Leopard geckos are one of the most commonly kept pet reptiles in the world and the common dance between being the second, third, and fourth most popular pet reptiles with bearded dragons in the first spot and ball pythons and corn snakes switching places with the popularity of leopard geckos often.
Due to being such a commonly kept pet reptile, we often see people reaching out and asking a range of different questions about caring for their pet leopard geckos.
One thing that often makes leopard gecko keepers worry is when their leopard gecko is throwing up so we wanted to cover that in today’s article.
Our hope is that we will be able to help as many people as possible work out why their leopard gecko is throwing up as well as how they are able to treat their leopard gecko as quickly as possible.
It is very difficult to make accurate diagnoses on the cause of the vomiting in your leopard gecko without seeing it so booking a video call with a vet to have them quickly check your leopard gecko over is usually the best option but out advice below should still be able to help many people.
Main Causes Of A Leopard Gecko Throwing Up!
The list below is a quick summary of the more common causes of vomiting in leopard geckos but we will cover them all in more detail throughout the article:-
- Fed Unsuitable Food
- Fed Too Much Food
- Fed with Spoiled Food
- Eating Too Quickly
- Impaction and Blockages
- Internal Parasites
- Bacterial Infections
- Diseases
- Low Floor Temperature
- Rough Handling
- Kidney Disease
- Stress and Anxiety
Is It Normal For A Leopard Gecko To Throw Up?
As we briefly mentioned above, there are a number of reasons as to why your leopard gecko could be throwing up but the most common cause is down to them being fed unsuitable food, too much food or with spoiled food.
The next most common cause is down to impaction and blockages which we will cover later on in the article.
Regurgitation is different to vomiting as it is a way for leopard geckos to get rid of food that they should not have eaten in the first place.
This could be bits of substrate, insects that are too big or anything else that your leopard gecko should not have eaten.
The act of regurgitation is very quick and forceful and the food will come out of your leopard gecko’s mouth mostly whole.
Vomiting, on the other hand, takes a lot longer and is a lot more violent with your leopard gecko’s stomach contents being brought up through their mouth and nose.
You will be able to see the difference between the two quite easily.
If you are unsure then the best thing to do would be to seek professional advice from a reptile vet.
Why Is My Leopard Gecko Being Sick?
We will now be taking a more detailed look at the various reasons that your pet leopard gecko may be throwing up as well as how you are able to treat the problems.
Fed Unsuitable Food
One of the more common reasons as to why your leopard gecko may be throwing up is down to you feeding them unsuitable food.
This is often down to people not realising that leopard geckos are insectivores and they will only eat live insects.
The most common example of this is when people try to feed their leopard gecko vegetables as they believe that all reptiles need to eat vegetables.
This is not the case with leopard geckos and feeding them vegetables will often lead to problems such as vomiting, diarrhoea, and dehydration.
If you have been feeding your leopard gecko vegetables then it is important that you stop doing this as soon as possible and only offer them live insects.
Another common problem is when people buy the wrong type of insect to feed their leopard gecko.
The most common example of this is feeding your leopard gecko wild-caught insects as these could contain parasites, bacteria, and other nasties.
With leopard geckos being insectivores, some people initially think that their leopard gecko can eat any type of insect but this is not correct and letting your leopard gecko eat insects that are too large for it can cause it to vomit.
Fed Too Much Food
Another common reason as to why your leopard gecko may be vomiting is down to you overfeeding it.
Leopard geckos have a very small stomach and they are only able to eat a small amount of food at any one time.
If you try to feed your leopard gecko too much food then this can cause it to vomit as its stomach is unable to cope with the amount of food that it has been given.
It is important to only feed your leopard gecko as much food as it can eat in one sitting and if you are unsure then it is always better to give your leopard gecko less food rather than too much.
Overfeeding your leopard gecko can also lead to other problems such as obesity and liver problems so it is something that you need to avoid.
Fed with Spoiled Food
Another problem that can occur is when people feed their leopard gecko food that has gone off or is spoiled.
This is often down to people not realising that the insects that they are feeding their leopard gecko need to be gut loaded.
Gut loading is the process of feeding the insects that you are going to feed your leopard gecko a nutritious diet so that they can in turn pass on these nutrients to your leopard gecko.
If you do not gut load the insects then they will not have the right nutrients to pass onto your leopard gecko and this can often lead to problems such as vomiting.
It is important to make sure that the insects that you are feeding your leopard gecko are gut loaded and if you are unsure then it is always best to buy insects that have been commercially bred as these will have been gut loaded for you.
You should also avoid feeding your leopard gecko insects that have been caught in the wild as these could be carrying parasites, bacteria, and other nasties.
Eating Too Quickly
Another common problem that can lead to your leopard gecko vomiting is if it eats its food too quickly.
Leopard geckos are naturally fast eaters and they will often try to eat as much food as they can in one sitting.
While this is fine for most of the time, there are occasions where eating too quickly can lead to problems.
One of the most common problems is when your leopard gecko eats its food too quickly and then vomits it back up again.
This is often down to the fact that their stomach is unable to cope with the amount of food that they have eaten and so they need to vomit it back up again.
If your leopard gecko is vomiting after eating then it is important to try and slow down its eating habits.
One way to do this is to offer it smaller meals more often rather than one large meal.
You can also try feeding it live food as this will often make your leopard gecko eat more slowly as it tries to catch the insect.
Sudden Change in Diet
Another common cause of vomiting in leopard geckos is when there is a sudden change in their diet.
Leopard geckos are creatures of habit and they do not like it when their routine is changed.
One of the most common changes that can occur is when people switch from live food to frozen thawed food.
While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it can often lead to your leopard gecko vomiting as its stomach is not used to the new food.
If you do want to switch your leopard gecko’s diet then it is important to do it slowly and gradually so that their stomach can get used to the new food.
Another common change that can occur is when people switch from one type of live food to another.
For example, if you normally feed your leopard gecko crickets then you may decide to switch to worms.
While this is not a problem, it can often lead to your leopard gecko vomiting as its stomach is not used to the new food.
If you do want to switch your leopard gecko’s diet then it is important to do it slowly and gradually so that their stomach can get used to the new food.
Impaction and Blockages
One of the most common problems that can lead to your leopard gecko vomiting is impaction or blockages.
This is often down to the fact that leopard geckos will eat anything that they can fit into their mouth and this can often lead to them eating things that they should not be eating.
The most common things that leopard geckos will eat that can cause problems are sand, gravel, and pieces of substrate.
If your leopard gecko has eaten any of these then it is important to seek veterinary advice as soon as possible as it may need surgery to remove the blockage.
Leopard geckos can also suffer from impaction if they are not given enough water to drink.
This is often down to the fact that they will drink from their food rather than from a separate water bowl.
If your leopard gecko does not have access to water then it is important to seek veterinary advice as soon as possible as it may need surgery to remove the blockage.
Internal Parasites
Another common problem that can lead to your leopard gecko vomiting is internal parasites.
Internal parasites are small creatures that live inside your leopard gecko’s body and they can often lead to a variety of problems.
The most common problem that they can cause is an increase in the amount of mucus that your leopard gecko produces.
This can often lead to your leopard gecko vomiting as its stomach is unable to cope with the amount of mucus.
If you think that your leopard gecko has internal parasites then it is important to seek veterinary advice as soon as possible as it will need treatment.
Bacterial Infections
Bacterial infections are another common problem that can lead to your leopard gecko vomiting.
Bacterial infections are often caused by a build-up of bacteria in the gut and this can often lead to your leopard gecko’s stomach becoming inflamed.
If your leopard gecko has a bacterial infection then it is important to seek veterinary advice as soon as possible as it will need antibiotics to clear the infection.
Viral Infections
Viral infections are another common problem that can lead to your leopard gecko vomiting.
The most common viral infection that can lead to vomiting is the leopard gecko adenovirus.
This virus can often lead to your leopard gecko’s stomach becoming inflamed and this can often lead to vomiting.
If you think that your leopard gecko has a viral infection then it is important to seek veterinary advice as soon as possible as it will need treatment.
Kidney Disease
Kidney disease is another common problem that can lead to your leopard gecko vomiting.
Kidney disease is often caused by a build-up of toxins in the kidneys and this can often lead to your leopard gecko’s stomach becoming inflamed.
If your leopard gecko has kidney disease then it is important to seek veterinary advice as soon as possible as it will need treatment.
Liver Disease
Liver disease is another common problem that can lead to your leopard gecko vomiting.
Liver disease is often caused by a build-up of toxins in the liver and this can often lead to your leopard gecko’s stomach becoming inflamed.
If your leopard gecko has liver disease then it is important to seek veterinary advice as soon as possible as it will need treatment.
Low Floor Temperature
One of the most common problems that can lead to your leopard gecko vomiting is a low floor temperature.
Leopard geckos are tropical animals and they need a warm environment to thrive.
If the temperature in their enclosure is too low then it can often lead to them becoming stressed and this can often lead to vomiting.
Rough Handling
Rough handling is another common problem that can lead to your leopard gecko vomiting.
Leopard geckos are delicate animals and they should be handled with care.
If they are handled too roughly then it can often lead to them becoming stressed and this can often lead to vomiting.
Cancer
Cancer is another common problem that can lead to your leopard gecko vomiting.
Cancer is often caused by the abnormal growth of cells in the body and this can often lead to your leopard gecko’s stomach becoming inflamed.
If your leopard gecko has cancer then it is important to seek veterinary advice as soon as possible as it will need treatment.
Stress and Anxiety
Stress and anxiety are another common problem that can lead to your leopard gecko vomiting.
Leopard geckos are delicate animals and they can often become stressed if they are not in a good environment.
If you think that your leopard gecko is stressed then it is important to seek veterinary advice as soon as possible as it will need treatment.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a number of different conditions that can lead to your leopard gecko vomiting. If you think that your leopard gecko is vomiting then it is important to seek veterinary advice as soon as possible.
