Leopard Gecko Health Problems: MBD, Impaction & Common Issues

Veterinary Disclaimer: The information below is educational and not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. If your pet is showing signs of illness, contact a qualified exotic veterinarian right away.

The classic leopard gecko emergency looks like this: the gecko stops eating, then stops pooping, and a dark lump shows through the belly when you hold it up to the light. That lump is an impaction — often caused by calcium sand sold in a bright bag labeled specifically for reptiles. A warm soak and a vet visit usually resolve it, but the scare is a lesson most keepers only need once.

That lesson applies across the board: almost every leopard gecko health problem that shows up in this hobby is preventable with the right setup and diet, and most of them are caught too late because owners don’t know what normal looks like.

Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD)

MBD is the most common serious health problem in captive leopard geckos. It’s caused by calcium deficiency, usually from inadequate supplementation or lack of UVB. The gecko’s body pulls calcium from its own bones to maintain essential nerve and muscle function, causing the bones to soften and deform.

Early signs: Slight tremors in the toes when walking, a soft or rubbery lower jaw, and difficulty lifting the body off the ground.

Advanced signs: Bowed legs, a crooked spine, a visible kink in the tail, and inability to hunt or catch prey reliably.

MBD is almost always preventable. Dust insects with calcium containing D3 on a regular schedule as outlined in the leopard gecko diet guide, and consider adding low-level UVB lighting to your setup discussed in the enclosure setup guide. Once bone deformities develop, they’re permanent, but the disease can be stopped from progressing with proper care.

Impaction

Impaction is a blockage in the digestive tract. It happens when a gecko swallows something it can’t break down or pass. The most common culprits are loose substrates (calcium sand, walnut shells, fine particles) and oversized prey.

Symptoms: No bowel movements for 4 or more days, dark spot visible through the belly, loss of appetite, lethargy, and straining without producing waste.

For mild cases, a warm shallow soak (85-90°F / 29-32°C water up to the shoulders for 15 minutes) can help stimulate a bowel movement. More severe cases need a vet. Surgery is sometimes required if the blockage doesn’t move on its own.

Prevention is straightforward: don’t use loose particle substrates with juveniles, never feed prey larger than the space between your gecko’s eyes, and provide proper basking temperatures (90-96°F / 32-35°C) so your gecko can digest food effectively.

Respiratory Infections

Respiratory infections are less common in leopard geckos than in many other reptiles, but they happen when temperatures stay too low for too long. A gecko’s immune system slows down in cool conditions, allowing bacteria to take hold.

Symptoms: Bubbles or mucus around the nostrils, wheezing or clicking sounds when breathing, open-mouth breathing, excess saliva, and lethargy.

If you catch it early, raising the warm-side temperature to 92-96°F (33-35°C) and keeping it stable for several days can help the gecko fight off the infection on its own. If symptoms persist for more than 3 days, a reptile vet needs to prescribe antibiotics.

Dysecdysis (Stuck Shed)

Leopard geckos that don’t have access to a humid hide often develop stuck shed, especially on their toes, tail tip, and eyes. Over time, the constricting bands of old skin cut off blood flow and cause digit loss. The leopard gecko shedding guide covers prevention and treatment in detail.

Parasites

Internal parasites like cryptosporidium (crypto) and coccidia are common in leopard geckos, especially those kept in less-than-ideal conditions. Crypto is particularly serious and often fatal. The thin tail disease guide covers this in depth.

Not sure what you’re dealing with? Use our Symptom Checker to narrow down the possible causes.

Quick Reference

Condition	Key Sign	Prevention
MBD	Tremors, soft jaw, bowed legs	Calcium + D3, UVB
Impaction	No poop, dark belly spot	Safe substrate, correct prey size
Respiratory	Bubbles at nose, wheezing	Proper temperatures
Stuck shed	Retained skin on toes/eyes	Humid hide
Parasites	Weight loss, runny stool	Clean enclosure, fecal exams

Most health problems in leopard geckos trace back to the same root causes: incorrect temperatures, poor substrate choices, or improper diet. Get those three things right, and you’ll rarely need this list.