Pooping is one of the most important body functions for crested geckos. Healthy poop indicates that a crested gecko is in good health. In this post, we will talk all about crested gecko poop. We will discuss what normal crested gecko poop looks like, what does runny, white, red poop in crested geckos mean and more.
What does crested gecko poop look like?
Normal crested gecko poop should be well formed, have a light to dark brown feces part, white chalky urate piece and little to no clear pee. Crested gecko’s poop should not be red or runny, as this indicates issues.
Crested geckos excrete urates (urine in a solid form) instead of liquid urine, to minimize water loss. Urates can be small or big, depending on many factors. Depending on the size of your crested gecko, the poop might be as small as a rice grain, or as big as a string or coin.
If you also feed your crested gecko any feeder insects, the poop will be larger, smell stronger, and can have some bug parts in them.
Crested gecko poop smell
Crested gecko’s poop smells when it’s fresh and wet, and after it dries – the smell goes down dramatically. However, crested gecko’s poop doesn’t have a strong smell if it doesn’t consume insects – insects do make the poop smell stronger.
Why is my crested gecko not pooping?
There are many different reasons why your crested gecko might be not pooping. This includes constipation, substrate or other object ingestion, low temperatures and more.
You can find a full guide on reasons why your crested might not be pooping in this post.
Why is my crested gecko’s poop runny?
Your crested gecko’s poop might be runny due to different reasons, such as parasites, stress, changes in the diet, shedding. Often, diarrhea (runny poop) in crested geckos resolves by itself (or can be resolved) rather quickly, depending on the cause.
New crested geckos often have diarrhea for few days to even a week or two after coming to a new home. If a fecal test is fine and gecko is growing and active, then it should be fine and should pass once your crested gecko is settled.
If you have recently moved your crested gecko to a smaller or larger terrarium, it might be stressing. This will cause runny poop (diarrhea). Please note that you should not move your crested gecko in a large 15-30 gallon terrarium until it reaches 25-30 grams. Otherwise, it will cause stress and difficulty with finding food.
Many crested geckos start having runny poop, or diarrhea, after they finish shedding. This should pass within few days.
High humidity of above 70% can also cause runny poops. Lower the humidity to around 60% and 50-55% during the day to let the tank dry a little.
Your crested gecko’s poop might also be runny if it’s infected with parasites. If your crested gecko’s poop has been runny for more than a week, and no dietary changes have helped, then have the fecal test done.
Parasites cause diarrhea, weight loss, poor appetite and lethargy.
Another possible reason for runny poop is feeding too many fruits that are high in fiber. If you offer too many bananas, raspberries, apples and other fruits high in fiber, they can cause diarrhea.
Crested gecko diet and runny poop
Make sure to diversify the diet and only offer balanced purees, but mostly – crested gecko diet (CGD) like this. Offering some feeder insects can help fix loose stools in crested geckos.
Changes in the diet can cause diarrhea. Even small changes like giving a snack, or feeding a new type of CGD can cause diarrhea. Stick mainly to CGD and bugs (if at all) 1-2 times a week, and only offer small portions of snacks once in a while. Purees can be offered, but must be balanced – baby food is not balanced!
Lean all about crested gecko’s diet in this full diet guide.
Crested gecko pooping blood?
If you notice that your crested gecko’s poop is red or bloody, then there is an issue. Please take your crested gecko’s poop to the vet immediately if you see any blood in it. Also, make sure it’s screened not only for parasites, but also for bacterial cultures (full screen) that could indicate an infection.
Please do not confuse blood and pigmentation. Sometimes, your crested gecko’s poop might be pigmented because it ate more red colored fruits/berries. These can include strawberries, raspberries, cherries and more. Even CGD can color the poop.
If you are feeding your crested gecko any feeder insects that are already gut-loaded, then this could also cause poop coloration. The problem is, some sellers feed the feeder insects fish flakes or similar food, which causes pigmented poop.
Blood in poop often indicates serious issues. This can include intestinal impaction, internal bleeding, damage in intestines and cloaca (where they poop and pee from), parasitic infection and more.
Trauma to intestines can be caused by foreign objects, for example. Also, it could be very large insects or ones with sharp legs (some crickets, locusts) that could cause a small tear. Parasites (this will also feature diarrhea) can also cause bloody poop.
Blood in the poop can also indicate an infection – possibly in cloaca. Blood in semen (white substance) coming from hemipenal area (males) can also indicate an infection.
Why is my crested gecko’s poop white?
Crested gecko’s poop normally has a brown part (food waste), urate (solid urine) and some clear urine. What is more, crested geckos poop and pee from one opening – cloaca.
Sometimes, your crested gecko might only excrete urates, and the other time – both urates and waste. If there is little to no feces, this can mean that your crested gecko hasn’t eaten much. It could have also pooped after eating and this time has only excreted urates.
The main thing to note is when did your crested gecko eat the last time? Was the poop normal after it ate? If your crested gecko pooped after it ate the last time, then it should be fine.
Urate piece can be as big as the poop itself, which can scare you and make you think that the poop is absent. It can also be that you have not noticed your gecko’s poop, especially if you keep it in a loose bioactive substrate.
Keep an eye on your crested gecko and place it on paper towels if you suspect anything. Again, if you see any blood or very runny feces, then take your crested gecko’s poop and/or crested gecko itself for an examination by a professional vet.