Leopard geckos, like all other animals, have ways to show how happy or sad they are. As a gecko owner, you must recognize the signs of a stressed leopard gecko. Unfortunately, if you’ve never owned a leopard gecko before, it might be a little bit challenging to determine whether or not your gecko is happy with its life.
When it comes to how a gecko feels, there are some things you can look for to tell if it’s having trouble. People who have previously owned geckos can tell immediately if their gecko is frustrated or sick. But it might not be easy for first-time owners. So how to know whether Leopard Gecko is happy or sad?
Few signs determine your Leo’s a happy state. These signs include basking in the sun, hunting for food, looking around their tanks, flicking their tongues, and making a lot of different sounds. Similarly, a depressed or sad Leo will stick to one corner with very little or no activity.
Let’s have a look at how you can tell if your Leo is happy or sad in detail.
Do Leopard Geckos Have Feelings?
Leopard geckos have feelings (both male and female) and can get cranky, so their owners need to know when they’re upset. If you can’t tell how your pet is feeling or if the changes you’ve already made haven’t helped enough, talk to a professional before making any more changes.
A depressed gecko will have a sluggish, unresponsive temperament. You could find that your pet behaves differently or reacts differently to the things that used to make them happy in the past.
Your pet might also lose its appetite, but this could be due to illness or aging, so it can’t always be assumed that an unhappy animal is fine based on these two signs alone.
5 Ways to Tell if a Leo is Happy
A contented leopard gecko is not difficult to identify. The following is a list of signs that demonstrate that it is happy:
1. Your Gecko Will Be Active
If a Leopard gecko is pleased, it will be more active than usual. Inside its cage, it can be seen going from a cool spot to a warm place. A pleased Leopard gecko will move closer to the glass when it sees you or is hungry.
2. Increased Appetite
A Leopard gecko will have a greater appetite when it is content and in good health. The leopard gecko enjoys its food very well. It is a sign of contentment for your gecko if it looks forward to its meals and lets you know when it is becoming hungry. A Leopard gecko that refuses to feed may have a health problem.
Even though leopards may survive for extended periods without food, it is best to take the animal to a veterinarian so it can be carefully checked.
3. Smooth Movements
When they are not stressed, leopard geckos have graceful movement. There is no sign of fear in the way that they move. A gecko that is at ease will move around easily and smoothly.
4. No Fear of Touch
A contented Leopard gecko won’t mind being handled or touched if they’re in a good mood. It will gladly accept being cradled in the palm of your hand. It indicates that your gecko is happy and healthy if it is attentive and reacts when you walk near its cage, doesn’t exhibit signs of fear when handled or stroked, and is reactive to the activity around its tank.
5. Healthy Sleep Pattern
Checking the Leopard gecko’s sleep cycle is one reliable technique to determine whether or not it is in a happy mood. A leopard gecko that is content and well-cared for will have a normal sleeping schedule. These geckos have a habit of sleeping quite a lot. So, if your gecko sleeps more than other pets or reptiles, don’t worry.
On the other hand, if it can sleep well and remains active while it is up, it indicates that your gecko is content.
How To Tell If Your Leo Is Sad?
If you’ve been looking for indications of sadness in your gecko and feel that something’s wrong, you may want to take them to a vet.
This can inform you that everything will be okay, or even better, it can help you decide to get help. You can even look for certain signs to determine whether your leopard gecko is sad.
1. Avoiding Food
If you find out that your gecko is not eating, it may be experiencing feelings of depression. If they stop eating, you will want to take them in for an examination as early as possible so that your gecko may receive the assistance and care needed to begin feeling better.
If you don’t feed your gecko, it might have significant consequences for its health and even die if you’re not cautious.
2. Sleeping A Lot
If your gecko sleeps less, it may be sad. If not, it could be because they are old or have trouble sleeping, and all they need is help from home to sleep better.
However, if there is even the slightest possibility that they are also suffering from depression, it is essential to provide them with the necessary attention and care. The greatest thing you can do for the mental health of our pets is to give them a place where they feel safe and loved.
3. Exhibits Aggressive Behavior
Reptile aggression can be caused by stress, low blood sugar from improper feeding, or mental health concerns like depression. If the aggressive behavior is towards other animals, it might be worth asking a professional what might be causing this behavior change.
4. Hiding
Some geckos may also show signs that they don’t want to be around people and will hide in their cages for long periods of time. If your leopard geckos exhibit these symptoms, examining the possibility of your reptile suffering from depression is essential. The next step should be providing the necessary care for this disease so your leopard geckos can recover.
How to Keep a Leopard Gecko Happy?
Now that we recognize how to identify if a Leopard gecko is pleased, we should keep them happy.
Enclosure Size, Temperature, and Humidity
First, you need to ensure that a Leopard gecko has a comfortable place to live. Invest in a habitat or enclosure appropriate for the gecko’s size. Your gecko will suffer discomfort if it is kept in a tank that is either too tiny or too large. The ideal space for housing a Leopard gecko is between 15 and 20 liters of water.
Check the Leopard gecko’s growth chart and make sure its terrarium is the right size for its size.
When a gecko feels worried or terrified, it should be able to hide in the tank; thus, there should be plenty of hiding spots. If you plan on keeping a male and female gecko in the same enclosure, you need to be sure to provide each gecko with its own area to hide.
Gecko terrariums should be 87 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It should be between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit on the cool side. In a terrarium housing a gecko, the humidity levels should be kept between 30 and 40 percent at all times.
Provide Healthy Diet
Giving your gecko nourishing and well-balanced food is an additional step you can take to ensure its continued good health and contentment. Most Leopard gecko’s diet consists of living insects and worms. They may also be fed wax worms, but you need to be careful not to make this a regular part of their diet. It should be offered as a reward just once every week.
It is necessary to provide leopard geckos with food every day. The best way to figure out how much food to give your gecko is to feed it two insects for every inch of its body length. In addition to its diet, a gecko should always have access to uncontaminated and unspoiled water. If you pay attention to these details, you will be rewarded with a content Leopard gecko.