My leopard gecko ate sand. Will he get impacted? What can I do?

This is an excellent question, unfortunately most places that are selling bearded dragon still recommend sand for bedding, which is in my opinion and experience a big misguidance. what you are describing is happening to many bearded dragons, they eat of the sand and after a few years they have a sand impaction in their intestines, in most cases it is very difficult to treat and ends up with them dying. I recommend switching the bedding to something else, there are many options and all of them are better than sand in my eyes.

Leopard geckos can be very finicky. I probably wouldn’t change his substrate unless he is having problems with the current one. You can attempt to change it but you need to monitor his activity, appetite and attitude closely. I also don’t recommend any sand substrates as they commonly cause intestinal obstruction because they like to eat it. Honestly, the best substrate is an AstroTurf type material because they can’t eat it and it is easy to keep clean, but this can be a big change if he isn’t use to it. I hope this helps!

One or two pellets will likely pass through uneventfully. Monitor for lethargy, loose droppings or loss of appetite. You can soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte. During the soak, gently massage his abdomen from front to back to stimulate defecation. Consider using slate, reptile carpeting or plain paper towels as a substrate in the future to prevent accidental ingestion.

A small enough piece should pass uneventfully. Monitor for lethargy, loss of appetite or lack of defecation. If necessary, see your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet. Soaking him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte will keep him well hydrated which can help the substrate pass easier.

Hello Daniel, thank you for using PetCoach. Don't use hot water! That could damage his eye and it is unnecessary. Room temperature eye wash is recommended like this one: ( https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ocusoft-eye-wash-irrigating-solution-sterile-isotonic-buffered-4oz/460517670 ) Rinse the eye 2-3 times per day. You can use a moisten Q-tip to gently rub the lower eye lid after rinsing to see if you can remove any of the sand. Be gentle so you don't damage the cornea. I actually don't recommend sand or wood chips for a substrate. Newspaper, pea gravel, artificial turf, flat stones or no floor covering are best. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

When leopard geckos don't eat it is almost always due to not enough belly heat. He looks very pale and thin......I am a bit worried about him. I think this article will answer your questions on how to provide the proper belly heat. ( https://blog.onlinegeckos.com/my-leopard-gecko-wont-eat-feeding-problems-behavior-change/ ) 99.99% of the time every health issue with these guys can be traced back to improper husbandry or diet. Please review everything and make sure you are providing everything 100% correctly especially when it comes to heat, diet and supplements. ( http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Lizards/Leopard-Gecko/ ) You may want to check with this clinic to see if they can treat reptiles: ( http://www.westviewanimalclinic.com/ ) This clinic is about 45 minutes from Muncie and they see exotics: ( https://durkesveterinaryclinic.com/ ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

She could be impacted, especially if she is on a sand bedding, you can try giving her laxatives such as parafin oil and cat hairball paste 3 times a day, i do recommend taking her to the vet to get it confirmed before you do that, an xray will confirm it if she has sand impaction.