Why Is My Leopard Gecko Sleeping So Much?

Leopard Geckos are nocturnal which means these reptiles remain active at night and remain sleepy during the day. But there are times when you might find your Leopard Gecko sleeping more than it is supposed to. That time it might be alarming and you may think why is your Leopard gecko sleeping so much?

Leopard geckos can sleep too much due to different reasons which include- improper tank environment, stress, diseases, diet, unsuitable lighting hours, and more. All these factors alongside some others can make your Leopard Gecko very sleepy. However, sometimes your Gecko might be too tired and it may sleep longer than usual.

If you want to know more about the sleeping schedule and pattern of Leopard Gecko, make sure to read till the end!

5 Reasons Why Your Leopard Gecko Is Sleeping So Much

Leopard Geckos are very active reptiles in nature. As in nature, they have to hunt for food and fight with predators to survive long. But inside a tank, they do not need to fight with any predators nor do they need to go food hunting.

Yet there are some factors that might affect the sleep schedule of your Leopard Gecko and it may sleep a longer time than it usually should. These factors are also responsible for the improper sleeping pattern of Leopard Gecko. The reasons are the following:

1. Excessive eating
2. Improper diet
3. Unsuitable tank environment
4. Tank positioning
5. Diseases

1. Excessive eating

Overfeeding your Leopard Gecko can definitely trigger the overall health and sleeping cycle of your Gecko.

If you give a lot of food to your Leopard gecko at once, it will end up overeating. This is a very common case that every owner does as they believe eating a lot of food might be nutritious for the Geckos, when it is not. Your Leopard Gecko will not be able to move properly, hence will feel suffocated.

You should only give a certain amount of food to your Leopard Gecko and also maintain a certain time. As if you do not maintain a certain time, there is a chance that your Leopard Gecko’s diet and sleep plan, both will be affected.

2. Improper diet

The diet of the Leopard Gecko plays a key role in its sleeping. A leopard Gecko needs enough nutrition for all of its daily activities and most importantly for its shedding too.

If you do not provide your Gecko with a sufficient amount of nutritious food, such as crickets, worms, etc, then it will feel really dizzy and weak at the same time. Your Gecko will rather sleep and remain inactive than do its normal activities.

The Leopard Gecko diet should contain – vitamin A, and vitamin D, a balanced ratio of phosphorus and calcium, and lots of water.

This way your Leopard Gecko will not fall victim to diseases that can induce stress and affect the sleep cycle eventually.

3. Unsuitable tank environment

The tank environment affects the Leopard Gecko’s sleeping pattern as well.

A Leopard Gecko tank must be clean and sanitized with optimum humidity and temperature level. The tank should also have a certain amount of hiding spots with good lighting.

A Leopard Gecko needs different temperatures in different areas of the tank. For instance: for the warm side the temperature should be between 80-85°F and for cooler temperatures it should range between 75-80°F.

Temperature above the optimum level can burn the skin of the Gecko and make it dehydrated. Consequently, your Leopard Gecko might die.

In case of cold temperature, it can affect the digestive system of your Gecko and it might face impaction issues.

For humidity, the range should be between 30-40% but humidity above this level can cause multiple issues including mold formation. This can affect your Gecko’s health as the mold can not only pollute the tank environment but also can be a growth house of many parasites that will make your Leopard Gecko suffer. Moreover, these will make your Leopard Gecko more stressed and your Gecko won’t be able to sleep properly.

A tank of Leopard Gecko must have enough hiding spots and the lighting should be chosen in a way that it gives heat at the same time. The light should be turned on only for 12 hours but for the rest of the time, it should not be turned on.

The reason is, in nature the Leopard Geckos sleep when the sunlight goes away. If the tank light is turned on 24/7 then it will definitely affect its sleep cycle.

4. Tank positioning

The pacing of the tank also affects the sleep cycle of your Leopard Gecko.

If you place the tank near sunlight, it is obvious that the tank will become heated up with time, and increased temperature will make your Gecko exhausted and stressed.

If you place the tank in a room where there is not enough humidity or temperature, that will also stress your Leopard gecko. Moreover, a room where your children play or make noises might affect the sleep cycle of your Leopard gecko as well.

5. Diseases

Diseases are one of the main reasons which can make your Leopard Gecko’s life even more stressful which of course will ultimately affect its sleep pattern.

Leopard Geckos mostly suffer from calcium deficiency, metabolic bone disorder, parasite infection, and so on.

When your Leopard Gecko goes through any of these diseases, this really weakens its body and stresses Gecko a lot. The more time passes, the more your Gecko becomes helpless and does not sleep well. It stays in its hiding spot and does not come out of it often.

Hence you should contact a reptile veterinarian as soon as possible to fix your Leopard gecko’s sleep pattern and also to cure it.

Reasons Why Your Leopard Gecko Is Sleeping At Night

Leopard Geckos generally do not sleep at night as they are nocturnal. Most of the time these Geckos prefer to stay active at night and sleep during the daytime. But there are chances that you might see your Leopard Gecko sleeping at night too.

Sometimes when the lighting is kept on at night, it can make your Leopard gecko sleep that time. The reason is, in nature, Leopard Geckos sleep when there is enough light in the surroundings. Hence if the light is kept on at night time, Geckos may think that it is daytime and might sleep due to that.

Leopard Geckos can occasionally rest at night which is very normal. Maybe sometimes when they are too tired, they try to rest a bit. But a lot of times a Leopard gecko might keep its eyes closed instead of sleeping and you might mistakenly think that your Leopard Gecko is sleeping when actually it is not.

A potential low temperature in the tank can make your Leopard Gecko sleep at night. The reason behind this is, at low temperatures, Leopard Gecko tends to reduce their activity to conserve energy as low temperature affects their digestion system which makes it incapable of processing a lot of food. Hence your Leopard Gecko might sleep at night to conserve energy.

Why Is Your Leopard Gecko Sleeping Too Little?

You Leopard Gecko may sleep a little due to many reasons which include: diseases, infection, the tank temperature and humidity, and more. Generally, a Leopard gecko sleeps for 12 hours at least a day. But if you see that your Leopard Gecko is not sleeping that much or sleeping very less, you should try to consult a vet.

Why Do Leopard Geckos Sleep During The Day?

Sleeping during the daytime is something Leopard Gecko does most of the time. Generally in the wild, sunlight exposure makes The Leopard geckos exhausted and tired. Hence they try to hide in other places and sleep till night comes.

In the tank, Leopard geckos sleep during the daytime after they are exhausted and tired from their daily activities. If there are enough hiding spots, then your Leopard gecko will sleep during the daytime unless there is any problem with the temperature, humidity, or tank environment.

How Long Do Leopard Geckos Need To Take A Nap?

Generally, a Leopard Gecko takes a nap of 12 hours. Your Leopard Gecko is supposed to sleep during the daytime and for that, you need to make sure that the light is not kept on at that time. You also need to keep the light on when it’s night time for letting your Gecko play and explore the environment.

Why Is Your Leopard Gecko Sleeping Outside Hide?

Normally a Leopard Gecko sleeps inside its hiding spot as it is not placed or built under the light and also because the place has a good temperature and humidity range. But when any of these parameters are not set perfectly, your Leopard Gecko will try to find a spot where it can have a good sleep.

For instance: if the hiding spot has a temperature less than the optimum range, your Leopard Gecko will try to either by glass surfing to come out of the tank itself or try to go near the light to become warm.

Sometimes your Leopard Gecko might sleep outside the hide due to its sickness but it is a very rare case. As most Geckos prefer to stay in their hiding spot when they are sick.

Final Words

Leopard Geckos are mostly active in nature and they try to interact with their owners or do their activities during the night. But sometimes, even after having a good sleeping cycle, you might see your Leopard Gecko sleeping excessively.

The reasons that have been mentioned above could affect the sleep cycle of your Leopard Gecko. Generally, a Leopard Gecko is supposed to be active at night and inactive during the daytime.

But if you see any exceptions, then it’s better you search for the reason behind this and make an attempt to fix your Leopard Gecko’s sleep cycle. This way your Leopard Gecko will be able to live a happy and healthy life.