Leopard Gecko Health Issues – Parasites!

One of the common leopard gecko health issues is parasites. And what is a parasite? The definition of a parasite is: “an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment.” The parasites that trouble leopard geckos are little critters that live in their intestinal tracts. The example that we’ll look at in this article, is Cryptosporidium, which is a protozoan parasite and fairly typical of the parasites that trouble leos.

Prevention of parasites such as Cryptosporidium

Parasites like Cryptosporidium spread through what is known as the ‘fecal-oral’ route. What that means is that particles of fecal matter from one host are finding their way into the oral cavity of a new host. Note that this won’t be because one animal is eating another’s feces, but rather because when animals live in close proximity, some fecal contamination is more or less inevitable.

Here are the main ways that parasites such as Cryptosporidium are spread among leopard geckos:

Through water that has come in contact with feces and is then drunk.

Through feeder insects that have come into contact with feces and are then eaten.

Through you not washing your hands after handling leo feces or anything else that might have touched feces.

If your leopard gecko lives alone and never comes into contact with other leos then of course it’s safe from becoming a Cryptosporidium host. However, if your leo is new then it’s quite possible that it contracted crypto from another leopard gecko it was living with before it was sold to you.

What Cryptosporidium does

Cryptosporidium causes a condition that’s known as ‘cryptosporidiosis’ (or just ‘crypto’ for short). The main symptom of this condition is diarrhea, which is the body’s attempt to flush out the parasite, but vomiting, pain, and a swollen stomach are all also possible symptoms.

Cure for cryptosporidiosis

If your leo gets crypto or another parasite, there are a few things you’ll need to do:

Quarantine your leopard gecko from any other animals (gecko or otherwise) to stop the parasite from spreading to new hosts.

Take your leo out of its normal tank and put it in a temporary enclosure. Then decontaminate everything! Using a solution of ammonia, wash the tank, food and water bowls, hide boxes, cage furniture and decorations and so on. Replace the substrate completely. Allow everything to air dry for three days before using any of it again. Wear rubber gloves at all times while dong this cleaning, and discard them when you’re finished.

Prevent your leo from re-infecting itself by immediately removing its feces as soon as you see them (use a paper substrate so that they’re easy to see).

If this doesn’t work and yours seems to be getting sicker, consult a vet, but note that there is currently no cure for crypto. It can take as long as six months for your leo to fully recover from something like crypto and start eating normally again.

When it comes to leopard gecko health issues simple preventative measures can be taken in order to maintain a high quality of hygiene to help decrease the possibility of illness.