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Do Leopard Geckos Smell Or Are They A Clean Pet?

how many eggs does a leopard gecko lay

When you are thinking about getting a new pet it can often be the case that you want to know how clean they are. This can be for a number of reasons, I mean let’s face it if you live in a small apartment you are not going to want a pet that is going to stink the place out. Do leopard geckos smell?

This is why it is important to know the facts before you make the commitment. So with that in mind this post is going to be all about the question:

Do leopard geckos smell?

The truth is that Leopard Geckos are actually a very clean pet and do not smell. They tend to poop in exactly the same area to keep their home clean. The only reason one may smell is because it is time to clean out your leopard geckos tank 

But hold on there is plenty more to talk about so read on to learn more about how you can keep your Leopard gecko smelling good.

Why does my leopard gecko smell.

There are several reasons why your Leopard geckos may smell bad and I am going to go over these reasons now.

Leopard Geckos do poop.

Just like me, you or your pet cat, leopard geckos have to poop. This is natural and is how your gecko gets rid of its processed waste. Luckily though leopard gecko excrement does not smell too much and there is never very much of it.

It is best to clear any poop out of your tank at least once a week to stop it from further rotting and also smelling more. You will be glad to know that your leopard gecko is quite clean when it poops, preferring to do it in one spot of the tank each time so that it does not keep stepping in it.

Leopard gecko urine

Do leopard geckos smell?

Do leopard geckos smell? Geckos do not urinate, they actually produce dry, white coloured urates.

Unless you have previously owned a leopard gecko there is a chance that you do not know this fact yet. Leopard geckos do not urinate. They actually excrete urates which is a dried out version or urine. Urates usually come out at the same time as excrement and in a healthy gecko it will usually be a white coloured solid.

If the urates are slightly yellow in colour it could be a signal that you leopard gecko is dehydrated. Generally urates do not smell to much but it is best to clear it out when you clean up the poop.

Conclusion.

Do leopard geckos smell? I feel safe in recommending leopard geckos to anyone who worries about having a pet that smells. They are quite a small pet so make much less mess and smell than other pets. Generally they are very clean animals as well that do not want to be live in a messy environment.

Related questions.

My leopard geckos tank really smells what can I do? This can be the case when your geckos tank is not cleaned out regularly enough. Try to keep on top of collecting up the poop and urates and make sure to change the substrate every couple of weeks to keep it fresh and smell free.

How often do leopard geckos poop? This one is a bit harder to answer as there are so many variables such as how often you feed your gecko and the age of your pet. Generally you will find the below to be a fairly accurate representation of how often a leopard gecko poops.

  • Baby leopard geckos: Often 1-2 times per day.
  • Juvenille leopard geckos: Around 3-4 times per week.
  • Adult leopard geckos: Usually 1-2 times per week.

Which substrate is the best to stop smells? Many new time owners will use sand as a substrate and this can be a bad idea. For starters it is easy for the urates and poop to get buried in the sand where it can start to smell.

A better substrate is Paper towels as they are far cheaper, cleaner and also will not cause compaction if the gecko accidently swallows it with its mealworms. There is also a good substrate available which eliminates odor.

How often should you clean out a leopard geckos tank? you should really make a daily habit of looking for and cleaning out poop and urates daily or at least every other day. As for a full tank clean including substrate, this should be done every 1-2 weeks.

If you would like to read more of the helpful guides about leopard geckos that are on this website click this link.