Table of Contents
Even if your leopard gecko is healthy and happy as a clam, you should know what it looks like when it isn’t. We always worry about what might happen to our beloved pets, and it’s important to know what it looks like if something goes wrong. Moreso, you need to know how to identify malnourishment and also how to deal with it.
In this article, we’ll talk about the major signs of malnourishment and what you should do if you notice them. Here’s what you need to know.
What “Malnourishment” Means
Before we dive in, we need to define some terms. We’re going to be using the word “malnourishment” in this article as a blanket term for when your leopard gecko isn’t getting something it needs in its diet. But if you want to get specific, malnourishment means not having enough chemical energy, or being “skinny”.
We’re going to use that term to also mean malnutrition, which means not having enough of a certain vitamin or mineral, as well as dehydration.
How Do Leopard Geckos Become Malnourished?
Malnourishment is usually not what it seems. That is to say, if you notice your leopard gecko looks skinny, it’s usually because it’s sick, not starving. It’s very safe to assume that something has gone wrong with your leopard gecko’s health if it starts losing fat, or otherwise doesn’t look healthy.
Either way, you can’t diagnose your leopard gecko by yourself. If you notice any of the major signs of malnourishment, you should call your vet and get a second opinion. If your leopard gecko looks skinny, for example, your vet might want to take a stool sample to test for infection of parasites.
That said, sometimes malnourishment is just due to neglect: not getting enough of what your leo needs. If that’s the case, then the way your leo looks can tell you a lot about what it’s missing.
Causes of Malnourishment
This is what your leo’s appearance can tell you about its health when it’s not getting something it needs.
Underlying Disease and Parasites
Of course, it bears repeating that looking skinny is usually the first sign of some kind of infection or parasite issue. That’s why your first move should be to call your vet. Loss of appetite and lethargy are common symptoms of illness in leopard geckos, and these can rapidly lead to weight loss.
There are a few things you can look for to tell you if your leopard gecko is sick and not malnourished. If you notice any irregular breathing, wheezing, or bubbling around the nose, that’s a sure sign of illness. If you notice any whitish yellow plaque or drooling, that can be a sign of illness. And if you notice your leo is having diarrhea, that’s almost always a sign of illness.
Macronutrient Deficiency
Macronutrient deficiency just means your leo isn’t getting enough chemical energy from its food. This will lead to weight loss and lethargy.
Leos store their fat in their chubby little tails, so this is where you’ll notice weight loss first. Your leo’s tail should be about ¾ the thickness of its body, so roughly the size of its neck. If it’s thinner than its neck, your leo is underweight. Thicker, and it’s probably overweight.
You might also notice your leo’s ribs or hip bones sticking out, as well as a sunken-looking head.
Vitamin A Deficiency
If your leo is lacking vitamin A, you will start to notice issues with its eyes and shedding. If its eyes look swollen or mucusy, or it can’t open its eyes, or its eyecaps are stuck, that usually means it’s lacking vitamin A.
Another sign of vitamin A deficiency is stuck shed, particularly around the toes and face. Your leo might develop “mittens” when shedding, or have problems shedding around the eyes and nose.
Vitamin D3 Deficiency
Vitamin D3 is what you get when you mix dietary calcium with UVB light. Reptiles need it or else they will have issues with their nervous systems and bones. So if your leo isn’t getting enough dietary calcium, or enough UVB light, they will start to develop metabolic bone disease (MBD).
Metabolic bone disease usually presents itself with lethargy, loss of appetite, and most importantly, softening of the bones. You will notice this in your leopard gecko’s jaw, which may become spongy or rubbery. You might also notice your leo’s tail being kinked in a kind of zigzag shape. MBD can lead to breaks or starvation, because your leo is so lethargic it can’t eat.
Dehydration
Dehydration is tricky because it can look like a lot of other issues. It can cause lethargy, stuck sheds, and loss of appetite. The main way you can distinguish dehydration from other problems is by pinching your leo’s skin between your fingers. If the skin stays peaked and doesn’t spring back, that’s a sure sign of dehydration.
What to Do if Your Leopard Gecko is Malnourished
If your leopard gecko’s malnourishment isn’t caused by disease or a parasite, then fixing it is usually as simple as making sure it gets whatever it’s lacking. If your leo is skinny, you need to convince it to eat. Fatty foods like superworms are good for packing back on some body mass, but it’s important not to give it too many too fast, as it can cause your leo to overeat and die.
With micronutrient deficiency (vitamin A, vitamin D3), the main key is dusting your feeder insects. This ensures your leo is getting the proper amount of nutrients in its diet. Beyond that, you need to make sure you’ve got a basking area set up with UVB light so that your leo can turn calcium into vitamin D3.
Even though leopard geckos live in arid climates, they will start to get dehydrated after just a few days. So it’s a good idea to give them a shallow water dish on the cool side of their enclosure.