or injectable antibiotics. Good luck, keep us updated! To do so, put the crickets or worms in a ziplock bag with some of the powder supplement. That's completely normal, think of that as their testes! Needs to be CAREFULLY corrected by a vet (such a sensitive area) make sure you trust your vet and depending on how intense the treatment gets I hope he doesn't drop his tail in the process. Hey, its not like they have opposable thumbs as humans do! Sexually mature male geckos will often secrete a liquid or wax-like substance from the tiny pores surrounding their vent to mark their territory. 183 Satisfied Customers. You may think this is constipation. Prolapse in leopard geckos occurs around the vent area. From the picture they look normal. This perky little lizard is an excellent beginners lizard (opens in new tab), since they are generally docile, easy to tame, have minimal care requirements, and dont require a huge budget. JavaScript is disabled. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Reptile.Guide is the preferred educational source on reptiles favored by experienced herptologists and new owners alike. General rules for housing leopard geckos are as follows: Keep in mind that it is also a good idea to have a separate enclosure in which to feed your leopard gecko. She still eats and is quite active when doing so. Thanks , Edit: Upon further inspection by prodding the swollen one, it seems there is a hard mass in it compared to the non swollen one, Thermometer type(include location): probe, in his warm hide, Temperatures: 93-97 degrees F on his under tank heater side, room temp (70-75 probably) on the cool side, Heating devices used: UTH, sometimes ceramic bulb if it's winter, Hides: 4, one on cool side, two in the middle, one on warm side, How often: since he is coming out of brumation and lost some weight, I'm feeding him every night. In contrast, gut-loading refers to feeding the insects various nutrients that temporarily fill their gastrointestinal tract. One of the most severe conditions that can affect leopard geckos is metabolic bone disease. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. In this case, simply give them a warm bath and gently massage the skin to help loosen it. And just like its normal for them to. ok well it seems that he/she has a swollen hemipenal bulge. I don't know what they could be and he has had them since I found him. An ideal humidity level falls between 30% and 40%, which is similar to the humidity level in your home. Whatever enclosure type you choose, be sure to use a screen top, which will help keep your geckos habitat at the ideal humidity level by allowing evaporation. Check out our complete guide to leopard gecko common parasites. Leopard Gecko with swollen eye Hello, I'm just looking for any possible help for what to do with my leo, I noticed the other day (wed) he had some stuck shed, made sure he had a warm/wet hide and checked back today and noticed it was still stuck, in getting him out for a bath I realized the area is swollen so much so that eye is closed. Leopard geckos typically defecate in the same corner of their enclosure, and then may go and hide to clean up afterwards. Hello, so I this is going to sound weird but I found a leopard gecko in my garage a few days ago. Im Devin Nunn, an average joe that just so happens to have a deep love and passion for everything to do with reptiles. leopard gecko cohabitation and tank mates, Significant loss of tail fat and other critical fat stores. Why Your Bearded Dragon Won't Let You Hold Him (6 Reasons), Why Does My Leopard Gecko Sleep at Night? Leopard geckos can commonly suffer from an intestinal impaction if they are kept on improper substrate, such as sand or small gravel. . I have a bearded dragon so I know reptiles need very specific care and used what I had to care for him while I get his real enclosure ready. . If you think it is due to an infection or impaction, it is time to call the vet. Fortunately, you can help prevent them from suffering from a weakened immune system and becoming sick by ensuring their diet and habitat are on point. If two leopard geckos of the same or opposite sex are paired together in an enclosed area for too long then eventually one of the geckos could end up gravid (pregnant) or potentially losing their life due to aggression from fighting over territory. Female geckos may lick the vent area to ease any discomfort caused by laying eggs. Its really easy to be forgetful to stay clean when handling our pets, but unfortunately, this same forgetfulness can potentially cause you or someone else to get sick. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. I agree with MarciaI've seen this a few times myself. Male African fat-tailed geckos will have swelling at the base of the tail . Luckily, its not hard to get off and can usually be removed by simply peeling it off or wiping it off with a cotton swab lightly soaked in warm water. However, these rare color morphs can cost you well over 0. When it comes to temperature and humidity, the ideal gradient includes a daytime basking spot of 88-92 degrees Fahrenheit which shifts down to about 75 degrees on the cool side and humidity between 30-40%. A subreddit dedicated to love of leopard geckos. So, even if your gecko does this every day after defecating, its to be expected. However, the new tail might not be as nice as the previous tail. Try giving your gecko a warm water bath, or rubbing its belly and around its vent to remove the semen plug. It's also common for males to lick their vents after marking their territory or females to do so after laying eggs. Keep in mind the vent area is very sensitive, so the gecko will especially want to remove the dead skin from this area. Youll feel crummy, sluggish, and very ill. On top of that, if its spread to people with weaker immune systems such as children or the elderly, then the severity of the symptoms could be much worse than those with stronger immune systems and they may even need to seek professional help in order to safely get over it as their bodies arent as good at fighting off viruses and diseases as easily as those who do, in fact, have stronger immune systems. If your gecko has eaten some of their substrates or eaten something too large to pass through their digestive tract with ease, they will become impacted and be unable to defecate. Her diet is mostly meal worms and wax worms. On geckos, the vent is located under the tail at the rear end of the body. absorbent and easy to change, minimizing the chance for bacterial contamination. You will probably notice their belly is swollen if they are impacted, as food begins to build up in their digestive tract. This structure is called the cloaca or vent. Reptile Guide is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Ever since the last prolapse a few days ago, I think one of his hemipene bulges looks slightly swollen, but I can't tell if my eyes are playing tricks on me because I've been worried about it lately. In most cases, your gecko wont need any help from you, and you shouldnt worry if she licks her vent when shes gravid. Captive-bred leopard geckos can be found in pet stores. Most leopard geckos tend to defecate in the same spot in their enclosure and will move to a quiet and isolated spot nearby to sit and lick their vent afterward for anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. I have the ipower one from amazon and it works great and is only like $20. Licking is part of this process. What is a vent, exactly? Have you ever wondered why most leopard geckos poop in one designated spot within their tanks? Leopard Gecko Enclosure Key Takeaways: Leopard Geckos dont need large habitats and can do just fine in a 20-gallon tank (for adult Leos). Yes, I know leopard geckos are not native to my area (South Florida). And just like its normal for them to lick themselves after pooping, its also normal for them to lick themselves after dropping their secretions as well. YES! In reptiles, the ends of the digestive, urinary, and reproductive tract combine to form a common chamber and a single opening to the external environment. If your leopard gecko licks its vent and displays signs like sleepiness, swelling, inflammation, and inflammation, it might have an infection. Instead, choose the healthiest gecko you can find from a reputable source and you will have an entertaining companion for many years to come. Ive also seen her rub her belly and tail against the objects in her cage. Besides coming in a variety of color morphs, leopard geckos can derive from bloodlines that grant a larger size. males will rub rub their body against the substrate to spread their scent and as for the swollen vent im not sure =/. While the cool hide is not crucial, it is nice to offer a place for your lizard to seek shelter and cool down if needed. Like other lizards, leopard geckos that are undernourished or live in a cage with insufficient moisture may develop dysecdysis. Also, many owners dont know this, but leopard geckos along with other commonly owned pets carry salmonella in their guts. It sounds like another sperm plug to be honest. If your under tank heater does not provide enough warmth to meet the basking temperature requirement, you can use a heat lamp to provide both a basking area and light. This is totally normal. With that said, read on to get a little more insight as to why they do each one. So, Im sure youve already figured this much; but you are going to need to see a vet. However, these rare color morphs can cost you well over 0. My leopard gecko is approx 1.5 - 2 yrs old and his name is Steve. However, since leopard geckos are nocturnal, you may need to use an infrared heat lamp to provide proper heat without disturbing natural behavior. However, abnormal reasons can include infection and impactionwhich need to be checked out right away. Leopard Geckos, also known as Leos, also make GREAT pets for more experienced reptile owners who are interested in breeding unusual color morphs and patterns! Cloacal infections can spread to other regions of the body (e.g. I plan on ordering one as soon as I get home. If youre just starting out and arent interested in getting a fancy morph, then a high-quality, well-cared for pet with. Causes: Cleaning After Marking Territory (Males), Causes: Cleaning Post-Egg Laying (Females). If a stone is present within the cloaca it must be removed for the infection to resolve. ). If necessary, adult leopard geckos can skip several days between feedings, but most gecko owners offer a meal every other day. Geckos keep clean to prevent infection, which can enter the body through the vent area. When feeding your leopard gecko, place your pet in an empty tank. Although leopard geckos are generally very easy to take care of, being an owner to them can sometimes be very stressful. Seeing your leopard gecko licking their behind might catch you off guard at first, but dont panic! This may occur before or after the eggs are laid. A male may lick his vent after this process, both to clean off any residual waxy substance left over from excretion (remember, geckos like to be clean) or to soothe the glands after secretion. Impaction is like advanced constipation; it is defined as a blockage of the digestive tract, usually the intestines. This is not. Hi, Im David Johnson and I have been handling reptiles as pets for over 25 years. Always handle your leopard gecko with care and. Any help on keeping him is appreciated. Generally geckos lick their vents for reasons unrelated to eating (see above) so it may be that you are observing your gecko more while eating. When you first bring home your leopard gecko, They will typically tolerate a certain amount of contact, but, If threatened, your gecko will naturally amputate its tail, so. Leopard Geckos can be vocal lizards, especially when they are hungry, making a variety of chirps and squeaks. With a little time and patience, not to mention the right techniques (see above) you and your pet will surely form a close bond that will last decades! If you live in the US, you can use this search function to find a vet: https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661. If you catch your leopard gecko licking their vent and theyre not impacted then all the other reasons for why theyre licking their vent are usually pretty harmless. Again, leopard geckos are very clean animals by nature. Geckos may begin licking after they shed in order to remove any remaining dead skin and to soothe the new skin underneath.