Reptiles behave differently at different seasons, especially when in the wild. During harsh winters, the extreme cold forces them into a period of inactivity where their body metabolism slows down. The result is a change in eating habits and reduced movement, but the case may differ with animals in captivity.
So, do leopard geckos brumate? Like most reptiles, leopard Geckos undergo brumation whenever there is a drop in temperature. In the wild, they can brumate at least once every year during the cold seasons. However, it may be different with animals kept as pets; given that their enclosure is at the right temperatures, there may be no need for brumation. Thus, the only way to activate the process is to have the tank’s temperature reduce to the level of an actual winter season.
Brumation in many reptiles can go for some weeks or months. In this article, we look at what happens to the leopard gecko during this process. Read on for more exciting facts about your gecko’s and the brumation period.
Brumation is a natural activity that is healthy for your reptile, and you need not worry when your gecko goes through it. Some owners even facilitate the process by setting up the required temperatures to trigger them to start it. As soon as they notice changes in their pets’ behavior, they know it is time.
Brumation among reptiles like leopard geckos occurs during winter, as long as the area temperatures remain constant. It usually takes place among wild creatures when the temperatures are exceedingly low. This condition results in the reptiles’ body lowering the metabolism rate as they reduce general movement and activities. Therefore, the animal hides and stays put for the entire period.
At this crucial time, the wild geckos will burrow to hide from predators. On the other hand, pet geckos do not need to go through brumation, as their enclosure offers the right temperatures for survival. Additionally, they have enough food, so they need not worry about starving in the winters.
However, some domestic geckos may still have the urge to brumate based on their wild instincts. Hence, they will try to communicate using their body language. You may notice them sitting at cold parts of the tank, losing appetite, and frequently sleeping with general inactivity. These are clear indications that your gecko wants to brumate.
Brumation is healthy for your pet, and studies show that leopard geckos that brumate reproduce more and have better offspring than those who do not. So, if you are a breeder, you may consider facilitating brumation, but if you are just a hobbyist, they may be no need for your pet to brumate. Moreover, enabling your pet to brumate may be risky since they may die in the process. Therefore, it is necessary to be cautious and get more information from an expert first.
It is crucial to contact a professional vet first to assess your pet’s health to confirm that they can survive through the entire process. The expert will then advise you on the way forward. For instance, they may urge you to feed them more food to stock their body’s fat reserves using feeders like worms if they don’t have enough. They may also provide medicine to kill parasites liable for depleting the energy levels at this period.
Once you get the go-ahead, you can start the necessary processes. First, you lower the tank’s temperatures and give your pet more water. The water helps to wash their throats because food particles can attract bacteria that may compromise the process. At this point, the body’s metabolism rate reduces significantly, so the food particles take longer to break down.
Do Leopard Geckos Eat During Brumation?
If you have come across or read about brumation, you know that at this period, the animal is in a state of inactivity until the harsh season passes. Therefore, you may wonder what happens to them at this stage.
So, do leopard geckos eat during brumation? During brumation, reptiles do not eat because their metabolism rate reduces tremendously due to a drop in temperatures. Leopard geckos cannot increase their body temperatures to improve body metabolism when the environment is cold; therefore, they choose to burrow until the cold season is over. While in captivity, the temperatures are self-regulated, enabling you to decide whether to help your pet brumate or not. If you wish to do so, it is advisable to only provide water for your buddy instead of food since it may be detrimental to their health.
Leopard geckos do not eat while brumating since food ingested will require digestion, yet the reptile’s digestive system is not active enough to break down any food. In case they eat anything, the chances are high that the food will rot, which will attract bacteria.
These bacteria will consequently drain their energy leading to death. Secondly, there is no need to eat more food because before the process starts, the gecko builds up sufficient fat reserves capable of sustenance through the entire cold season.
How To Tell if My Leopard Gecko Is Dead or Brumating?
It may be difficult to tell whether the pet is dead or just generally inactive, especially for new owners. Most opt to consult an expert for further guidance to tell the difference if they notice any abnormalities. To help you understand, here is what you need to know.
So, how can you tell whether your leopard gecko is dead or brumating? If you induce brumation, you will automatically know that it is sleeping and not dead. There is voluntary and involuntary brumating. During voluntary brumation, the reptile goes into a period of inactivity without any influence. In contrast, involuntary brumating is where the keeper facilitates the process. A brumating gecko will move to a cold part of the tank, and they will always tend to burrow and hideaway.
Again, a reptile that brumates is half dormant and can move to find water and hydrate or warm themselves whenever there is a source of heat. Before they enter into the full-blown brumating cycle, they will first show signs of inactivity and loss of appetite, hinting that they are about to brumate.
On the contrary, a dead leopard gecko cannot move to find water or change position. You will notice that the animal will be stiff, a sign of lifelessness. If the enclosure is warm and the animal has been eating well in the past few days, yet it seems dead, then you need to take a closer look to confirm. A reptile can brumate for a maximum of ninety days. So, if it goes beyond that, it could be a bad sign that your buddy is no more.
This sudden death may be due to rot in the gut while it was brumating. Lastly, if you live in an area that doesn’t experience winter, but you see the pet become inactive, you need to confirm whether they are still alive. Since leopard geckos only brumate in regions that experience winter, the chances are high that it is death and not brumation.
Finally
Brumation in reptiles is equivalent to hibernation in other animals who also become inactive during specific periods of cold weather. Animals may look dead when brumating but eventually, return to their routine once the season is over. After brumation, keepers are supposed to gut load the animals to replace the depleted proteins. During this time, some animals may die unless you take necessary precautions from the initial stages.
