What to do if your leopard gecko won't poop

Don't worry if your leopard gecko hasn't 'been to the toilet' for a couple of days and everything else seems to be ok. This is quite normal. But if it's been 5 days or more, you will probably start to get a little worried.

Leopard geckos can be similar to dogs in the pooh pooh department, meaning that they are used to a certain spot in their vivarium. So study their environment carefully and see if anything has been changed.

For example, did someone else clean the vivarium and therefore might have changed the scent by using a different cleaning product, or perhaps they were wearing a particularly strong perfume that day? Have things been moved around a lot? If so, then it might take them a few days to find their pooping place again. Ensure too that they were not housed in sand for any time.

Check that your leopard gecko is eating properly. If your leo doesn't eat, he won't poop.

If a reluctance to eat is the problem, then you need to take a good look at him to see if he appears to be healthy, not in stress, injured or lethargic.

Check the environment: are the heat settings correct, is he not being stressed by a family pet or an overly friendly child.

1. Try hand feeding him. Don't force feed him unless you are experienced. This is best left to a vet and only after the vet has identified the underlying cause

2. Try different suitable food like waxworms (cut into bits and see if he will lick it off your finger, at least that will show if he still has an interest in food). Be careful that there's nothing hard (eg the hard shell of a mealworm) in his food

3. Dehydration is a common and likely problem, feed him with a syringe

4. Give her a gentle belly rub

5. Take a bit of poop from another gecko, wrap it up in a paper towel and put it in a section of the vivarium

6. Check the temperature and up to around 90 degrees if it isn't already. Belly heat aids digestion. Always use a thermometer to be sure 

7. Minimize any stress. Usually your leopard gecko will prefer the dark and not being handled too much.

And of course, if you have any doubts or concerns, give your local vet a call. Make sure it's a vet who has knowledge of leopard geckos