Leopard Gecko Sobe isn't growing...?
- Thread starter Geck-oh
- Start date
Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
How old is he? How often and what are you feeding him? Are you monitoring his weight? Is he pooping?
Youngsters should be fed just about daily.
Lenewen
New member
we need more information on what you mean by "not growing" and how you are measuring growth to be able to help you.
I am not sure how old he was when I got him from the pet store, but I assume he was a month or so old. I do feed him daily, I have put calcium in the tank, I dust his food with calcium+D3, I just today switched up his food he now eats mealworms and crickets, just for some variety, I use a UTH, I do not have an over the tank heater, His warm side temps usually range in the 90-95 are, it does have have its high days but not dangerously high. He is usually a hearty and active eater and never has problems pooping. Is it just to soon to physically see a difference in size? I thought everything was good but my cousin got one a few days after me, and his was about the same size. He is doing everything wrong, I mean sand, one hide not humid, no UTH, just throws in crickets and leaves them, no moist hide, not monitoring temps or humidity, and STILL his has grown signifigantly, where as I am trying to do everything I can to make the conditions in the tank good, and it just isn't working. P.S. before you guys say anything trust me I have told my cousin time and time again, printed him care guides, everything he just wont listen to me when I tell him what hes doing is wrong.
Well unfortunately for the animals, people like your cousin exist. Now spend 15 dollars on Amazon.com and get a scale. Without numbers nobody can really help you. We cannot see your gecko. We have no idea how big he was when you got him or how his body has changed since you got him and thus it is difficult to give you advice. It is ALWAYS good practice to weigh your animals (dogs, cats, geckos, everything) and keep track of their basic dimensions so that when something does go wrong it is easier to figure out what that something is. That being said any number of things other than care can explain growth rates including genetics. For instance I have 5 juveniles/hatchlings all born within 10 days of each other. The oldest will be 8 weeks old as of tomorrow and is 24 grams and just over 7 inches long while the youngest is 11 grams and 5 inches long. The other 3 are all about the same at 15 grams +/- 1 gram and around 6 inches. I have cared for all of them from eggs but I have fed them based on what they would take. Ultimately, however, the differentiation is probably genetics. A good for instance is mack snows are notorious for being small and slow growers.
The only other thing I might consider (assuming your husbandry is spot on) is are you feeding him enough? Each of my guys eats 10-15 food items each and every night and when I say food items I mean large mealworms or 4 weeks old (1/2 inch) crickets. On some nights or after I have had to skip a night they may eat as many as 20 food items but it varies slightly from night to night. One thing you can try that works pretty well for packing on the grams with some of my faster growing boys is I coat a couple mealworms in Repashy CGD (I have cresties as well). I make up a small amount of the MRP and dip one end of the mealworm in it and feed it to them like normal. They will not love the taste, mine will usually only take 2-3 that way each night but once they eat a few like that give them a few regulars too. It is pretty much pure balanced nutrition and great for weight gain and growth.
The only other thing I might consider (assuming your husbandry is spot on) is are you feeding him enough? Each of my guys eats 10-15 food items each and every night and when I say food items I mean large mealworms or 4 weeks old (1/2 inch) crickets. On some nights or after I have had to skip a night they may eat as many as 20 food items but it varies slightly from night to night. One thing you can try that works pretty well for packing on the grams with some of my faster growing boys is I coat a couple mealworms in Repashy CGD (I have cresties as well). I make up a small amount of the MRP and dip one end of the mealworm in it and feed it to them like normal. They will not love the taste, mine will usually only take 2-3 that way each night but once they eat a few like that give them a few regulars too. It is pretty much pure balanced nutrition and great for weight gain and growth.
Pokeefe88
New member
Well Then just make sure you are giving him the best possible care and that his feeders are gut loaded properly and dusted
Also I am not sure but do Leos only grow when they shed as juveniles? Or are they constantly growing.
Mardy
New member
Leopard geckos also grow at different rates, this is due to genetics, and how some are simply born runts. So you really can't compare the growth rate of the two.
You just gotta make sure you do everything you can to properly care for your gecko, and keep his environment healthy. Your leopard gecko will be fine and happy.
You just gotta make sure you do everything you can to properly care for your gecko, and keep his environment healthy. Your leopard gecko will be fine and happy.
Mardy
New member
They gain weight without shedding. The boy in my icon picture hasn't shed once in the past month but he gained over 10g.
Pokeefe88
New member
Ah okay, I should have phrased mine better whoops. I know they gain weight without shedding but do they grow length-wise without shedding?
I tried measuring Alera again however she doesn't sit still unless she's away from me or I'm holding her and then she doesn't sit fully extended
She's about 5 in give or take half an inch and about 14.5 g at 2 months. Think about shedding like when you were growing. You bought a shirt that fit but maybe was a little big. The shirt stayed the same size but you grew. Eventually the shirt gets a little to snug to be comfortable so you got rid of it and got a bigger shirt to replace it. They grow and expand in their skin which stretches until it gets too tight, when that happens they shed the tight skin off and allow the new layer of skin they develop to start to stretch until they shed again.
Ok so heres an odd question, I fed sobe today, I threw in four or five crickets (dusted) and he just stared at them. Tossed in 3 mealworms, and wham he snags two of them. Obviously he prefers the mealworms, is that normal? also I know he ate a lot yesterday, but he only ate two mealworms, is that normal?
Yoshi'smom
New member
My guy almost always prefers mealworms. He's usually lazy and won't go after crickets.
M&S-328
New member
Please post a few pictures of your leo. That will really really help us to help you.
Sometimes not growing is an indication of illness, so honestly the absolute best thing you can do right now is take your leo for a vet check up.
A good idea to encourage better eating habits is to leave a feeding dish in the tank at all times filled with either mealworms or crickets (with their back legs removed so they cant hop out). Then your leo will be able to pick at the food whenever it feels a little hungry during the night or day.
Good luck and please remember to post some pictures!
Sometimes not growing is an indication of illness, so honestly the absolute best thing you can do right now is take your leo for a vet check up.
A good idea to encourage better eating habits is to leave a feeding dish in the tank at all times filled with either mealworms or crickets (with their back legs removed so they cant hop out). Then your leo will be able to pick at the food whenever it feels a little hungry during the night or day.
Good luck and please remember to post some pictures!