Wild animals are adapted to their natural habitat and rely on natural water sources to quench their thirst. When it comes to giving your leopard gecko water, it may be challenging to establish which water source is best, given that lizards prefer drinking from natural sources. Whether they drink tap water or not, we understand that it is an issue that requires attention.
So, can leopard geckos drink tap water? Leopard geckos can drink tap water. However, given the contaminants present in tap water, you may need to purify it first before giving it to your pet to ensure their safety. Understanding that not all raw water may be suitable for your pet is necessary to promote body functions and good health.
Unlike other household pets, Leopard geckos are smaller, and their food and water requirements are lower. When it comes to their water requirement, you need to understand that your pet might be sensitive to some contaminants present in water. If unchecked, these contaminants can deteriorate your pet’s or cause death.
Leopard geckos need clean and chlorine-free water. Raw tap water available in most homes contains heavy metals such as lead, chlorine, and mercury, among other contaminants. Your pet’s body may not be able to process and clean out these elements. Giving your pet such water over time may harm their health. However, some pet owners have used raw tap water on their pets without reporting any problems. But, to stay safe, it is important to take necessary precautions.
Among the ways you can use to purify water before giving it to your leopard gecko include the use of a water conditioner, sink filter, and a filtration system. Since it is difficult to tell the level of contamination in your water, it is necessary to take precautions and purchase a water conditioner. This device will take off most of the contaminants in your tap water, which are harmful to both you and your pet’s health.
Alternatively, you can use a sink filter, such as a faucet filter, to remove the gunk, which the water conditioner cannot remove. Faucet filters also do most of the purification job for you, saving you the time you spend manually changing your gecko’s water due to accumulated substrate, calcium, and dead insects.
Another option you can use to avail clean water to your leopard gecko is a filtration system. A filtration system does better work than both the water conditioners and faucet filters. Given that your leopard gecko’s body will react to contaminants, providing them with the cleanest water is essential. A filtration system utilizes the reverse osmosis technique to filter up to 99% of your water hazards, making it safe both for you and your pet.
Do Leopard Geckos Need Special Water?
Leopard geckos need water to quench thirst and soak their bodies. They also need water to maintain the humidity in the tank to prevent them from dehydrating.
So, do leopard geckos need special water? Leopard geckos do not need special water. However, you need to ensure that the water you are giving them is free from contaminants. Water is useful for a leopard gecko’s body functions and should be adequate to ensure your pet is happy. In most cases, leopard geckos meet their water requirements from the insects they eat and will not drink water as often. However, when they are thirsty, they will resort to the tank’s water supply, which is why you should train them on how to drink and ensure a constant supply.
While insects are a major water supply for leopard geckos, this source is at times inadequate, and your pet will want more water to remain hydrated. To supply water, put a shallow bowl of fresh water inside their tank from where they can drink once they feel thirsty. You can then provide another water source for misting their tank to ensure the humidity is ideal for them.
Usually, the tank should have a humidity range of 30-40% to ensure easy shedding. Leopard geckos, given their preference for natural water supplies, will try to drink sprayed water during misting, and this should be enough to meet their daily need. If you notice your gecko prefers this water source, you can do a daily misting.
As a precaution, you should supply water in the tank on shallow bowls to avoid drowning your gecko. This is because leopard geckos lack swimming skills and soaking their bodies underwater may increase their chances of drowning if the bowls are deep. You should also maintain their water clean by removing accumulated insects and excreta.
Ideally, replace the water after 24 hours with fresh water. You should also control the tank’s humidity to prevent the drinking water from drying out due to vaporization. If your pet does not willingly soak themselves in water, you should force soak them at least twice a week to aid in the shedding process and generation of new skin.
Can Leopard Geckos Have Distilled Water?
Distilled water is pure and lacks dissolved salts and minerals. As a pet owner, you may find this water safe, given that it is free from contaminants and chlorine.
So, can leopard geckos have distilled water? Leopard geckos should not have distilled water, given that it lacks natural salts essential for osmotic regulation. Osmotic regulation entails the movement of water and dissolved solids inside and outside the body cells. This function regulates all body functions; hence, crucial for the physiological processes to run smoothly. Giving your leopard gecko distilled water will alter these processes and slow them down.
Distilled water has high hydrogen content. When your leopard gecko consumes this water, or soaks their body in it, as they love to, their body will pull minerals from their bones, which produce bicarbonate that neutralize the acid. This can be dangerous over time as their bones will start weakening. Allowing your pet to soak in distilled water for long will affect their ion concentration and overall health.
While distilled water is not suitable for your leopard gecko to drink, you can use it to mix gecko diet if you prefer commercial feeds, as the acidity in tap water may interfere with the mold inhibitors. If you want to mist your pet’s tanks, you can use distilled water as this water does not leave behind hard water deposits. However, misting with distilled water is an expensive option.
Finally
Leopard geckos will drink any water you present to them. Therefore, as a pet owner, you should assess the water content and ensure that you give your pet clean and safe water. You should also use the right containers for drinking water to keep your pet safe.
Most importantly, you should not give your pet water containing high chlorine, which will compromise their health. To rid your water of heavy metals and other contaminants present, you can embrace a purifying method that works for you to ensure that you and your pet have access to clean water.
You should always remember to supply enough clean drinking water and misting water to control the humidity in your pet’s tank. With a suitable temperature and humidity, your pet will be comfortable and healthy.
