Why are my Leopard Geckos not Drinking Water?
Water is essential to Leopard Gecko survival. The function of water is to help leopard geckos digest their food correctly, as well as to shed it. Leopard geckos avoid water sometimes because they get water from food or are trying to adapt to their newly acquired environment.
Sometimes leopard geckos often do not drink water but they appear healthy. This can be because leopard geckos are most active at night and they drink water at night, so you may not notice them drinking.
Some possible reasons that leopard gecko does not drink water
You should not ignore this problem if your leopard gecko is not drinking water. We have provided some possible reasons that leopard geckos do not drink water in the following paragraphs-
- When placed in different environments- A leopard gecko is usually paranoid and doesn't like changes. They struggle to adapt to new environments when you bring them home, which leads to them stopping drinking water.
- Due to their picky nature- Some leopard geckos are picky, which means they won't drink water from a dish or bowl. To keep those leopard geckos from becoming dehydrated, you can use a misting system. With this system, you spray water droplets on the leopard gecko and sometimes on the tank's walls.
- Sometimes they get water from moist hides- Even though leopard geckos should use moist hides for shedding, some of them drink from it as well. Geckos of this type eat moisture insects and extract water from their hides. They can live for years without drinking from bowls or dishes.
- Their food provides them water- In some cases, Leopard Gecko food diet provides all their water needs so they do not have to drink water. This food diet consists of thoroughly moist insects such as crickets, Dubia roaches, etc.
How long can Leopard Geckos go without drinking?
In order to maintain their health, leopard geckos need water daily, but it can be injurious to them if they go without water for more than 3 days; this can result in dehydration in your Leopard Gecko and even they may die.
To ensure that your leopard gecko is always healthy and hydrated, you should provide fresh water in a shallow dish or bowl.
If your Leopard Gecko isn't drinking water, should you force it to drink?
No, you should not force your leopard gecko to drink water because they may experience respiratory issues like asphyxiation and even die if they are exposed to this risk.
If your leopard gecko refuses to drink water, you can try changing the way you drink, but forcefully drinking water is not advisable.