While the signs of a dead and hibernating leopard gecko overlap, it is possible to distinguish them. The distinguishing factor between the two is that a hibernating leopard gecko will not be totally inactive, and it will be breathing. In addition, hibernation occurs as you approach winter since the lizard’s internal clock makes it go into a state of less activity.
Leopard geckos are docile and hardy. Even so, they tend to explore their enclosure, and any sign of inactiveness might make you wonder if the lizard is sick or dead.
While such concerns are valid, these two are not the only causes of inactivity in leopard geckos, as the signs could also mean that the pet is preparing to hibernate.
Let us look at the hibernation process and why it is necessary for leopard geckos.
What Is Hibernation And Is It Important?
Hibernation can be described as a state characterized by little or no activity for a considerable time. In this state, an animal may lie in its cave or burrow in the ground for several months without moving or eating. It is a typical process in the wild for most animals, including reptiles.
Conserving energy and preparing for breeding are significant reasons why animals hibernate. In other cases, animals like polar bears seem to hibernate during seasons of extreme weather conditions when food is scarce, and the conditions outside their caves are not favorable.
During seasons like winter, there is little food available. Therefore, animals are forced to conserve the little food they get to survive.
One of the ways the reptiles achieve this is by being less active hence using less energy. It is one of the survival adaptations for animals living in extreme weather conditions such as winter, including leopard geckos.
With decreased activity, hibernation ensures that the animal’s body will demand only a little energy to manage vital processes like breathing and circulation.
Low energy demand results in reduced metabolism, so the animal can go for long durations without feeding. Less feeding is also vital since these lizards hardly find insects to feed on during these periods of snow.
Hibernation In Leopard Geckos
As mentioned above, reptiles also undergo hibernation, and leopard geckos are not an exception. Even so, their hibernation process is a little different from that of most animals. Instead of hibernation, leopard geckos undergo brumation.
Unlike hibernation, your gecko will not be totally dormant in brumation but will still experience decreased activity. However, hibernation is often used to mean brumation; as such, we will use the two terms interchangeably.
Most gecko owners may not understand the brumation process because it is not as common in captivity. Captivity conditions, especially the temperature, do not encourage brumation even when the reptile’s internal clock encourages it to brumate. In addition, not all leopard geckos show signs of brumation as winter approaches.
Thus, most leopard gecko owners get concerned that their pet is sick since the signs of brumation are similar to those of an ill gecko.
Common Signs Of Hibernation In Leopard Geckos
As mentioned above, hibernation commonly occurs at the onset of winter. As such, it is common for your gecko to start exhibiting signs of brumation when entering this cold season. In addition, a sudden change in the weather conditions may also trigger brumation in your gecko.
Timing is a significant factor in determining whether the signs being exhibited by your leopard gecko are due to death or hibernation.
If winter is not approaching and the lizard is not breeding, then it automatically means that the signs are not of hibernation.
If winter is approaching, here are further signs indicating that your leopard gecko is preparing for hibernation.
It is vital to note that while each gecko is different and may act differently during this period, some signs are common in almost all leopard geckos. These signs include:
- Sluggish movements
- Basking most of the time
- Lethargy
- Eating less or not eating at all
- Sleeping most of the time
- Hiding in its enclosure
- Not pooping
If you observe the above signs and are still unsure whether the leopard gecko is alive, immediately take your pet to the vet to confirm that the pet is healthy.
Once you confirm that there is nothing wrong with your gecko, record the time that the signs first appeared. Doing so will help you anticipate the brumation period in the future since it usually happens around the same time every year.
Even for geckos in enclosures that have controlled temperatures, it is not uncommon to see the pet responding to the changes in the environment.
Geckos can sense a change in pressure due to changes in the weather and therefore respond accordingly. In addition, the lizard’s internal clock can still trigger it to show signs of brumation.
How To Help Your Leopard Gecko Hibernate
Once you confirm that your leopard gecko is preparing to hibernate or rather brumate, you can encourage it to undergo this natural process by making the environment favorable.
Such preparation ensures that your gecko remains safe and healthy throughout the period. In addition, geckos are pretty vulnerable during this phase; giving them proper care will be crucial for their survival.
Below are some things that you can do to help your leopard gecko hibernate:
1. Supply Food and Fresh Water
Some of the activities in which your leopard gecko will become less active include feeding. A gecko in hibernation or brumation will still need to feed, although not as much as before. For this reason, it is essential to ensure that there is always some food available for your gecko.
Due to their lethargy in this phase, your gecko will not show any enthusiasm when feeding and thus, in most cases, will not chase after the live roaches and any other fast-moving insects you feed them
To encourage your bromating leopard gecko to eat more, get them slow-moving insects. You may even need to kill some of these insects before feeding them.
Geckos in brumation will have very little energy to hunt. It is, therefore, crucial to ensure that they spend minimal energy in getting their food. If it is hard to catch their prey, the reptile might just give up feeding.
Besides food, it is also vital that you provide the pet with fresh water to keep it hydrated.
2. Give Calcium Supplements
In brumation, your gecko will reduce food intake and, consequently, the rate at which they absorb some crucial nutrients like calcium.
Calcium is essential for your gecko as it protects them from serious diseases like metabolic bone disease. Thus, it is vital to ensure that you get an alternative source of calcium other than the food your leopard gecko eats for the lizard to have enough.
Supplements come in handy for your dragons in this phase. They are easier to take in and work faster and better to supply calcium than when your gecko absorbs it from their food. It is also vital to ensure that you give your gecko vitamin D3-rich foods, as this vitamin is responsible for calcium absorption.
Vitamin D3 can be obtained from your gecko’s everyday insect meals. Some of the best sources of calcium and D3 vitamin are mealworms, waxworms, crickets, and superworms.
Before offering these worms to your geckos, you can gut-load them to ensure they have all the proper nutrients. You can also dust them with calcium powder before feeding them to your gecko.
3. Monitor Their Weight
Another important thing to observe during the brumation period is to monitor your leopard gecko’s weight. When in the hibernation stage, your gecko will eat less and thus may lose some weight.
Monitoring their weight is crucial as it will help you know how well your pet gecko is coping with the process.
Sudden and drastic weight loss is not suitable for your gecko. While it might be impossible to prevent the lizard from losing weight in this period, there are acceptable ranges that the weight should not fall below.
For example, the recommended weight for a leopard in brumation should be between 60-65 grams. Anything below this should be a point of concern.
You can use a simple weighing scale, like a kitchen scale, as long as it can accurately measure weight in grams. Remember to note the reptile’s weight immediately before the brumation period and then do it weekly.
It will help you note down the rate at which your gecko loses weight. If the rate is drastic, call your exotic vet for guidance.
Signs Of A Dying Leopard Gecko
Now that we know the signs of brumation or hibernation in leopard geckos, what about a dying one?
It is crucial to know these indicators as it will help you take quick action and try to save the lizard’s life. Other than when the death is due to an accident, the pet lizard will exhibit signs indicating all is not well.
However, if you are not keen or haven’t taken the time to understand your pet’s personality, you might miss them.
Some of the death signs of a dying leopard gecko to look out for include:
1. Little To No Poop
One of the easiest signs indicating something amiss with your leopard gecko is if they have little or no poop. Such may result from brumation, illness, impaction, and poor nutrition.
Based on the above, it is now easy to tell when your gecko is undergoing brumation, and thus you can rule it out as a cause of reduced poop.
If the cause is any other but brumation, you should immediately call your vet for an examination. As one of the other causes of little to no poop, impaction is a severe problem as it is not easily discoverable.
It is hard to note its signs until it is too late unless you are very keen. Thus, you should seek immediate professional intervention.
2. Loss Of Appetite
A healthy gecko not in hibernation will be eager to feed and chase after its prey. However, if you realize your gecko is not eating as well as it usually does, you should immediately consult your vet. Loss of appetite can result from several factors like sickness, injury, or impaction.
Impaction occurs when your gecko swallows some indigestible material that blocks its digestive system.
It means that your pet cannot eat anything, and whatever little it eats does not get digested, for instance, an enclosure’s substrate. Impaction is a severe case for your gecko; if left unchecked, your pet will die in a few days.
3. Accelerated Weight Loss
Another clear indication of a leopard gecko on its deathbed is accelerated weight loss. If your gecko’s weight drops drastically over a short period without any possible explanation, then there is a severe problem. Accelerated weight loss means that your gecko is not feeding well or has a digestive system problem.
The leading causes of drastic weight loss are poor nutrition, illness, or impaction, which can lead to death if not treated. You can monitor your gecko’s weight by regularly measuring it weekly.
Any sudden unexplained decrease in weight should be reported to a vet immediately. Also, if you notice your gecko’s tail is abnormally thin and sickly, you should inform your vet.
A healthy leopard gecko has a fat tail proportional to its body. Geckos store excess fat and water in their tails for use in the future.
If the tails grow abnormally thin, then the body is using up the stored fats, which shouldn’t be the case.
4. Sunken Or Dull Eyes
A common feature in most, if not all, reptiles is pooped-out eyes. Leopard geckos have bright and moist eyes, making them even more adorable. For this reason, if your gecko’s eyes are dull, dry, and sunken, it is a sure indicator that your pet is not okay.
The main reasons for dull eyes are usually either sickness or dehydration, which can lead to death. Dehydration results from your gecko not getting enough water in its diet or losing too much due to diarrhea or high temperatures in its environment.
In order to remedy dehydration, temperature regulation and providing fresh water is crucial. If you use some form of lighting in the gecko’s enclosure, ensure that the heat it emits is within acceptable limits.
When it comes to your gecko’s nutrition, always provide succulent delicacies like waxworms for rehydration. In addition, keeping a bowl of water in the tank can help.
5. Lethargy
The fifth sign of a dying leopard gecko is lethargy. When a gecko is on its deathbed, it will cease most physical functions like feeding and walking. If you notice that your gecko is unresponsive during feeding time or when disturbed, you should look for a vet immediately.
While you can easily confuse lethargy during the brumation period and that of a dying gecko, there is one clear difference.
In brumation, your gecko will occasionally eat and walk around the enclosure now and then. However, for a dying gecko, it will spend most, if not all, of its time lying down, most times with its eyes closed but sometimes staring blankly at the floor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Is My Leopard Gecko Not Moving?
If your leopard gecko is not moving for several days but has been active, then it might be due to starvation, injury, impaction, lethargy, or mere laziness. Observe the lizard for a couple of days; if there is no progress, talk to an exotic vet.
How Long Do Leopard Geckos Hibernate?
Leopard geckos can go into brumation for up to 3 months. It is often for a period equivalent to how long the cold season would last in their natural, wild environment.
How Can I Know If My Gecko Is Sick?
The signs of a sick leopard gecko depend on the underlying issue. If you have had the lizard for a while, it is easy to know when something is not okay. Common signs of illness in the lizard include loss of appetite, not moving or sluggish movement, and sudden thinning of the tail.
Seek professional guidance immediately if you notice the above.
Conclusion
A hibernating gecko and a dying one have a lot in common. However, while there is reduced activity in both cases, a dying gecko will have some signs that are not in a hibernating gecko, for instance, sunken eyes and loss of appetite.
Therefore, it might be ideal to call an exotic vet if you are still unsure whether your pet leopard gecko is dying or hibernating.
When you establish that your lizard is brumating, provide suitable conditions, such as food and fresh water, to help it brumate. It would be best also to lower the tank temperatures to help the pet undergo the process as it would in the wild.