Impaction Playbook

Impaction is when something a gecko ate, or something the gecko ingested with what it ate, gets stuck in the gastrointestinal tract. In leopard geckos, the most common cause is loose substrate. In juveniles of either species, oversize prey is the next most common cause. Untreated impaction kills.

The Impaction Playbook gives the keeper a clear immediate action (warm shallow soak), names what the actual fix is (substrate change), and provides the vet escalation criteria so the keeper knows when home protocol stops working and the vet starts.

What the document does:

It defines what impaction looks like and what it is not, names the most common causes (loose substrate, oversize prey, low temps, dehydration), gives a today checklist starting with the warm shallow soak, lists what not to do (no force-feeding, no mineral oil, no abdominal massage), and sets the vet escalation criteria.

What is included:

• Definition of impaction versus constipation, gravid females, and urate plugs
• Most common causes (loose substrate, oversized prey, chronic low temperatures, dehydration)
• Warm shallow soak protocol (lukewarm water around 80 to 85 F, depth at chin level, 10 to 15 minutes)
• Immediate substrate change to paper towel for the recovery period plus 30 days
• What not to do (no force-feeding, no mineral oil, no abdominal massage)
• Six vet-now triggers including no defecation after warm soak and 5 days, distended belly, lethargy
• What the vet will likely do (radiograph plus supportive care or surgery)
• Prevention with paper towel substrate, prey sizing rule, stable temperatures, hydration

Format and how it works:

Word version (.docx) for editing and a PDF version for printing. Most keepers print and clip into the kit binder. The playbook is written to be referenced under stress so the structure is dense and the warm-soak protocol is the most visible piece.

Why this version is different:

Most impaction guides treat the warm soak as the cure. The Impaction Playbook treats the soak as triage and names substrate change as the actual fix. That framing prevents the recurring-impaction pattern where the keeper soaks and recovers and re-impacts because the substrate never changed.

Who this is for:

For gecko keepers managing an active impaction episode and for breeders sending buyers home with a clear understanding of why substrate matters more than aesthetics. Pairs with the Symptom Triage Flowchart (which routes here when no-defecation flags vet-now), the Daily Husbandry Log, and the Vet Now Checklist.

Get the playbook on its own, or open the bundle for the full kit at volume pricing.