Crested Gecko Not Pooping? 10 Causes And Solutions
If you have a Crested gecko not pooping, it can be worrying. However, before you panic, it’s important to ensure that everything in their care is up to standard.
In this article, we are looking at the possible causes for Crested gecko not pooping such as loss of appetite, stress, incorrect diet and offering treatment to get your gecko pooping.
Page Contents
Overview
Pooping is an essential part of your Crested gecko’s life and health. It’s also a good indicator if something is wrong with your gecko.
How Often Do Crested Geckos Poop?
Before looking at the possible causes of Crested gecko not pooping, let’s first have a look what’s normal. So, how often should a Crested gecko poop?
This depends on the following factors:
- How much they eat
- Their age
Check out the table below as a guide on how often your Crested gecko should poop depending on their age.
| Crested Gecko Age | Pooping Average |
| Up to 6 months (baby) | Daily to once every 3 days |
| 6 to 12 months (juvenile) | 4 to 7 times a week |
| 12+ months (adult) | 3 to 4 times a week |
How Long Can A Crested Gecko Go Without Pooping?
Crested geckos can go without pooping for a week. However, if it goes up to 10 days or more of your Crested gecko not pooping, it can be a sign that there is something wrong.
Crested Gecko Not Pooping – Possible Causes And Treatments
If you’ve been observing your gecko’s behavior for awhile and have noticed your Crested gecko not pooping, you’re probably worried.
The first thing to do is to explore all the possible causes for Crested gecko not pooping such as:
- You can’t see the poop
- The gecko doesn’t eat much
- Loss of appetite
- Food consistency is not right
- New environment
- Impaction/Constipation
- Dehydration
- Low temperature in tank
- Lack of fiber in diet
- Stress
1.You Can’t See The Poop
The first possible cause for Crested gecko not pooping is simple – you’re just not noticing the poop. In many occasions, owners don’t know what to look for and where to look for it.
Solution
Crested geckos don’t poop often and their poop is very small. Therefore, it will be hard to find it if you don’t know what to look for. (check out picture above to see what Crested gecko poop looks like)
So, what you should look for?
- Size. The poop won’t be big in size compared to other reptiles. The size of a small geckos’ poop will be as big as a rice grain
- Location. It’s hard to find the gecko’s poop especially if the tank is big with a lot of decorations. Check for Crested gecko poop on top screen glass, under their hiding spots, on the leaves, including inside the food and water cups
- Cleaning. When you do a deep clean each week, you should be able to see the poop when you wipe down the tank with a towel
- Substrate. It’s harder to notice the poop on loose substrate. It’s recommended to keep a paper towel substrate. This way you’d be able to see the poop easily and avoid impaction
2. Not Eating Enough
Another possible reason for your Crested gecko not pooping is that they are not eating enough. Not eating will result in no pooping.
If you only see urine but no brown feces next to the urine, it means the gecko is only drinking water.
So, how much should Crested gecko eat?
Crested geckos don’t eat much – from a few licks to a quarter of a spoon. In terms of insect feeding, they would have 2 to 3 crickets per day.
Solution
If your Crested gecko is going through any of the following life stages, it’s normal that they are not eating and subsequently not pooping:
- Shedding
- Breeding
To get your Crested gecko to eat more and then poop, try feeding them small amounts of healthy food purees.
Click here to find out more what fruits are safe to feed to your Crested gecko Can Crested Geckos Eat Fruit: Safe Fruits For Crested Geckos
3. Loss Of Appetite
If your Crested gecko have suddenly stopped eating and subsequently not pooping, it can be due to loss of appetite.
Crested gecko not pooping due to loss of appetite can be caused by various reasons such as:
- Vitamin and mineral deficiency
- Stressful environment
- Low temperatures in the tank
Solution
- Ensure your Crested gecko is getting the needed nutrients through their diet such as vitamin D
- The tank temperature of your Crested gecko should be between 72°F to 78°F
- If your Crested gecko tank is placed around loud noises, it can lead to stress and your Crested gecko not pooping. Ensure the tank is placed in a quiet place
- Offer small amounts of pureed fresh and healthy fruit to kick start their appetite. Good options are papaya and mango
4. Food Consistency Is Not Right
Another possible cause for your Crested gecko not pooping is that they don’t like the consistency of the food you give them. It can be too hard for them to digest or eat.
Solution
Ensure the consistency of the food you give to your Crested gecko is similar to the consistency of ketchup.
If you feed your gecko in the daytime instead of the night time, you should add more liquid to the mix to avoid the food evaporating quickly.
5. New Environment
Your Crested gecko not pooping can be the result from your gecko still getting used to its new surroundings. It normally takes up to 1 to 3 weeks for a new Crested gecko to settle in either in a new household or a new tank.
Solution
To make not only the transition easier but to also to get your Crested gecko to poop without feeling stressed, try the following:
- Avoid adding stress to your new gecko during the setting in period by changing their food and water in afternoon whilst the gecko is sleeping
- Handling. Don’t hold them straight away. During the first week, you should observe their health and how they settle in. After two weeks have passed you can start holding your gecko for 1 to 2 minutes each time
6. Impaction/Constipation
A more serious cause for your Crested gecko not pooping is impaction. Besides no poop, this condition is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
The causes for impaction include:
- Feeder bugs given to your Crested gecko are too large. The bugs won’t get digest properly and can get stuck in their intestines
- Insects with hard chitin or sharp legs can be difficult to digest and even cause damage in the gut
- Loose substrate in the tank
Solution
- Insects size. If you feed your Crested gecko feeder insects, they shouldn’t be larger than the width between their eyes. This rule refers to the width of food not the length
- Insects material. You need to ensure that the insects you feed your Crested gecko don’t have components that can be dangerous to their digestive tract
- Substrate. Never keep young geckos on loose substrate. As they are very curious and clumsy, they can easily ingest parts of it and result in impaction. It’s recommended to use paper towels for substrate to avoid impaction
- High fiber healthy fruit puree can relieve your Crested gecko’s impaction
- Massage the belly
- Feed soft-bodied feeder insects
- Increase water-to-powder ratio in their diet
- Olive oil. Use tiny amounts of olive oil and feed to your Crested gecko through the use of a small pipette. This should work as a natural laxative
7. Dehydration
Another possible cause for Crested gecko not pooping is dehydration.
This is a common conditions that affect Crested geckos.
The symptoms for dehydration include:
- Loss of elasticity in skin
- Wrinkled skin
- Dry and flaky skin
- Hips and ribs sticking out
- Sunken eyes
- Lethargic
Solution
If you suspect your Crested gecko not pooping is due do dehydration, you will need to hydrate your gecko as soon as possible.
This can be done by doing the following:
- Misting. Ensure you’re misting the tank twice a day. Drinking from a water cup or a bowl is not your gecko’s favorite thing. They much prefer to lick drops from surfaces such as leaves from the misting
- Water source. You should always provide a shallow dish with fresh water for your gecko. Ideally, this needs to be placed somewhere high as gecko’s like to eat and drink off the ground
- Sauna. One of the quickest ways to restore moisture is by soaking your gecko in a small plastic box/crate/bowl with air holes. You need to put a wet, lukewarm paper tower on the bottom. This sauna effect will help them restore moisture through their skin. Furthermore, the gecko might begin to drink the condensation off the sides of the container
To learn more about dehydration in Crested geckos and all the ways to treat this condition click here Dehydrated Crested Gecko: Crested Gecko Dehydration Signs And Treatment
8. Low Temperature In Tank
Possible cause for Crested gecko not pooping is – the temperature in their tank is too low. This can result in loss of appetite and poor digestion when eating.
Solution
Crested gecko’s tank should have a temperature gradient of 72°F to 80°F with a drop at night to 65°F to 75°F. In addition, they should also have a hot spot in the tank. This can be regulated through the use of a thermostat.
If you are struggling to increase the temperature, you can use an under-tank heater on one end of the enclosure on the bottom.
9. Lack Of Fiber In Diet
If you’re feeding your gecko a diet that’s lacking fiber, vitamins and minerals, it can result in your Crested gecko not pooping.
Solution
Ensure that your Crested gecko diet is nutritious and have the right components for healthy gut and healthy poops.
The safest and easiest option for a Crested gecko diet is:
- Commercial diets such as CGD, Repashy, Pangea with the occasional healthy fruit/insect treat with a good Ca:P ratio. This type of diet has the needed fiber and minerals for your gecko to be healthy
- Try feeding them gecko pro sweet fig and pumpkin puree. One owner reports they got their Crested gecko pooping normal using this diet
10. Stress
Crested geckos are fragile animals that get stressed extremely easily. If there is something causing them stress, it can result in your Crested gecko not pooping and not eating.
Possible causes for stress in your Crested gecko include:
- New environment
- Loud noises. If their tank is placed somewhere with constant loud noises
- Incorrect temperature and humidity levels
- Being bullied by other geckos in the tank
- Incorrect habitat setup
If your Crested gecko is feeling constant stress it can also result in them not moving. Click here for more information on the topic Crested Gecko Not Moving – 13 Possible Causes And Solutions
Solution
As the owner, you need to ensure there is nothing that causes your gecko stress. As we mentioned above, there can be many reasons for stress in Crested gecko.
The best you can do is observe your gecko’s behavior and ensure that none of the stress causes mentioned are present in their daily life.
You can learn more about stress in Crested gecko and how to avoid it here Crested Gecko Stress Signs: How To Prevent And Treat Stress
Final Thoughts
Although, overall healthy animals, a Crested gecko not pooping is a common issue that owners have to deal with. The good news is that in most cases it’s easily resolved and nothing to worry about.
In this article, we looked at the possible causes for your Crested gecko not pooping such as:
- You can’t see the poop
- The gecko doesn’t eat much
- Loss of appetite
- Food consistency is not right
- New environment
- Impaction/Constipation
- Dehydration
- Low temperature in tank
- Lack of fiber in diet
- Stress
The most common resolutions for Crested gecko not pooping that we discussed in this article include:
- Being more thorough when looking for the poop. Checking the glass walls and top, under the leaves, in the hiding spot, in their food/water bowls
- Trying to kickstart their appetite through the use of healthy fruit purees such as papaya and mango
- Ensuring the food consistency is right. It should be similar to that of ketchup
- Having paper towels as substrate and feeding your gecko insects that are not bigger than the width between their eyes
- Soaking your Crested gecko in warm “sauna” to help their digestive tract
- Massaging their belly
- Ensuring the temperature in the tank is right
- Ensuring your Crested gecko diet has good amount of fiber
- Use tiny amounts of olive oil and feed to your Crested gecko through the use of a small pipette. This should work as a natural laxative
If none of the solutions in this article have helped and your Crested gecko not pooping has continued for over 10 days, you should take them to the vet for further tests.
References
