How Do You Know If Your Crested Gecko Is Eating?
Last Updated: January 25, 2023
It can be worrisome when your crested gecko isn’t eating. Sometimes, though, it is hard to tell if that is what is happening. How do I know if my crested gecko is eating?
The easiest way to know if your crested gecko is eating is by weighing the lizard, measuring their food intake, and looking for droppings. If they are maintaining or increasing their weight and you find scat, they are eating.
Why Is This So Tricky?
Most feeding guidance suggests leaving a bowl of CGD out overnight for a crestie to eat as they wish.
While they are most active at dawn and dusk, they might eat at any time overnight. Since we are not nocturnal, most of us are asleep while our cresties are awake. Watching them the entire time is not realistic.
The problem is made worse by how little food younger lizards need. Larger animals require more food, making it obvious when they don’t eat. But what about smaller species and babies?
So, how would I know if my crested gecko is eating? Luckily, there are some simple ways to figure it out.
Strategies
The best way to know more about how much your crestie is eating is to limit the variables and closely track things.
First, you’ll need to keep your pet in an enclosure without others. If it already lives alone, great!
If you have more than one living in the tank, separate them. If they share a space, they are also sharing a food supply. That makes everything trickier to figure out.
Once your crestie is living alone, it’s time to start measuring.
Taking Good Measurements
Using a small animal scale, weigh your gecko and write down the date and the weight. It is a good idea to track your pet’s growth because it helps you notice changes that are difficult to see. Twice a month is probably plenty unless you see something dramatic, in which case you’ll want to talk with a veterinarian immediately.
Before you offer food, measure the amount carefully. Whether by a measuring spoon, counting live feeders, or filling its food bowl to the same height, knowing the exact amount you put into the tank tells you how much they ate, removing the guesswork. Write this down as well.
Measuring the commercial gecko diet eaten by baby crested geckos can be tricky commercial gecko diet eaten by baby crested geckos because they need so little food. One option is to make their mixture thicker than recommended by adding less water. Then, check the bowl for lick marks in the morning.
Remember, crested geckos have small stomachs. They don’t need much food to get all the nutrients they need.
Looking For Feces
One last indicator is gecko droppings. If there is poop in the enclosure, you can feel confident your pet is eating.
Many keepers prefer natural substrates, like coconut husk or sphagnum moss, and completely bioactive terrariums. These are outstanding options most of the time, but finding lizard feces is very difficult in these tanks.
While you are trying to determine if your crested gecko is eating, use paper towels as a substrate. While it looks significantly less natural, paper towels are tried-and-true for the bottom of tanks for less than one-year-old crested geckos because they can’t eat it. Droppings are easy to spot on a paper towel and just as easy to clean up.
Conclusion
Hopefully, by using the strategies above, you have clear evidence that your pet is eating.
If not, don’t panic. There are some simple steps if your crested gecko won’t eat. Not eating for a few days isn’t dangerous for them. As always, consult your exotic veterinarian to make the best plan.
Further Reading: How long can a crested gecko go without food?