Does your leopard gecko dig non-stop? It may start to bother you, and you should know that it may mean that something is wrong in their little world. To learn more about this activity, read on.
Why do they dig?
Digging is the natural instinct of these animals. Digging up a leopard gecko is a common part of their life in the wild. Their front claws are actually designed for such purposes. They do this for several reasons: to get away from the sun, to hide from predators, or to hunt for food. If your substrate is deep enough, it is not strange for you to find your way of digging a lizard under the ground. However, most of the depths of the substrate will not allow this. If digging continues, try to understand the reason for this.
The tank is too hot
This is one of the biggest reasons for digging. If the tank is too hot, they will somehow try to avoid the heat. The quickest solution is to lower the temperature. However, the best solution is to obtain a tank of the appropriate size, which can have two temperature areas. Leos is happy at a pace of about 90 degrees, but sometimes they need cooler rates to cool their bodies. The area that remains in the 80s or mid-70s should be maintained in any habitat of lizards. Check your temperature and make sure you have two different areas. Getting an accurate thermometer is crucial and worth the investment if you want your lizards to be happy.
Lack of shelter
This is another reason for the constant digging. Your leis are nightly and they prefer to stay out of the light during the day. To duplicate their natural habitats somewhat, many custodians use shelters. They can be made of simple plastic containers with holes cut into them so that the lizard can enter. You also need wet shelters just in case your lizard has problems with shedding.
Sandy problems
Sometimes your lizards can be irritated by the sand that you use as a substrate. This can make them unpredictable. Make sure your sand is not too coarse or too thick. In addition, some keepers stay away from sand, as there are many alternative substrate materials. Although sand is easy to clean and use, it causes many problems, including swallowing sand and sandblasting. This happens when a lizard eats too much sand, and their digestive systems begin to become clogged or even damaged by coarse sand. This can be a dangerous situation for your lizards, so make sure you have suitable sand or use alternatives such as newspaper, pea gravel, paper towels or even the bare bottom of the tank.
Unexplained digging
If the digging continues, you may have to check other areas of your lizard pattern. Check out anything that can cause stress, which can lead to unpredictable behavior. However, if the lizard contains a healthy diet and, as a rule, for the rest of the time, you just need to give it some time to adjust.
