Cautiously optimistic that the hunger strike has ended!

[CorgiNole]

Miss Goldie http://www.geckosunlimited.com/community/leopard-geckos-general-info-intros-pics/73574-introduction-goldie-speedie.html stopped eating sometime December. In January & February - she had three vet visits for a double eye infection and her anorexic behaviors - so since mid January I've been feeding her carnivore care by the drop on her snout.

A few weeks ago, we also tried reintroducing crickets - and she gave me hope by eating four small ones one night and then returned to snubbing them... she would not touch a mealworm and demonstrated her disdain when our vet tried force feeding by flinging it across the room. So for the last two or three weeks it has been mostly Carnivore care and one or two tiny crickets (she won't hunt them - so I have been offering on tongs or from my fingers if they are big enough).

Yesterday my order of Phoenix worms arrived. So far she has eaten 8 medium phoenix worms and added 2 meal worms to the mix. Overnight someone (Goldie or Speedie) cleared out a bowlful of phoenix worms as well - though I do have to check this evening to see if they are hiding in the tank somewhere... I think my next order will be the large worms as the mediums are smaller than I expected.

I think both of us are ready to end the nightly Carnivore Care sessions! Her energy level is high, and I'd like to stop stressing her multiple times daily to administer eye drops and feed and bathe. She is due to shed this weekend (she has been on a pretty stable 10 day schedule for shedding) and it would be nice if she can do it without assistance this time - even nicer if she will go more than 10 days between shedding...

So - my advice to others who have geckos on hunger strike is to find an alternative food source at least for a little while. Variety can help to pique their interest in eating again. I'm planning to add in silk and horn worms as the spring progresses - just have to figure out a system to keep them alive. Very sad that I do have to order online as we don't have a local source for anything but meal and super worms.

Cheers, K

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Another interesting read, K. :banana:

Just in case you have not seen this, these tips have worked well for me: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...feeding-issues/68585-hornworm-guidelines.html

 

[CorgiNole]

Thanks - yes I have read about the Hornworms. Once I get the girls eating regularly, I'm going to try them as I'd rather not end up with a bunch of really big (unfeedable worms). We don't have an ideal setup for keeping worms at 50 degrees (and I have no desire to invest in a wine cooler - nor space to keep one). We do have a small igloo cooler that can be used for storage.

We did not find any wandering worms when we cleaned the tank last night, and the bowl was empty again this morning, so happily someone is munching on them.

Cheers, K

 

[CorgiNole]

So, it has been awhile since I provided a Goldie update.

She is finally at a healthy weight. She had dropped to as low as 45 grams while were were doing supplemental feeding at the end of February/early March.

Last night she weighed in at 65 grams, which visually also looks like a healthy weight for her.

She is devouring crickets and a happy hunter.

Her partner in crime, Miss Speedie, is at 61 grams - and still looks obese (she is shorter in length than Goldie so the weight shows differently). She has most success capturing her crickets inside the hides where she can corner them, so I don't see her eating as frequently as the mighty hunter.

We are still giving Goldie eyedrops, though on an irregular basis, so as not to overstress her. She still squints, and I think there is some loss of vision - but it is not affecting her willingness to hunt. She will also take crickets from my fingers.

I overfed crickets last night (way more in the tube than I expected) so had to do some of my own cricket hunting to gather the excess and return them to tell their tale of horror to the 'crypt keeper' as my husband now terms the cricket keeper.

Cheers, K

 

[hmarie186]

Side note- I found a wine cooler on craigslist for $25. You can definitely find them cheap if you go that route, if you ever find the space

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

So, it has been awhile since I provided a Goldie update.

She is finally at a healthy weight. She had dropped to as low as 45 grams while were were doing supplemental feeding at the end of February/early March.

Last night she weighed in at 65 grams, which visually also looks like a healthy weight for her.

She is devouring crickets and a happy hunter.

Her partner in crime, Miss Speedie, is at 61 grams - and still looks obese (she is shorter in length than Goldie so the weight shows differently). She has most success capturing her crickets inside the hides where she can corner them, so I don't see her eating as frequently as the mighty hunter.

We are still giving Goldie eyedrops, though on an irregular basis, so as not to overstress her. She still squints, and I think there is some loss of vision - but it is not affecting her willingness to hunt. She will also take crickets from my fingers.

I overfed crickets last night (way more in the tube than I expected) so had to do some of my own cricket hunting to gather the excess and return them to tell their tale of horror to the 'crypt keeper' as my husband now terms the cricket keeper.

Cheers, K

Hi K ~

Just look at the success of your months of TLC! :yahoo: for your leos!