What Causes Urates in Leopard Geckos?

Leopard geckos are ideal to keep as pets. They are small (around 7 to 10 inches fully grown), simple to care for and easily handled. These cute-looking lizards are interesting to watch as they patrol their environment and stalk crickets. Pinkish, brown, yellow or green in color with near black spots, their skin texture appears almost velvetlike. Eyes that resemble a cat's add to an exotic appearance. Leopard gecko feces are black or brown. Their urates are white encased in a sac, with the contents the texture of double cream inside. This is similar in appearance to bird droppings.

  1. Habitat

    • Close-up leopard gecko's head

      Leopard geckos originate from the desert regions of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. A habitat temperature of between 75 to 85 degrees F is an essential requirement. Below this temperature they become inactive and lose their appetite. Fresh water is a must, despite their originating from such arid environments, as hydration is not all absorbed in their food sources. Their adaptation to an often hostile environment is a fascinating topic to discover, for serious naturalists and hobbyists.

    How Urates Form

    • Leopard gecko

      Urates in leopard geckos happen partially as a means of water conservation. There is minimal liquid loss from the leopard gecko's body. It is a natural adaptation to living in an arid region where access to water is often restricted permanently or for long periods of time. Every drop of water is therefore precious and the difference between life and death. Having normal urine like most mammals would be impractical and a waste of resources, and would lead to dehydration. Leopard geckos, like other desert-dwelling reptiles, are designed to allow for maximum retention from water intake.

      Reptiles only have a single opening for both urine and feces: the cloaca. Excess nitrogenous compounds are excreted as a paste of uric acid crystals formed in the intestines. The urates also contain unwanted sodium, potassium and ammonia, excesses of which would harm the leopard gecko. The bladder serves as a water storage organ, as urates produced as waste material can bypass the bladder and are passed straight into the cloaca. The cilia (wavy tentaclelike projections) in the intestine suspend the urea crystals and allow their passage to the cloaca. This process allows for the removal of waste chemical compounds from the body while allowing for maximum water conservation. Without this mechanism, desert-dwelling reptiles like the leopard gecko would become dehydrated, as the normal mechanism for removing uric acid from the body in mammals needs large quantities of water. Toxic compounds would quickly build up, killing the reptile, if this method of uric acid disposal was used in conjunction with minimal water intake.

    Abnormal Urates

    • The urates should be soft when deposited. Abnormal urates of a darker yellow, orange or reddish color can mean breeding season, a parasite infection, severe dehydration or possibly kidney stones. Seek veterinary advice if you are in any doubt, as the leopard gecko could quickly deteriorate in health.