Why Is My Leopard Gecko Not Eating?
| Normal short-term causes | Shedding, brumation, egg-laying, new environment |
| When to worry | No food for 2–3+ weeks, weight loss, lethargy |
| Most common husbandry cause | Warm side below ~88°F |
Normal, temporary causes
Appetite commonly dips for a few days before and after shedding, during winter brumation (roughly October–February) even in captivity, and for several days before and after a female lays eggs. A newly acquired gecko may also refuse food for a week or two while it settles in — this is a stress response to a new environment, not illness.
The most common husbandry cause
Incorrect temperature is the single biggest cause of appetite loss. As ectotherms, leopard geckos can't digest food properly if the warm side isn't reaching roughly 88–92°F. Check with a digital probe thermometer rather than a stick-on gauge, which can be badly inaccurate.
Warning signs that need a vet
Mouth rot (infectious stomatitis), impaction, cryptosporidiosis, internal parasites, and respiratory infection can all suppress appetite. If a gecko isn't eating alongside lethargy, noticeable weight loss, a thinning tail base, or sunken eyes, see a reptile-experienced vet rather than waiting it out.
What to try first
Verify enclosure temperatures, offer a variety of appropriately sized feeders (sometimes a gecko simply prefers a different insect), try feeding at dusk when geckos are naturally more active, and reduce handling until appetite returns. Track weight weekly rather than day to day, since normal fluctuation is easy to mistake for a trend.
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A single adult leopard gecko needs a 20-gallon long tank as an absolute minimum, with a 36x18 in (40-gallon breeder) footprint now considered the recommended standard — plus a secure lid, an under-tank heater on a thermostat, a thermal gradient, at least three hides, and a shallow water dish.
Set up in this order: substrate, then heat source wired through a thermostat, then hides and water dish, then decor — and run the whole enclosure for at least 24–48 hours to confirm stable temperatures before your gecko moves in.
Hatchlings can start in a 10-gallon tank or tub, juveniles do well in 20 gallons, and adults need a 20-gallon long as an absolute minimum — with 36x18 in (40-gallon breeder) now the widely recommended standard, not just an upgrade.
Heat a leopard gecko enclosure with an under-tank heater and/or overhead heat source (halogen or deep heat projector) wired through a thermostat — a thermostat is mandatory, not optional, and heat rocks should never be used.
Leopard geckos can survive without UVB using dietary D3 supplementation, but current husbandry guidance now recommends low-level UVB (roughly 2–6% T5) as best practice — it improves D3 synthesis, bone density, and natural behavior, and views on it have shifted significantly from older nocturnal-species advice.
Keep ambient humidity around 30–40% across most of the enclosure, with a dedicated humid hide raised to roughly 70–80% to support smooth, complete sheds.