Gargoyle Gecko Egg Binding? What To Do About It and More

How to tell if my Gargoyle Gecko is Egg Bound? 

Oftentimes, the gecko will be very fidgety. She will find places to dig around as she’s looking to prepare a nesting site for herself. She will become depressed and show a lack of energy. Her stomach will protrude or the cloaca will also become swollen. Tissue could be coming through the cloaca as well. In addition, she will overall become less attentive and responsive.

These are all signs of an egg-bound Gargoyle Gecko.

What Should I do?

The most organic and natural way to help your gecko is to give her a nesting site or box to help her lay her eggs. You will want to make sure that the nesting site is humid in temperature and quiet in the environment.

Another, more dangerous solution is that you may also gently massage the eggs out,, by running your finger down her stomach. However, this is risky, due to the possibility of rupture and I would not recommend this unless in an emergency.

Does the Situation Need Escalation?

First off, It is common for Gargoyle Geckos to hide their eggs, so be sure to watch for that so you know whether or not the time frame for birthing expectation is correct. However, if your gecko is gravid and if she’s started laying eggs, but has still not finished laying eggs after 48 hours then you need to take her to the vet for examination and treatment.

If she is gravid and has not laid any eggs at all then after three to four weeks you need veterinary examination as well.

If you are unsure if she is carrying, still take her to the vet if you suspect any retention. They will do ultrasounds or x-rays if necessary to check for the amount of eggs, size and placement to draw up a proper treatment.

Treatment could consist of stimulating, hormonal injection, calcium injection, surgery or aspiration of the egg. Surgery would require removal of the eggs manually, while aspiration would shrink the size of the eggs for natural birth.

How Can I Prevent Egg Binding?

The best way to prevent your gecko from going egg bound, is by prioritizing nutrition, physical activity, temperature gradients, humidity levels and nesting grounds.

Feed her the proper minerals that she needs such as calcium and phosphorus. If needed, the vet can provide mineral injections to boost her nutrition, but I recommend doing so naturally and consistently through her diet.

In addition, aim to set up an enclosure that allows for physical activity and include a nesting ground in the area so there is a designated birthing site for her. This will relieve stress and therefore lower the possibility of binding.

She also needs to be able to move around, keep up her muscle tone and have a quiet, safe, and large environment to be active. This will improve her overall health and the healthier the gecko, the less likely they are to experience egg binding.