Dehydration in Leopard Geckos

Dehydration is a condition in which the loss of too much fluid from body of humans or animals.

Dehydration in leopard geckos is when your pet's body needs water but can't get in that time then they suffer from dehydration. It is very harmful to your Gecko. Due to this they even die. Some common causes of Dehydration in geckos are incorrect humidity levels and vivarium setup.

What are the signs of Dehydrated Leopard Geckos?

Dehydration means that the gecko's body lacks enough fluid. If leopard geckos drink a lot of water or drink more than once a day it means they are suffering from dehydration.

These are some signs of Dehydration to watch for in Leopard Geckos' body are-

  • Dry and wrinkled skin
  • Weight loss
  • Suddenly changes in behavior
  • Suddenly stop eating
  • Skin loses its elasticity
  • Constipation
  • Stumbling
  • Sunken eyes
  • A problem in shedding skin
  • Lethargy and weakness
  • Feeling nervous
  • Infrequent excretion

What are the causes of Dehydration in Leopard Gecko with solutions?

Leopard geckos drink water once a day. They can survive a maximum of three days without drinking water. Drinking less water is the primary cause of Dehydration for leopard geckos.

Your leopard geckos become Dehydrated for four reasons given below-

Shortage of Water

As you know gecko drinks water once a day. Sometimes geckos can't get enough water to drink in that situation they get dehydrated. The water quality is too bad.

Solution

  • Serve them water in a clean bowl disk daily.
  • Daily serve fresh water.
  • Serve them with chemical-free water.
  • Avoid poor-quality water.

Incorrect humidity

Substrates and vivarium material can absorb all moisture and humidity levels of the Vivarium become low in that situation, causing Gecko Dehydration.

Solution

  • Always avoid absorbable material in the vivarium.
  • Daily check humidity level.
  • Give them a good level of humidity.

High Temperature

Sometimes too high a temperature for extended periods causes gecko dehydration.

Solution

  • Check the vivarium temperature regularly.
  • Adjust temperature regularly.

Feeding Problem

Feeding dead worms, irregular food, and unhygienic food cause Dehydration in Leopard Geckos.

Solution

  • Avoid dead bugs.
  • Serve them hygienic food
  • Offer food from time to time.
  • Serve wet foods to increase moisture.

How to treat dehydrated Leopard Geckos?

If your leopard geckos are showing physical symptoms of Dehydration then they probably need Veterinary attention.

There are two stages of Dehydration in Leopard Geckos are-

Mild Dehydration

This is the early stage of Dehydration in the leopard gecko's body. In this state, you can see some simply showing symptoms like dry skin, change in behavior, Stopping eating, etc.

For this mild Dehydration state, you can treat your gecko by the following procedure are given below-

  • Soaking them in lukewarm water helps to retain some moisture in the gecko body. It also helps to improve hydration levels.
  • Water should be clean and chemical-free.
  • Serve fresh nutritious food like Cricket, mealworms, etc
  • Change drinking and bathing water daily
  • Maintain the correct temperature. Do not fall to temperatures below 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Serious Dehydration

In this state, your geckos are in serious condition. Some symptoms of serious Dehydration are Rapid weight loss and sickness.

During this stage, you should take your pet to a vet as soon as possible. A vet gives treatment to your pet by giving injections to boost its metabolism.

How to test Dehydration in Leopard Geckos at home?

Loss of skin elasticity is the easiest sign to test for Dehydration in your leopard geckos. If you are in doubt that whether your pet is Dehydrated or not then you can check by yourself at home.

For the Dehydration test in Leopard Geckos, you can follow the below procedure.

  • Firstly take your thumb and forefinger to the skin of your leopard geckos.
  • Touch its skin gently and observe two things.
    • For a Hydrated Leopard Gecko- The skin will go back into place almost immediately.
    • For Dehydrated Leopard Gecko- The skill will go slowly back in place or skin bunches up.

If your leopard geckos suffering from dehydration then you should take your geckos to the vet as soon as possible.

How to prevent your Leopard Gecko from Dehydration?

Dehydration can lead to a range of serious health problems such as loss of skill elasticity, weight loss, and even death also. If you want to protect your leopard geckos from dehydration then you should follow prevention.

To prevent Dehydration there are some useful steps as follows

  • Always provide fresh, clean water, and make sure your gecko's water dishes are cleaned daily.
  • Serve them chemical-free water
  • Serve them hygienic food.
  • Check temperature and humidity levels regularly.