Key Takeaway:
- Digging is a natural behavior among leopard geckos. It’s a behavior that develops in the wild and it should probably continue in captivity.
- Leopard geckos don’t dig out of nowhere. There must be a reason for the leopard gecko digging.
- Leopard geckos can dig and bury themselves when they feel threatened. The perceived threat could be noise or other pets.
- Extremely high temperatures may also cause the geckos to dig in an attempt to cool down their bodies.
- Female leopard geckos will dig in preparation for egg laying. This happens a few days before they lay their eggs.
- Leopard geckos are also known to dig for mental stimulation. If they feel bored or lack entertainment, they will start digging.
- Leopard geckos can also dig up their enclosure to look for insects that might be hiding in the substrate.
Leopard geckos have interesting personalities and behaviors. Some prefer to remain chill and calm while others are super active.
So, don’t be surprised to see your pet leopard gecko digging. There is a reason or reasons why leopard geckos dig.
Understanding these reasons can help you be at ease when you come across a leopard gecko digging.
So, never assume that your leopard gecko is digging for no reason. Luckily, we will break down the possible reasons why leopard geckos dig.
So, stick around as we give you a couple of nuggets about leopard geckos digging.
5 Reasons Why Your Leopard Gecko Is Digging
A digging leopard gecko will definitely make you curious. The deed might look cute but it will leave you wondering what could be wrong.
But guess what? Digging among leopard geckos is natural and usually doesn’t call for alarm. The only time you should be worried is when a leopard gecko digs due to stress, danger, or shedding issues.
In such cases, you must intervene and make the necessary changes to alleviate the boredom and stress. Here are the various reasons why your leopard gecko might be digging:
Your Gecko Is About To Lay Eggs
Assuming you don’t have a moist hide for your female gecko to lay her eggs, she will be forced to dig around as she tries to find a suitable spot to lay her eggs.
Female geckos will do that all the time especially when they are in the wild. However, it would be good to provide them with a special place to lay their eggs.
But how would a female lay eggs yet you’ve got no male in the enclosure? Well, these awesome pets don’t need males for egg development.
They can still lay unfertilized eggs as long as they’ve hit sexual maturity.
If you notice that your female gecko is nearing her egg-laying days, you should give them a good area where they can conduct their business safely.
You can do that by adding sphagnum moss to your hides and ensuring the humidity is up a notch.
If sphagnum moss isn’t your cup of tea, you can use coconut soil bedding or vermiculite.
The goal is to ensure that the gecko can dig effortlessly when she is about to lay her eggs. Besides, all these substrates will mimic the feeling of fresh earth.
Your Gecko is Hiding
Do you know that a leopard gecko can dig and bury itself in substrate if it feels threatened?
Any perceived threat will trigger your leopard gecko to run into the nearest hiding spot.
But if your enclosure doesn’t have enough hiding spots, the leopard gecko will be forced to dig in an attempt to hide and protect itself from the perceived threat.
So, if you establish that your gecko digs a lot when they feel threatened, you should add a couple of hides in the enclosure.
Maybe the tank is too open and the gecko feels insecure all the time.
Adding more hides should solve the issue but you may also want to install a backdrop if you don’t have one.
Leopard geckos feel more secure when placed in a glass tank with a backdrop.
Apart from providing plenty of hiding spots, you should establish what’s causing your leopard gecko to panic.
Is it noise or the presence of other pets in the room? Sometimes it might be because you’ve placed multiple geckos in one enclosure.
If cohabitation is the cause, then you may want to separate the geckos and house each one of them in a separate enclosure.
But if noise and the presence of other pets is the problem, you should probably keep the enclosure in a quiet room that cats and dogs can’t access.
Searching For Food
Leopard geckos may dig up their enclosures as they search for food. This is a behavior that these geckos pick up in the wild.
Remember, insects may not be readily available in a desert environment. As a result, leopard geckos may be forced to dig their surroundings in search of insects.
So, if you see a leopard gecko digging up an enclosure, they might be foraging for food.
Maybe you haven’t been providing your gecko with enough insects or your gecko enjoys hunting for food.
In that case, you may want to add the food portions to prevent the gecko from digging.
But if your leopard gecko enjoys digging even when you give them enough food, you can hide their food in their enclosure. This should give your gecko enough stimulation to find or hunt for insects.
Heat & Temperature Regulation
Leopard geckos live in hot places and they must take shelter when the temperatures become too hot. So, it’s normal for leopard geckos to want to shelter from the heat during the day.
In most cases, leopard geckos will retreat to their hides when it gets too hot. But if the hides don’t provide the relief they need, leopard geckos will want to dig and bury themselves in the substrate.
So, if you notice your gecko digging, it’s probably looking for a spot to cool down. Confirm this by checking the temperatures of your enclosure.
Are they too high for the gecko? If yes, you need to regulate the temperatures to avoid exposing your leopard gecko to hyperthermia.
Ensure the tank has a cool zone that your gecko can retreat to when it needs to cool down. The cool zone should be around 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Also, having one or two cool hides in the cool zone will help your leopard gecko thermoregulate. With enough hides, your gecko doesn’t need to dig to cool down.
Ensure you have a thermostat to help control all the heating devices in the enclosure. This way, you won’t have to fret about excessive temperatures.
Entertainment & Boredom
What do you think leopard geckos do for entertainment? At some point, they’ll want to have some fun.
Some geckos entertain themselves by climbing on rocks and the various objects you have in the tank. Other geckos will want to dig and play with the substrate.
So, if your gecko loves to play with the substrate, they’ll spend some time digging in their enclosure.
In that case, you should include a dig box in the enclosure instead of allowing your gecko to burrow everywhere.
You may also look for other ways to give your gecko enough mental stimulation. Doing so might stop your leopard gecko from digging.
Is It Bad When A Leopard Gecko Digs?
Digging isn’t bad but it will also depend on the reasons for your leopard gecko digging.
It’s normal for leopard geckos to dig when they want to lay eggs, cool down, look for food, or have fun.
Nonetheless, you may also want to confirm that your gecko isn’t digging because of shedding issues or stress.
FAQs
Is It Normal For A Leopard Gecko To Dig?
Yes, digging is natural for leopard geckos. Therefore, there is nothing abnormal with leopard geckos digging.
In most cases, the gecko will dig for entertainment or thermoregulation. Sometimes your gecko may dig when looking for insects or when they want to lay eggs.
Do Leopard Geckos Dig Before They Lay Eggs?
Yes, leopard geckos will start digging a few days before laying their eggs. Some will retreat to their lay boxes a few days before laying eggs. Most females may also stop feeding during this period.
Leopard geckos dig to create a safe place to hide and hatch their eggs after laying them.
Summary
Digging is a natural leopard gecko behavior that’s triggered by excessive stress, overheating, boredom, perceived threat, and egg laying.
You can solve the digging problem by adjusting the conditions in your enclosure. Providing hides, creating a cool zone, creating climbing and playing opportunities, and changing the enclosure’s location can stop the digging behavior.
If you aren’t sure why your leopard gecko is digging or you can’t get it to stop digging, you can consult with a vet. Maybe your pet gecko is sick or has shedding issues.
