Why My Leopard Gecko Dragging His Back Legs (6 Reasons You Should Know)  

Is your leopard gecko consistently dragging its hind legs? In such cases, it’s essential to observe other behaviors exhibited by your gecko. Relying on a single symptom may not provide a comprehensive understanding, as health issues may not always be the cause, and certain issues might not be immediately apparent, potentially leading to serious problems.

Being a responsible pet owner necessitates having a comprehensive understanding of your pet’s overall well-being.

You can be confident that we are here to help and support you. This concise information will enable you to identify the issue effectively and discover the most suitable solution.

6 Reasons for Leopard gecko dragging its back legs      

Before taking any action, it’s important to determine the gender of your gecko, as this information can provide insights into the specific reasons for its impulsive behavior.

Male and female geckos may experience different health issues, so understanding their gender can help in identifying the problem more accurately.

Next, observe their daily activities, paying attention to their eating habits, sleep patterns, and the overall conditions of their living environment, including temperature. If everything appears to be in order, the behavior of dragging their belly may be a natural act related to scent marking, and there may be no underlying health issues to address.

But if you see these six things, contact a vet immediately.

1. Lack of sleep
2. Loss of appetite
3. Sudden loss of weight
4. Feeling lazy
5. Problem with fecal
6. Start hiding

Observe all these things and then come to why leopard geckos drag their back legs.

The Major Reasons for Dragging Legs are as Follows:   

1. Metabolic bone disease  

2. Age of leopard gecko

3. Scent marking

4. Constipation

5. Impaction

6. Internal injury

1. Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD)

In reptiles, MBD is v common disease, and most pet lizards suffer from this. Let me tell you what metabolic disease is:

In this disease, the ratio of phosphorus and calcium changes drastically. The normal ratio is (2:1).

It means the amount of calcium should be two times more than phosphorus. 

The calcium level is low, and the phosphorus is high, then MBD occurs.

When the body does not have the required amount of calcium but still fetches it from anywhere available, especially from bones, it may weaken the bones and even fracture. 

So lack of calcium makes it weak, and the leopard gecko starts dragging its legs. Because they cannot move it properly, they feel much pain. They don’t have the energy in their bones to walk properly.

Causes of MBD:

• Leopard geckos tend to intake larger quantities of phosphorus when compared to calcium.

• Top of Form

• Something is wrong with diet, and the body cannot absorb calcium properly.
• Lack of UVB does not produce sufficient Vitamin D in the body.
• Extra cold temperature leads to MBD in reptiles.
• Small intestine or kidney disease.

 Clinical Symptoms of MBD:

• Difficulty while trying to move 
• Abnormality in bone structure
• Distort jaw
• Weight loss
• Swelling in joints or bones
• Unable to eat (Anorexia)

Treatment:

Consult with the vet. They will do a physical examination and radiographs of bones and confirm whether your leopard gecko is suffering from MBD.

Providing adequate exposure to UVB is essential for their well-being. It helps to treat this disease. Make you use UVB light sparingly. It may lead to another disease.

 Modification in diet and temperature helps to get rid of it. Use recommended powder calcium and supplements in their diet. Utilize a thermometer to monitor the temperature within the enclosure.

Make a mixture of water and calcium, and then soak your gecko for a few minutes. Please do not force them to move for some days because they feel pain while moving or climbing.

2. Age of Leopard Gecko 

Age plays a crucial role in shaping the behavior and physical abilities of leopard geckos, much like it does for humans and other pets. As these geckos age, they tend to become slower, and their body functions undergo alterations, causing a decrease in overall energy levels.

This reduced energy can hinder their ease of movement, leading to the dragging of their back legs and a noticeable reluctance to walk normally. Additionally, aging leopard geckos may be susceptible to arthritis, a joint-related ailment that becomes more prevalent with a longer lifespan.

Arthritis manifests through inflammation in the joints, sometimes causing changes in their shape and even deformities in the joints or bones. Therefore, understanding the impact of age and potential age-related conditions is vital when addressing changes in the behavior and mobility of aging leopard geckos.

 Symptoms of Arthritis:

• Swelling on joints
• Stiffness
• Dragging of legs

       Unfortunately, there is no proper treatment for Arthritis in reptiles. 

3. Scent Marking

Scent marking is a natural behavior exhibited by lizards, snakes, and other reptiles through the release of chemical secretions. This serves as a form of communication, indicating their presence to others. During scent marking, reptiles, including leopard geckos, may rub their belly on surfaces, which might be mistaken for dragging their legs.

Male geckos, equipped with femoral pores for secretion, often engage in scent marking. This behavior can extend to marking objects as a means to attract female geckos. Recognizing that scent marking is a natural and instinctive behavior is crucial.

If you observe your male leopard gecko displaying this behavior, there’s no need for concern; it’s a natural part of their communication and reproductive activities.

4. Impaction

Impaction means if your pet eats or drinks something wrong that it cannot digest. It may get stuck in any place in the digestive system and lead to severe blockage or swelling.

The size of the food is more than its eyes, or it eats something hard to digest.

You can check at home by gently moving your finger on his abdomen. Once you feel a lump, it means there is a blockage.

In this situation, this blocked area put severe pressure on its back upper side. So leopard gecko starts dragging its legs.

If it is confirmed, do not pressure them to eat food. Use some oil to massage gently. It may help to remove the blockage.

Try to give them natural oils with the help of a spoon or syringe. The use of oil helps them to open the blockage.

If the problem is still the same, then contact the vet.

5. Constipation

Constipation is different from impaction.

They have the same symptoms, but the main problem or cause differs.

In constipation, the food movement is slow in the digestive system. It causes dry feces and is even hard to remove from the body.

Just like impaction, it can exert pressure on the upper back area, and they may suffer from severe pain.

You may experience your leopard gecko starts dragging its back legs.

It can cause dehydration in geckos. Providing them with enough amount of water helps a lot.

The same procedure of impaction is applied in constipation.

Please give them a warm bath and gentle massage with oil. If the condition is the same, then consult with a vet. They apply a special procedure to get rid of it with proper medication.

6. Internal Injury

Internal injury makes your gecko drag its back legs. 

They loved to play with things, walking and climbing in their tank or cage. While doing these things, they fall from height. 

This injury was invisible to us. It would help if you kept an eye on their activities; otherwise, you can’t understand the problem.

X-ray of gecko bones tells us better if they have any injury or other problems.

Try to use soft floor matt in their tanks. So if they want to climb or play, it prevents internal or external injury.

Conclusion

After reading this, you can easily identify the reason leopard geckos drag their back legs. Major reasons and symptoms are briefly discussed. They are MBD, injury, impaction, Arthritis, constipation, and scent spreading.

Once you observe and identify the problem, hold them gently; they are very sensitive and soft creatures. Please give them a warm bath. Cover it in a cloth so they feel relaxed and go to the vet.

Prevention is better than treatment, so it’s up to you to take care of your gecko and keep an eye on its activity and behavior. If you have any queries or suggestions, please feel free to comment below.

FAQ’s

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