Leopard geckos are one of the most common gecko species that people choose to have as pets. They can sometimes tend to bite. Leopard gecko bites are a very common sighting among gecko owners.
Although it is not that big of a deal for most of the owners, there are some of the things that you might want to keep in mind when petting your lizard friend. Ie: their condition, mood and mating seasons, etc.
In this article, we’ll go through some of the most common questions among leopard gecko owners. If you stick together we’ll also spit out some amazing facts about them.
Do leopard geckos bite?
Yes. Leopard geckos can sometimes bite. It can be both intentional and accidental. In most cases, they are accidental bites.
For instance, if you are giving your gecko a meal and it gets stuck in your fingers then it might confuse it with the food and bite your hand.
However, sometimes they can try to be protective and territorial. If you try to pick them up when they are not in the right mood, they’ll bite you. Also during their mating time, they can be very aggressive.
Also if they are having any health issues or feel irritation they will try to bite you. Make sure you pay good attention to the biting habit of your gecko.
If you see any regular pattern maybe there’s something wrong with your lizard. Try to identify the issues and take the required steps.
Do leopard geckos have teeth?
Yes. Leopard geckos have a lot of teeth. Usually, they have 100 teeth but in some cases, they can have somewhere between 50 to 100 teeth on their mouth.
They tend to have multiple sets of teeth. Their first 100 teeth are replaced by new ones after 3-4 months. As their teeth get damaged over time they replace them with new ones.
Do baby leopard geckos bite?
Baby leopard geckos have 100 teeth on their jaws. They are often scared and try to protect themself.
So naturally, they tend to bite more often than adult ones. Usually, baby leopard geckos will try to escape when you go to pick them up.
But as time passes and they grow older, they get more comfortable being around you and try to bite less often.
Do leopard gecko bites hurt?
They have sharp teeth on their jaws so if they bite it’ll naturally hurt. But the pain isn’t that dramatic. Adult leopard gecko bites are more painful than smaller ones.
Baby geckos have smaller teeth and don’t have too much strength in their jaws. If you try to pull your hand out when they are biting down on your hand it’ll hurt more.
Do leopard gecko bites break skin?
It’s not common to see leopard gecko bites penetrate the skin. However, if your gecko is big in size and has a strong biting force then it might break your skin.
Their teeth are bent to the back so that prey can’t escape. So, if you try to pull your finger from their mouth when they are biting down then your skin will break. Other than that their bites are not that harmful.
If somehow their teeth penetrate your skin just wash it nicely and add some antiseptic around the spot and you should be just fine in no time.
Do leopard geckos bite hard?
Due to their smaller body size and jaw structure, they don’t have much force in their bite. Their bites are not that painful.
They tend to hunt small insects and prey that don’t need much force to catch. That’s why they can’t bite too hard.
back in the day, their ancestors were much bigger in size. As they evolved, they became much smaller and their bite forces became weaker.
What does it mean if a leopard gecko bites you?
If your gecko bites you there could be many reasons behind that. The most common reasons are irritation and protection of their territory.
If they are trying to bite you when you try to pet them it means they are looking to be left alone and don’t want to be petted.
It can also mean that their hormones are high and they are looking for a mate.
Are leopard gecko bites poisonous?
No. Leopard geckos don’t have any venom. They are quite harmless and don’t have poison in their teeth. That’s why their bites are not poisonous.
But they can have some bacterias on their teeth. If their bite penetrates your skin, make sure you apply some disinfecting solution to avoid any infection.
Conclusion
Leopard geckos are not that aggressive in nature. If they bite you most likely it was by accident. So, don’t freak out and try to find the cause of that behavior. It will be best for both of you if you just let them alone if they don’t want to be petted.
if you want to learn more about geckos check out our recent articles on geckos
FAQ:
Are leopard gecko bites deadly?
Nope. Their bites are painful at most let alone deadly. If they somehow bite your hand or finger you might feel some pain in the spot but there’s nothing to be worried about.
Why does my leopard gecko bite me when I try to pet it?
He might want to be left alone or just isn’t familiar with your presence. If you are noticing the habit recently then it could be due to something like anger, feeling threatened, etc.
What is the bite force of a Leopard Gecko?
Leopard gecko bite force is 17.7 ± 1.4 N at 30 °C and 12.0 ± 1.9 N at 20 °C.
Reference: Anderson, Roger & Mcbrayer, Lance & Herrel, Anthony. (2008). Bite force in vertebrates: Opportunities and caveats for use of a nonpareil whole-animal performance measure. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 93. 709 – 720. 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2007.00905.x. Source
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