My female leopard gecko is bloated. Is it pregnancy or impaction?

Thanks for reaching out about Rem. Continue to provide 5-10 minute warm water soaks, a few times daily to stimulate defecation. Intestinal infections, parasites, ingested foreign bodies (substrate, bark, etc) or metabolic disorders can all lead to bloat and anorexia. If this continues a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and assist with a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Crystal. Unfortunately can not give you an answer, as a veterinary visit would be needed for a diagnosis. Try a shallow warm water bath for 5-10 minutes to see if this will stimulate defecation. If truly constipated, an enema might need to be performed at the vet, and at then a fecal sample can be checked for parasites. Good luck.

These signs could be caused by a fecal impaction, which is a fairly common problem in leopard geckos. There are different ways to resolve it. You can try to increase the temperature inside the cage (up to 97F°) to increase metabolism or you can try to give her a luke warm water bath twice daily or give her 1-2 drops of mineral/olive oil once daily for 3 days to provide laxative effect and lubrication. If the signs do not resolve a check up would be then necessary. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

February to August is prime mating season for leopard geckos. A gravid (pregnant) female may become lethargic and spend more time on the warm side of the enclosure. Her midsection may begin to swell. Eggs are laid 2-5 weeks after mating. A female does not need a male to lay eggs, she will lay infertile eggs. Eggs should be visible through the thin skin. You can readily see them between her midsection and hind legs as she nears the time to lay. Neither female appears to be gravid but it may be too early to tell. It isn't mating season either but they can retain sperm for months after mating.

Hello. This doesn't sound like anything to be worried about at this stage. I would be more worried if she was bloated or the stomach was hard. That being said, it is hard for me to say much without examining her myself. As long as she is eating and drinking and acting normally I would just monitor her and see if this condition persists. If you are worried though, you should take her to your veterinarian for an exam as you know her best. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for reaching out regarding Redd and including pictures. It does appear as his abdomen is distended. Are there possibilities he ingested something that could be obstructing his intestinal tract? Providing a shallow warm water soak for 5-10 minutes might stimulate defecation. Intestinal parasites or bacterial infections might also cause distention. If Redd continues to eat, you have some time to monitor things, but if he stops eating, becomes painful, or the distention increases, seek a reptile veterinarian sooner than later. Good luck.

I think that you are right to be concerned about Geo. With the previous lack of humidity and inappropriate husbandry, I would be worried that she may have an impaction. When impactions occur in the intestinal tract or colon, it does not allow additional food to pass through the intestines. This eventually will lead to regurgitation. This is a common finding in geckos that have not had appropriate husbandry. The regurgitation may also be due to her not feeling well - just like when we get sick, reptiles can become nauseous. This is less of a specific sign and can be due to numerous diseases. I would recommend taking Geo in for evaluation by a veterinarian. They can perform a thorough physical examination and see if they suspect an impaction based on palpation of the coelom (feeling the belly). Depending on what they find, they may recommend diagnostics or treatments for Geo. I know that you have already increased the humidity, but it may also be a good idea to soak Geo in 85-90 F water for 15-20 minutes twice daily. This may encourage her to drink (although many leopard geckos do not like to soak, even though it is good for them :) ) and hydrate. I hope this gives you a place to start, and I hope that Geo feels better soon!