Digestive disorders in geckos

The digestive system converts food into energy. In geckos, left over waste is expelled through the vent which is the reptile equivalent of the mammal’s anus. The digestive tract of your gecko consists of the mouth, stomach, intestines and vent.

Geckos have lots of small peg like teeth, and when they break they regrow; this is called pleurodont dentition. In our mouths the roof is called the hard palate; the gecko does not have a hard palate, instead he has a hole called the choana. Some geckos also have calcium glands inside the mouth which are used to store calcium. Gecko’s have a short, fleshy, sensitive tongue.

Leading from the mouth is a tube called the esophagus that leads from the mouth to the stomach.

After the stomach, the digestive tract continues to the small and large intestine.

The vent (the gecko’s anus) is made up of three areas: the coprodeum, urodeum and proctodeum. The food waste from the large intestine is stored in the coprodeum. The urodeum is the area which stores urine, and sperm or eggs (depending on whether your gecko is male or female). Both the coprodeum and urodeum empty into the proctodeum and from here all feces and urine are passed out of the vent.

The liver is the largest organ inside the body and has many functions. It plays an important part in the breakdown of proteins and fats from the food. It also helps the body to expel any toxins and other harmful substances.

The pancreas produces juices which help to breakdown food.

Stomatitis is inflammation of the mouth and is commonly known as ‘mouth rot’. Stomatitis can be caused by either viral or bacterial infection. Damage to the mouth caused by sharp furniture or self-trauma, amongst other things, can also cause mouth rot.

Ensure the furniture in your gecko’s vivarium is has no sharp edges to avoid damage to the mouth.

Pay particular attention to the condition of the vivarium. Low temperatures in the vivarium can lead to a weakening of the immune system.

If you think your gecko has stomatitis get him checked by your veterinarian.

Fatty liver disease, also known as hepatic lipidosis, is when the liver cells become swamped with fat, this enlarges the liver and prevents it from working properly. It is very difficult to detect fatty liver disease; there are no obvious symptoms, but a gecko with this condition will stop eating. It is important to weigh your gecko weekly to spot any severe weight loss.

Low temperature can cause loss of appetite. Your gecko’s vivarium temperature should be between 25-34°C/77-93.2°F depending on the species.

If the food for your gecko is too big, or if you feed too many insects at once, this can put him off eating. If your gecko loses more than 10% of his bodyweight you should take him to the veterinarian.

Geckos often eat material from the floor of their house by mistake which can lead to impaction in the large intestine, this is when pieces of the material clump together to cause a blockage. When choosing a substrate for the vivarium ensure the substrate is large enough to prevent accidental swallowing.

Constipation is when a gecko cannot pass feces. If your gecko is constipated you may notice him straining to pass feces or that his feces may look very dry.

It is very important that your gecko has water at all times and that the humidity in his house is at the correct level. Dehydration often leads to constipation.

Make sure your gecko is eating the right type of food and the correct amount. If he is greedy his intestine may become too full and therefore prone to impaction. If an impaction is very severe, an operation may be necessary to remove the material blocking the intestine. It is also a good idea to make sure that the material you use for the floor of your gecko’s housing is large enough not to be swallowed by a hungry gecko.

The temperature in your gecko’s house is vital. If it is too cold the intestines cannot digest food properly and this can lead to constipation.

Calcium is needed to make the intestines work properly. Ensuring that your gecko’s UV light is at the correct height around 30-45 cm away from where the gecko spends most of its time and is not too old, this will help the gecko to absorb calcium through the intestine.

Constipation is often left until it is too late. To try and avoid this, ensure you are familiar with the color, consistency and frequency of your gecko’s feces. This will allow you to pick up on any changes and make your veterinarian aware if you are unsure. Your veterinarian may decide to test the feces either in-house or send it away to an external laboratory.

A vent prolapse happens when one of the organs that are plumbed into the vent (for example the large intestine) gets pushed out of the body. Egg binding and low calcium in the diet can cause a vent prolapse.

A prolapse is an emergency; if you suspect a prolapse you must take your gecko to the veterinarian as soon as possible.