Leopard geckos are small and cute. In addition to this, most owners prefer them because they hardly get sick. Even so, it is vital to take your leopard gecko to a vet from time to time. While vet visits are essential, one question most leopard gecko owners ask themselves is;
How much does a vet visit for a leopard gecko cost?
On average, vet visits for leopard geckos range between $50 and $150. It is the fee you expect to pay for a routine visit but might be more if the pet is sick, has some parasite infections, or requires some medical tests or medicine. As such, a reasonable annual budget should be between $150 – $250 for a comprehensive checkup and any other costs.
Before getting any pet, knowing the financial cost of providing the animal with proper care is good. It helps you determine if you can afford the pet and also prepare well financially. One of these costs is veterinarian visit fees and related expenses.
It is best to work with an exotic vet since they are more knowledgeable about handling exotic pets like leopard geckos than regular ones who are sometimes not ready to handle reptile pets.
Vet Visits & Health Related-Costs for Leopard Geckos
Besides an annual checkup, you might also take your pet to the vet in case of illness, an emergency, when the leopard gecko is new to your home, etc.
Of course, all these costs vary depending on the vet and the underlying treatment. Below is a look at why you might take your leopard gecko to a vet and the likely costs.
Annual Checkups
Annual checkups are good as they help monitor the growth and development of the pet reptile. In addition, the vet might be able to detect any illnesses early enough to prevent them from advancing. Treating severe leopard gecko illnesses can be costly or fatal. You don’t want to risk such.
Another reason you should take your leopard gecko to a vet at least once annually, even when it seems healthy, is that a vet can detect abnormalities you ordinarily wouldn’t. Such issues include constricted toes. The expert will also assess the eating habits of the lizard according to its history and age.
For these reasons, it is vital to take your leopard geckos to a vet for an annual checkup. A routine leopard gecko checkup can cost about $80 per year.
New Leopard Gecko Examination
If you have just gotten a new leopard gecko, you should take it to a vet for examination. The professional will check the reptile for illnesses and abnormal growth and examine the feces for parasites. It is essential to do so to ensure that you are carrying home a healthy pet.
In addition, this examination helps prevent illnesses from spreading to other leopard geckos in the enclosure. Bear in mind that several female leopard geckos of the same size can peacefully co-exist in the enclosure, even with one male, but multiple male leopard geckos can’t live together.
A new leopard gecko vet examination is thorough and will cost you between $50 and $150, depending on whether any medication is recommended.
Parasite Infections Treatment
During an annual checkup, the vet might determine that your leopard gecko has parasite infections.
You might also take the pet for examination if it has symptoms of parasite infections such as weight loss, thin tails, loss of appetite, lethargy, and vomiting. A vet will perform a fecal exam to ascertain the presence of parasites.
The professional might recommend medication or a worming treatment to treat parasite infections in your leopard gecko.
The cost of the treatment might vary between $0 and $80, depending on how bad the infection is. The good thing is with proper hygiene and feeding, parasite infections are not frequent for captive leopard geckos.
Illnesses
Besides parasite infection, leopard geckos might also suffer from conditions such as egg binding in females, metabolic bone disease, dysecdysis, autotomy, and hemipenes infections.
Although not common, these illnesses might affect your pet, making it necessary to take the leopard gecko to a vet for professional diagnosis and treatment.
A visit to an exotic vet to treat common leopard gecko illnesses will cost between $100 and $200. It might be higher if the leopard gecko requires long-term treatment, but in most cases, short-term medication is enough to treat most conditions.
Supplements
After an exotic vet’s examination, the conclusion might be that your leopard gecko is not ill. However, the vet might recommend supplements if they realize that the lizard has some deficiency, especially Vitamin D3 and Calcium.
Even without a vet’s recommendation, it is good to frequently gut-load the insects you feed your leopard gecko with calcium-rich foods or dust them with calcium powder. It helps boost the intake of these vital components.
The annual cost of supplements for a leopard gecko ranges between $60 and $100. Even so, limit the intake frequency, as too much can lead to toxicity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need To Take My Leopard Gecko To A Vet Clinic?
Even though leopard geckos are hardy animals, you still need to take them to a vet for an annual examination. However, it helps detect growth problems or illnesses early, making treating them easier and less costly.
Is A Leopard Gecko Cheap?
Leopard geckos are hardy and do not require complicated care. As a result, they are cheaper than most other pets, but this ultimately depends on your budget. One-off costs of keeping a leopard gecko include buying the tank, heating lamp, light source, and feeding accessories.
Accessories such as rocks, hammocks, and hideouts are optional, and the leopard gecko feeds daily if young, but of an adult, they feed every other day. The monthly feeding can cost between $20 and $40.
How Much Is A Leopard Gecko?
The cost of a leopard gecko depends on where you are getting it from. For instance, when getting one from a pet store, the price should not exceed $50. However, if you get one from a breeder, you may expect to pay between $30 and $100 depending on the pet leopard gecko’s lineage and breed.
Conclusion
Vet visits for leopard geckos are not mandatory, but they are vital. The cost varies depending on factors such as whether it is a routine visit, a visit due to an illness, or an emergency.
On average, a vet visit ranges between $50 and $200. Choose an exotic vet as they have better knowledge and experience examining and treating leopard geckos and other reptile pets.
