The digging habit of leopard gecko might be troublesome for many people. This act of geckos can be considered that there is something wrong in their living style. However, digging is normal activity of these animals. You should know that their front claws of leopard geckos were aimed for this activity like digging. The leopard gecko does this activity f digging in order to get away from the sun, look for food, escaping from predator and so on. If the gecko finds that its food deeper in the ground then makes it start to dig inside.
Why is my leopard gecko digging?
Their tank might be too hot
This is also one of the biggest reasons why they start digging. If the tank becomes too hot, they will try to escape from the heat in any case. Then the fastest solution is lowering the heat. However, you should know that the best solution is get right size tank which provide your gecko with two areas of temperature.
Geckos might be happy in high temperature, sometimes they also need cooler temperature to cool down their bodies as well. Then the right temperature for your leopard gecko is around 87 to 70 Fahrenheit in the basking, then the cool side should be at 74 to 80 Fahrenheit. Ensure that you always check its temperature and has two different areas. You can use an accurate temperature is very necessary and well worth investment in order to make your gecko happy and healthy as well.
Having problems with the sand
Sometimes, your gecko can be irritated by sand which you used as substrate. It can trigger them to do many unpredictable things. Ensure that your sand was not too thick or rough. Also, some gecko owners also recommend that stay away from the sand because there are many alternative substrate materials. Even though, san can be so easy to use and clean, it is also can cause many issues, including of sand impaction and sand ingestion as well.
Those things might happen when your leopard gecko eat too much sand and its digestive system start to block or even harmful by rough sand as well. Of course, those things can lead damage situation, so that you have to ensure using the right type of sand or you can use other alternatives, such as: paper towel, newspaper, or even bare bottom for the tank.
Lack of hideaways for your leopard gecko
This is also another reason why your gecko starts digging. You know that leopard gecko is nocturnal animals and they more prefer stay out of the light in the daylight. So, if you want to try duplicating their natural habitat, you are able to provide several hideaways. These can be made from simple plastic containers along with several holes, so they can get inside. Even you are able to purchase the humid hide boxes if your gecko has many problems with shedding.
If you find out that your leopard gecko is still continue digging, then you should check other areas from your gecko’s lifestyle. You can check anything which might cause stress that also leads having unpredictable behaviors.
How to Make Them Stop Digging
Check the Container
The key to preventing such kind of problem is checking the container condition. Those are including checking the condition of the temperature, the substrate, the sand, humidity, and many more. If everything is normal and they still digging, you have to find the cause. The main cause is related to their mental condition. Leopard gecko is doing something unusual if they are in stress condition. Try to find the cause of the stress condition. The most important is to keep them comfortable and convenient. Even, if it is necessary you may take them out from the container for a while. You can ask them to play with you such as let them try a different type of surfaces. Your body is also a new surface for the leopard gecko. Let them fell it and play around you. It hopes that this simple trick can reduce their stress tension. Let them do it for a few minutes. Then, try to put the leopard gecko back to the container and check their habit. If they still digging, try to do different treatment.
Go to the Vet
If the leopard gecko is still digging and it looks strange, you can just go to the vet. Explain the condition to the doctor and let the doctor helps to decide the condition of your lovely leopard gecko. The doctor will give you some advice to treat the leopard gecko back to the normal habit. Just follow the instructions given to you carefully. Hopefully, by taking the treatment from the doctor, the leopard gecko can stop digging.
Prepare a New Container
One of the possibilities to handle this problem is creating a new house for the leopard gecko. You may change all the elements of the house such as the container, substrate, and many more. If it is necessary, you can consult the condition to the other leopard gecko lovers to find out the best materials for the gecko. The surrounding is determining the condition or the habit of the leopard gecko. If you think that the container is too hot, you can start to fix it right away. To make easier, you can create two different areas, the hot and cool areas. This is a good trick because the leopard gecko can determine the most comfortable living area they want to stay. You can also try to change the substrate. For example, you can change the type of the sand you use. Instead of using the calcium-sand, it is better to use the other type of sand. Even, you can also replace the lighting installation and find out the best alternative. For instance, people love to use UVB lighting because the color is not too bright and warm enough for the leopard gecko. Too hot temperature can make them do something unusual including digging all the time without any specific reason.
In conclusion, you have to see the detail of your leopard gecko just like your best friend. By knowing it, you will notify their habit and get the best treatment if you find something different. As the result, you will have a healthy, strong, colorful, and cute leopard gecko as your lovely pet.
