Not eating and staying in hide

[Deb]

My Baby, about 1-1/2 years old, has started staying in his/her hide under a paper towel and does not eat unless I give him/her wax worms. Any ideas. We put him/her in a new vivarium about a month and a half ago and behavior has changed ever since but does not seem to be losing weight. Not sure of sex - have looked many times and am just not sure. If female, could she be wanting to lay an egg?

 

[hyposhawn]

He/she probably got addicted to wax worms. When he gets hungry enough he'll eat something else. The temperatures are probably to high or low which is causing s lethargic Leo.

 

[Deb]

Thank you, but I think my temps seem right -- cool side is around 70-72, warm side is pretty steady at 90-92 degrees. Any other ideas? Yesterday I took the hide out and he/she came out but went into another hide. I was thinking the wax worms got addicting too -- kinda like me and chocolate!! I started the wax because of the new vivarium and he wasn't eating once s/he went into it. He/she is still chubby and the tail is fat so I'm sure all is well. Just worry, that's all. I adore my geckie and want him/her to be healthy!!! My husband built a HUGE and goregous vivarium for him/her and ever since the behavior has been different. Anyway, thank you again! I'll keep offering mealies and hopefully s/he'll get hungry enough to eat!

 

[Allee Toler]

I'd leave your little one alone. GiGi didn't eat for nearly two weeks when we switched her from her 10 to her 20long.

What I did was take a container, like a food container? Took off the lid. Cut a hole about 1 inch from the bottom. Put 10 superworms into it. Put it in the cool side, and put a rock on the outside of the entrance for easy access.

I left it there. So if she DID get hungry, she'd have food. They're animals. When they're hungry,they'll search for food. If it's there, they'll find it.

Not even two days after putting it in there, she ate them. In the middle of the night. Came back, and there was only a couple left.

I chose supers over mealies because they move a lot more. It keeps them interested in them.

 

[Sommer]

If he/she is healthy in size I would leave he/she alone for 10-14 days only with fresh water every other day. This ensures that there will be no stress, and that it will get hungry!

Then just give one mealworm/dubia/cricket/whatever each day after, until it is eating perfectly and let it thereafter eat whatever it wants. That helped for some of the geckos I have had problems with - and a few that I took care of for a girl.

The behavior change could be because you worry to much for your animal. I don't know if you do so, but many people tend to say "OHH It is losing weight, let us check it every second hour" - resulting in a even more stressed gecko. As said I don't know how you do, but don't handle it unless you need to.

Also for the behavior changes: Do it have plenty of hides? A humid box? Etc...

I cannot remember who told me the method above, but it works.

 

[Allee Toler]

Not handle a gecko? I always handle mine. If I don't, she'll wig out. She constantly tries to climb out of her terrarium the moment she see's me put my purse down. She's out a good four+ hours a day. She'll snuggle in my hoodie, or my pocket. She also lets me know when she's done. She starts to walk away from me. Lol. She's attached to me and my boyfriend. She needs to be near us as much as possible.

But I guess I do after all have an odd gecko. I've never seen a gecko eat pages from a book, climb and sit at the top of the valance, or love to sit in water.

Is that NORMAL?? You think she's fine? and just... eccentric? Haha. She's like the family dog. She likes to play. She'll walk over to your fingers and lean on them and scratch her side. She's quite quirky.

 

[Deb]

Thank you for the help. Handle versus not handle? Before we gave him his new viv he liked or at least tolerated being handled, but now not so much. I'm definitely a worrier but I don't go in his viv very often -- I'm trying to let him be, but when he is hidden under that paper towel inside the hide (which is a food container turned upside down) for days on end I worry that he's died . . . I don't know his weight but he is chubby and has a fat tail. His eyes are clear, there's no nasal drainage. I watched him shed about a month ago and he shed quickly and easily - 40 minutes start to finish. I think I'm being paraoid!! I love him so much!! He used to be out more and I enjoyed sitting and watching him, but now I don't get to see him and I miss him!! I'm going to a show in April and hope to get another one. I will be housing that one in my original tank for several months before I introduce them to each other. I hope to get one that is a bit more cuddly!!:banana:

 

[Holly123]

Hey - I think what Sommer meant was to leave the Gecko alone to prevent as much stress as possible and then you can start handling it once it has settled in!

 

[Deb]

Oh, yes, I did understand what Sommer meant! Thankyou! Just how long does it take to settle in, though? He's been in there for nearly two months now. I'm sure I'm just being paranoid . . . He's my first gecko. I just want him to thrive!! And I really wish I could know for sure if he is male or female. I think I'm going to take him to a local herp store once it warms up a bit and see if they can tell for sure. Sometimes I think it's a male, sometimes female. There does appear to be the hemipenal bumps but they are tiny and I'm not sure if they are "real" or not!! LOL!! With the hiding I wonder if she is female and getting ready to lay a clutch. So much to still learn!!!

 

[Holly123]

LOL! Dont worry im right there with you! Beginner here! It depends on the gecko (which I know doesnt help!) But if your worried, however paranoid you think you are being take him to the vet, even if its just for your own peace of mind Im sure theres nothing wrong with him - he's eating and keeping weight on so thats the main thing

 

[Deb]

Well, he's only eating wax worms, which I am going to stop as they are so high in fat and not terribly nutritional. He always ate mealies before but he's turned his nose up at them since being in his new vivarium (which was why I tried the wax to see if I could entice him to eat). I'm acutally successfully "breeding" meal worms!! I'm so excited! AFter several attempts I finally got the process right! YAY for me! Someone said to try super worms -- have you ever seen those suckers? Scary! I might get some though just to see if he likes them. I'll be investing in tweezers though -- no way I'm touching those monsters. :yikes::yikes:

 

[Holly123]

Haha! Already got my tweezers lol!! Definatley worth a go! Good luck!

 

[Deb]

Holly, how many geckos do you have? What kinds?

 

[Holly123]

Well I had my little boy a Hypo, for 6months but he had to be put down about a month ago :'( still sooo gutted He wasn't eating much and kept losing weight so I took him to the vets. Apparently he was born with a deformorty that prevented his liver and kidneys from growing properly. Sooo upsetting, I tried so hard with him, very gutted. On a brighter note, I should be collecting my new gecko tomorrow, a Sunglow, very gorgeous and very reasonably priced lol!

How about you? What kind is this little guy or girl lol!

 

[Deb]

Oh, Holly, I'm so sorry. That's horrible. At least you know it was nothing you did or didn't do. I'm so sorry. I cannot even imagine losing my Baby. I never thought I would be so attached to a lizard. I'm glad you are getting another gecko!! I do not really know what kind mine is. He is yellow on yellow with some white in his tail and more yello. He's beautiful! My son got him with his girlfriend almost two years ago and they got two. The gecks were housed in my son's room, which is in the basement and quite cool. We did not know it was too cold for them and the other one eventually passed -- devastated me as she was GORGEOUS with a lot of bright orange. We brought the remaining one upstairs and he became mine as the kids were not taking care of them properly. He started to grow instantly!! He will be two this summer.

 

[Sommer]

Not handle a gecko? I always handle mine. If I don't, she'll wig out. She constantly tries to climb out of her terrarium the moment she see's me put my purse down. She's out a good four+ hours a day. She'll snuggle in my hoodie, or my pocket. She also lets me know when she's done. She starts to walk away from me. Lol. She's attached to me and my boyfriend. She needs to be near us as much as possible.

But I guess I do after all have an odd gecko. I've never seen a gecko eat pages from a book, climb and sit at the top of the valance, or love to sit in water.

Is that NORMAL?? You think she's fine? and just... eccentric? Haha. She's like the family dog. She likes to play. She'll walk over to your fingers and lean on them and scratch her side. She's quite quirky.

That it wants to go out is not because it wants you to hug it or kiss it. If you were smaller it would eat you if possible. I think you put WAY TO MUCH humanfeelings inside your little gecko. If it stays at your hand, it likes the heat. If it walks down in your pocket it "thinks": 'Uhh, a warm little cave I can hide in! My instincts tells me that is right for me!'

I am sorry, but I simply don't believe a gecko "likes to play", and definately not that it can be a family dog.

That is however my opinion.

When that is said my nephews love to take out my macularius - but always under strict supervision. But as said, I do not see a gecko as a pet at all - but as a fish in a aquarium, which has the benefit that it can be handled ones in a while. But four hours a day?!?

 

[Deb]

Oh my gosh. Well, with deepest respect, I see nothing wrong with enjoying a pet especially if the pet seems to respond. All of my pets become part of my family. I would not dream of putting one of my children in an enclosure and just observing them every so often. And I do not do this with any of my other pets either. I have three dogs, a box turtle and this gecko. I interact with all five animals on a daily basis, multiple times a day; just as I would any member of my family who was in the house with me all day long. Fish are a different matter -- they cannot be handled. geckos and turtles, dogs, cats, rats, mice, gerbils, guinea pigs, hampsters, etc. all can be handled and I beleive enjoy the human loving contact. But you are completely entitled to your opinion and I appreciate that you shared that with all of us. I just think you might be missing out on some great bonding experiences!!

 

[Holly123]

Thats okay Loved him to bits but unfortuanatly these things happen.
Hmm well yours sounds like it could be a Sunglow aswell...maybe? lol!! You should post some pics

 

[Deb]

Ok, I'm going to try to post a pic. Never did this before so if I do it wrong or if there is a better way, please let me know!!
Ok --- guess I know even less than I thought I did because I can't seem to get a picture to load. Any help? So sorry to be dense!!

 

[Holly123]

Never done it before either! lol!!