Sadar finds that juvenile reptiles are the most likely suspects for MBD, and sometimes, it takes owners a long time – two to three months after purchasing their pets – to visit a veterinarian.

Diet for the Leopard Gecko Adults should be fed every 2-4 days and the insects should be dusted with a calcium/Vitamin D 3 supplement twice weekly and every other week with a multivitamin. We recommend using “Rep-Cal”, from Zoo-med, as a supplement.

Fortunately, if detected early enough, MBD can often be corrected and reversed through making changes and improvements to the husbandry of the animal by providing the needed or adequate levels of UV-A and UV-B lighting and heating, proper supplementation, and other nutrients.

Treatment of MBD depends on the severity of the disease. For very mild cases, a switch to a balanced diet and proper husbandry may be enough. Severe cases require intensive calcium and vitamin supplementation as well as an increase in high-intensity UVB rays under an exotics veterinarian’s care.

Mostly insectivorous – feed a variety of prey items such as crickets, mealworms, superworms, phoenix worms, flies, roaches, etc., can eat an occasional pinkie mouse. Prey insects should be “gut loaded” with a nutritious diet for at least 12 hours prior to feeding to your gecko.

Typical symptoms of metabolic bone disease include:

• Limping.
• Bowed legs.
• Hard lumps along the legs, spinal column, or jaw.
• Softening and unusual flexibility of the lower jaw.
• Difficulty raising the body off the ground.
• Decreased appetite.

Diagnosis and Treatment You can try applying firm but gentle pressure directly on the hemipenis with a moist cotton swab or your finger to retract it. If that doesn’t work, try soaking the reptile in a warm bath with some sugar added or apply some honey directly to the hemipenis.

Baby Leopard Geckos should be fed 5-7 small crickets or mealworms every day until they reach about 4 inches. Larger food should be offered every other day until they become full grown in about 10-12 months. Adults can be fed 6-7 large crickets or mealworms 2 to 3 times a week.

Leopard geckos (also known as Leos) go crazy for a succulent mixture of worms and “gut-loaded” crickets — that is, live crickets that have been fed the vitamins geckos need. Adult Leos only need to eat four to five times a week, which makes them a relatively low-maintenance lizard.

Ideal temperatures Leopard Geckos range from 75-80°F on the cool side and 80-85°F on the warm side. Provide a 90-95°F basking area on the warm side.

18 to 24 months

15 yearsIn the wild