Crested Gecko Poop – Normal vs Abnormal Poop And Causes

Crested Gecko Poop

Monitoring your Crested gecko poop and knowing what are their normal pooping habits, is an important part of gecko care. Pooping is not only an important body process but also a good indicator of health in any organism.

Every owner must know what normal vs abnormal Crested gecko poop look like. Normal Crested gecko poop should be well formed, be part light to dark brown and part white chalky urate with a little to no urine. On the other hand, abnormal Crested gecko poop is usually runny or bloody.

In addition to being able to tell normal vs abnormal Crested gecko poop, it’s also important to be familiar with the possible causes that can lead to abnormal poop. Some of these causes include incorrect diet, wrong temperature, humidity and more.

In this article, we will be covering the following topics:

  • Normal Crested gecko poop – size, smell and consistency
  • Abnormal Crested gecko poop – bloody and runny
  • Causes for abnormal Crested gecko poop
  • Related Q&A topics about Crested gecko poop

Normal Crested Gecko Poop

Crested Gecko Poop
Normal Crested Gecko Poop

As mentioned earlier, poop is a good indicator of health. Therefore, part of providing your gecko with good care is knowing what a healthy Crested gecko poop looks like.

Consistency And Color

Normal and healthy Crested gecko poop should be well formed, be part light to dark brown and part white chalky urate. There should also be a small amount of little to no clear pee. This is because Crested gecko’s poop and pee from the same opening, known as cloaca.

As mentioned the pee is not always visible. This is because most liquid is passed as a solid urate in order to contain most of the moisture within your gecko’s body.

Size

Healthy Crested gecko’s poop size can vary depending on the age of your gecko.

For baby Crested geckos, the poop can be as small as a grain of rice. On the other hand, adult Crested gecko poop can be as big as a coin.

Smell

A healthy Crested gecko poop can have a strong smell whilst it’s still fresh and wet. This is especially true if your Crested gecko’s diet includes feeder insects. However, once the poop is dried out, the smell should disappear.

Abnormal Crested Gecko Poop

Crested Gecko Poop
Abnormal Crested Gecko Poop

Knowing what abnormal Crested gecko poop looks like is extremely important as it can be an indicator that something is wrong with their health.

Abnormal Crested gecko poop is:

  • Runny poop (diarrhea)
  • Bloody poop

Runny Crested Gecko Poop

If your Crested gecko’s poop is runny, it can be the result of parasites, stress, diet and more. In most cases, runny poop is easily resolved and nothing to worry about as long as you find the cause and make the necessary changes.

Bloody Crested Gecko Poop

Blood in your Crested gecko poop can be a big concern. Bloody poop is usually an indicator of a health problem such as parasites, infection or impaction. Therefore, it’s important to take your gecko to the vet immediately for a full faecal test.

In some cases, blood can be confused with pigmentation of the poop. Sometimes, your Crested gecko’s poop can turn red depending on the foods they are eating.

Some examples of foods that can turn their poop red include:

  • Red colored fruits and berries such as strawberries, raspberries, cherries, etc
  • Some CGD foods can result in red poop
  • Feeder insects that are already gut-loaded can turn Crested gecko poop red. Some places feed the feeder insects with fish flakes or similar, which causes the pigmentation

Causes For Runny Crested Gecko Poop

The possible causes for abnormal, runny Crested gecko poop include:

  • New habitat
  • Stress
  • Shedding
  • High humidity levels
  • Too much fruit in diet
  • Changes in diet
  • Baby food
  • Parasites

New Habitat

One of the causes for runny Crested gecko poop is adjusting to a new habitat. Crested geckos are fragile animals that get stressed easily. If you have a new Crested gecko, it’s important to allow up to 2 weeks for them to settle in the new environment.

During the settling period, you might notice your Crested gecko poop being runny. This can go on for a few days up to 2 weeks from the day you bring your new gecko home.

If the new habitat is the cause for your Crested gecko’s runny poop, it should resolve itself once the gecko has settled.

To help your Crested gecko settle without problems, follow these steps:

  • Don’t hold them straight away. During the first week, you should observe their health and how they settle in. After two weeks have passed you can start holding your gecko for 1 to 2 minutes each time. Learn more on how to handle your Crested gecko here How To Hold A Crested Gecko: Tips On Handling Crested Gecko
  • Change their food and water in the afternoon whilst the gecko is sleeping
  • Don’t ever grab, squeeze, or hold your gecko its tail
  • Have the right size tank. 15 to 20 gallon tank is appropriate for geckos that have reached a weight of 25 to 30 grams. Until then, you should keep your gecko in a tank of 10 gallons

Stress

Crested Gecko Poop

Another possible cause for your Crested gecko poop being runny is stress.

As mentioned earlier, Crested geckos can get easily stressed. Some other causes besides new habitat, that can result in a stressed gecko include:

  • If you’ve recently changed their tank
  • Change in diet
  • Incorrect handling
  • Heat stress
  • Being bullied by tankmates

… and more. To learn more about what causes stress in Crested geckos and how to resolve it click here Crested Gecko Stress Signs: How To Prevent And Treat Stress

If stress is the cause for your Crested gecko’s runny poop, it’s important to identify the source of the stress and remove it. If your gecko is stressed over long periods of time, it can have a detrimental effect on their health.

Shedding

A possible cause for runny Crested gecko poop is shedding. Your Crested gecko poop might become runny during the shedding process and a few days after it’s completed. However, this is completely normal and nothing to worry about.

If the issue doesn’t get resolved on its own a few days after the shedding is completed, you should look for other possible causes for your Crested gecko’s runny poop.

High Humidity Level

If the humidity levels in your gecko’s tank are too high, it can lead to your Crested gecko poop being runny. Incorrect humidity levels can not only lead to runny poop but it can also cause real complication with your Crested gecko’s health.

Normally, if the humidity is kept at above 70% most of the time, you’ll see your Crested gecko poop become more runny.

The humidity levels in your Crested gecko tank should vary throughout the day. They need moderate to high humidity – 60% during the day and up to 80% during the night.

Learn how humidity can affect your Crested gecko’s health here Crested Gecko Stress Signs: How To Prevent And Treat Stress

Too Much Fruit In Diet

Although fruits can be fed to your Crested gecko, they are mostly given as a treat rather than used as a staple diet. Feeding your Crested gecko too many fruits can sometimes result in diarrhea.

As fruits are high in fiber, too much of them in your Crested gecko’s diet can have a negative effect on their digestive system.

Some of the fruits that are high in fiber include:

  • Raspberries
  • Bananas
  • Apples

If your notice your Crested gecko poop being runny, try to cut out the fruits and observe if their poop becomes more normal and solid.

If the Crested gecko poop continue being runny after cutting out the fruit, then you’ll need to look for other possible causes.

A good tip for achieving solid stools is adding feeder insects to your gecko’s diet. However, it’s important to note that these should only be offered as an occasion treat and not use a staple diet.

Changes In Diet

Feeding your Crested gecko a well balanced diet is essential to their health and happiness. However, it’s important to note that even the smallest change in your Crested gecko diet can result in runny poop also known as diarrhea. This includes:

  • Introducing a new snack such as a bug/insect or type of fruit they haven’t tried before
  • Switching the commercial CGD diet brand
  • Switching from commercial to homemade diet

Baby Food

Another possible cause for your Crested gecko runny poop is – baby food. Feeding your Crested gecko baby food should be completely avoided as baby food doesn’t have the necessary nutrients for your gecko’s development and it can result in diarrhea.

Although, baby food is suitable for human babies, it’s not for your gecko.

To avoid runny poops, it’s recommended that you feed your Crested gecko a CGD diet, such as Repashy or Pangea. In addition, you can offer them bugs/insects and healthy fruit purees as an occasional snack up to 2 to 3 times a month.

Learn more about what are healthy fruit options in this article Can Crested Geckos Eat Fruit: Safe Fruits For Crested Geckos

Parasites

If parasites are the cause for your Crested gecko poop being runny, this is something that needs to be taken seriously. The only way to determine that parasites are the cause is by taking your gecko to the vet for a full faecal test.

If your Crested gecko has parasites, in addition to runny poop, they can also have the following symptoms:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Weight loss
  • Lethargy

If you have eliminated all other possible causes for your Crested gecko’s diarrhea and it’s been over a week, you must take them to the vet for a faecal exam.

Causes For Bloody Crested Gecko Poop

Blood in your Crested gecko poop can be a serious concern and should never be left for too long before you take them to the vet for further tests.

Possible causes for bloody Crested gecko poop include:

  • Impaction
  • Internal Bleeding
  • Parasites
  • Infection

Impaction

Although, impaction in Crested gecko is similar to constipation, it’s much more serious. This is because if left untreated, it can result in death.

Impaction is when your Crested gecko consumes something that their digestive system can’t process. This can include:

  • A piece of food that was too big
  • Part of the substrate in their tank
  • An insect that’s too big or has an exoskeletons that’s hard to digest

Impaction can result in bloody Crested gecko poop. In addition to that, other symptoms of impaction include:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Reduced activity
  • Swelling of the abdomen
  • Vent prolapse

To avoid impaction, follow these steps:

  • Substrate. It’s recommended to use paper towels for substrate, especially for baby and juvenile geckos
  • Foods. Only feed your Crested gecko insects that are no bigger than the distance between their eyes
  • The exoskeletons of some insects such as beetles and mealworm, can sometimes cause problems in your Crested gecko. These problems include constipation, dehydration and impaction

If you suspect that your gecko is suffering from impaction, you can help relieve their symptoms by following these steps:

  • Hydration. Provide your gecko with plenty of fresh water
  • Misting your gecko’s tank regularly will keep them hydrated
  • Sauna. One of the quickest ways to restore moisture is by soaking your gecko in a small plastic box/crate/bowl with air holes. You need to put a wet, lukewarm paper tower on the bottom. This sauna effect will help them restore moisture through their skin. Furthermore, the gecko might begin to drink the condensation off the sides of the container

Read more about how to help a dehydrated Crested gecko here

If there is no improvement in their condition after 2-3 days, you must take you gecko to the vet. 

Internal Bleeding

Internal bleeding, similar to impaction, can also result in blood in your Crested gecko poop.

Usually, this condition is caused by damage or a small tear of the intestines. This is usually the result of ingesting foreign object or large feeder insects with sharp limbs.

This is a very serious condition and should be treated by a vet immediately.

Parasites

As mentioned earlier, parasites can result in runny Crested gecko poop. However, they can also be the cause for blood in your Crested gecko poop.

If you suspect parasites, you should take your gecko to the vet for a faecal exam.

However, a basic parasite screen would not show everything. There are a number of infective ‘non parasitic’ organisms that can cause blood in your Crested gecko poop.

It’s important to request a full screen including bacterial cultures.

Infection

Blood in the Crested gecko poop can also be a sign of an infection in cloaca. Another sign of infection can be blood in the semen that comes out of the hemipenal area (males).

You need to take your gecko to the vet for test to establish if an infection is the cause for the blood in your gecko’s poop.

By requesting a full screen including bacterial cultures, you’d be able to test your gecko for both parasites and infections.

Final Thoughts

Understanding the differences between normal and abnormal Crested gecko poop is very important part of gecko care.

Normal Crested gecko poop should be:

  • Well formed
  • Be part light to dark brown and part white chalky urate
  • There should also be a small amount of little to no clear urine
  • Size should range from as small as a grain of rice to as big as a coin. This depends on the age of the gecko
  • Smell. It should have a strong smell but once dried, the smell should disappear

On the other hand, abnormal Crested gecko poop is:

  • Runny
  • Bloody

The possible causes for abnormal Crested gecko poop include:

  • New habitat
  • Stress
  • Shedding
  • High humidity levels
  • Too much fruit in diet
  • Changes in diet
  • Baby food
  • Parasites
  • Impaction
  • Internal Bleeding
  • Infection

If you suspect parasites or infection, you should take your Crested gecko to the vet for a full faecal screen including bacterial cultures test.

Related Topics Q&A

Why Is My Crested Gecko Not Pooping?

There are can be many different reasons for your Crested gecko not pooping. Some of these reasons include:

  • Constipation/impaction
  • Low temperatures
  • Stress

To learn more about the possible causes for Crested gecko not pooping and how to resolve it click here Crested Gecko Not Pooping – 10 Possible Causes And Solutions

Why Do Crested Geckos Poop On You When Handled?

Whilst being handled your Crested gecko might poop on you. This is usually due to either feeling stressed, the warmth of your hand, not being handled correctly or just wanting to go back into their tank.

As long as you’re handing your Crested gecko the right way, pooping on you is nothing to worry about.

How Often Should My Crested Gecko Poop?

If you have a new Crested gecko, they might not poop in the first 1 to 2 weeks due to the stress around settling in and starting to eat properly.

Once your Crested gecko has settled in their new environment, you should expect them to poop as often as they eat.

For juvenile geckos this can be 3 to 7 times a week. On the other hand, adults will poop less – 3 to 4 times a week.

How Long Can My Crested Gecko Go Without Pooping?

If your gecko is new to your home, they can go without pooping 1 to 2 weeks as they are still settling in and it can be very stressful for them.

Once settled, if a Crested gecko hasn’t pooped for over 1 week, you should investigate the possible causes for this behavior such as:

  • Incorrect diet
  • Stress
  • Incorrect habitat set up such as too big tank
  • Impaction and more

unusualpetsguide

My name is Iliyana and I'm a passionate animal lover and pet owner. As there is significantly less information online about unusual and exotic pets, I decided to found this website and recruit expert writers to help pet owners.

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