# Common health issues

_Permalink: https://geckinspect.com/CareGuide/common-issues_

| Issue | Signs | Typical cause | Action |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) | Kinked spine, wavy tail, soft jaw, hemipenile prolapse, leg tremors | Chronic low calcium / D3, underfeeding | Vet ASAP. Early MBD is reversible with calcium and UVB; advanced cases are not. |
| Floppy Tail Syndrome (FTS) | Tail arches over the back when hanging upside-down, pelvic deformity in adults | Prolonged upside-down perching on glass tops, lack of horizontal resting spots | Provide broad leaf perches and cork bark at the top. Prevention only, established FTS is permanent. |
| Respiratory infection | Open-mouth breathing, mucus bubbles, wheezing, lethargy | Chronic humidity too high + poor ventilation, or cold draft | Dry out the cage, fix ventilation, vet for antibiotics if it persists >48 h. |
| Impaction | Not defecating for 7+ days, visible bulge, loss of appetite | Substrate ingestion, dehydration, cold | Warm soak (84°F water, 10 to 15 min). Persistent: vet. |
| Parasites (pinworms, coccidia, crypto) | Watery or bloody stool, weight loss despite eating, lethargy | Often present at import, spread via shared tools | Fecal float at vet. Crypto is the serious one, ask the vet to test specifically if weight loss is persistent. |
| Mouth rot (stomatitis) | Cheesy white or yellow material at the gum line, swollen jaw, food refusal | Trauma + bacteria, low humidity, immune stress | Vet. Topical antiseptics and sometimes antibiotics. |
| Dystocia (egg-binding) | Swollen abdomen, straining without laying, lethargy in a gravid female | Underweight female, calcium deficiency, no lay box, too-hot or too-cold cage | Emergency vet. Provide a warm humid lay box with damp substrate at least a week before expected lay date. |

**Find a reptile-experienced vet before you need one**

- Most "exotic" vets see rabbits and birds, not reptiles. Call ahead and ask specifically about crested gecko cases per year.
- Keep an emergency kit: digital scale, small plastic tub, damp paper towel, a list of vet phone numbers, a transport carrier.

_Source: Geck Inspect Care Guide. Updated 2026-10-18. Cite https://geckinspect.com/CareGuide/common-issues_