Why is my Leopard Gecko so Small?
It is interesting to note that leopard geckos are one of the most popular pet animals among pet owners due to their small size and ease of care. All members of the family, especially children, love leopard geckos because of their ease of care.
By nature, leopard geckos are usually small but it is a cause for concern when they are not growing and keeping to a small size. There are several reasons why Leopard geckos do not grow or stay small, but the main reason is that they do not receive proper nutrition.
There are many pet owners out there who are concerned about why their geckos are so small, but this article will provide you with all the answers you need.
What causes my leopard geckos to be so small?
A leopard gecko is an extremely small creature. Sometimes they do not grow and remain the same size for a long period of time. There are many reasons why your gecko is so small, a few of which are listed below.
Whenever they are bullied by their tankmates
Leopard geckos sometimes fail to grow and remain small in size because of the bullies they receive from their tank mates. When you house several geckos in the same tank with differing sizes, you can have a problem with the older or more dominant one bullying the younger or smaller one. When they bully, they fight for food, water, hiding spots, substrates, etc.
To solve this problem you should keep different sizes of geckos in separate enclosures. If you put them together, you will need to give them care individually if you do it that way.
If they are fed a poor diet
Having a lack of proper food, not having a proper diet, not having a proper schedule of feeding, or not being able to obtain the right foods can cause them to stop growing, which will result in them always being small.
Due to Genetic Defects
There is also the possibility that a leopard gecko can be very small at times due to bad genetics. This means that if their parents are small as well, then it is more likely that they will also be very small.
When they are ill
When your leopard gecko is suffering from an illness, it will be unable to grow properly. This will affect the rate at which it grows. This will result in the gecko staying small for a long time. After they have recovered from illness, they may appear to be small for a while.
When there is a problem with the habitat
There are times when unfavorable conditions cause your Leopard gecko to stop growing. This causes them to become stressed, affecting their health negatively, and therefore forcing them to stop growing. An unfavorable environment could consist of incorrectly set up tanks, incorrect lighting, inadequate humidity, or the wrong temperature and humidity levels.
What can I do to overcome the small size of geckos?
To help your leopard gecko overcome the size issue, you can do several things that will be beneficial for your leopard gecko. Some tips are listed below for your information.
- You need to give your leopard gecko a healthy diet, as well as their favorite food. You should also provide a water bowl in their tank to prevent dehydration.
- It is important not to place different sizes of leopard geckos in the same tank to prevent them from being bullied.
- In order to take care of your leopard gecko properly, you must perform a proper tank setup. If you are interested in learning how to do a proper setup for leopard geckos, then you should read Setting up a Habitat for Leopard Gecko.
- It is always a good idea to check your leopard gecko every once in a while to make sure it does not have any disease. If there are any symptoms of the disease you should consult a veterinarian.
- In order to make sure your leopard gecko is always happy and grows regularly, you should form a deep bond with it and play with it regularly. If you are interested in forming a strong bond with your leopard gecko then you should read How to Bond with a leopard gecko.