HELP! New Leo not hunting, and throwing up!

Matusallem

New member
A friend gave me a sick leo, he says that if I can save him I can keep it. Its a tremper sunglow. This gecko is about 4 months old, only weights 6 grams! Long, but skinny, pencil tail. The feces are normal. It won't hunt, and last night I force fed 5 mealworms, only to find all of it thrown up. Please, I need to know what to do. There are no reptile vets where I live.


Thanks,

Sam
 

vz5dzh

New member
There are some recipes for a slurry you could make and try to feed him. Maybe try smaller amounts of food at once. 1 mealworm and let it sit and then try another?

How are the temps in his tank? What type of substrate is in there? Can you shine a light through his back and look at his belly to see if there is anything stuck in there?
 

Matusallem

New member
Substrate: Paper Towel
Avg temp.: 28 C
Light test: Nothing on tract.
Force Feeding method: I gave one mealworm, waited for the gecko to swallow and then fed another, a total of 5.

I could provide pictures of the gecko next to a ruler so that the size can be seen. I feel like it is going to die if I am not able to put on its weight real fast!

About the liquid feeding, I am afraid of drowning it.
 

vz5dzh

New member
Mine is on a syringe diet right now because he regurgitated his food and had runny stool. I took him to the vet and his belly is full of fluid. He is like bloated.

At any rate, the vet gave me food to feed him with a syringe. You could also try chicken baby food. The one that is just chicken, not chicken and veggies. I mix it with a little water and put in some of his calcium powder and reptivitamins for good measure. Then I put it in the syringe and just put drops on his nose and he licks them off. I don't cram it in his mouth. I've been feeding him like this for a few days now and both of us are getting pretty good at it.

I have put a waxworm in his bowl on two occasions and he has eatten it too. We've tried offering crickets and mealworms, but he isn't taking them now. I'm just happy getting anything in his belly at this point.
 

Matusallem

New member
Wow.. that sounds good. At least yours is eating waxworms. Where I live things are so sucky, there aren't even waxworms. I am like the only mealworms and superworms breeder in my country.
 

vz5dzh

New member
Around here peiple use waxworms as bait for fishing so I can get them cheaper at the bait shop than at the pet store. My husband pointed that out to me.
 

gizmo143

New member
just found this on another post for a sick leo:

Golden Gate Geckos Slurry:

This slurry was developed years ago when I was trying to rehabilitate sick geckos. It has saved the lives of many geckos, and is being recommended and used by many veterinarians and Universities now. Keep in mind that this slurry IS NOT medicine, nor will it cure anything! It is designed to be used as nutrition for anorexic geckos that are off-food and being treated by a veterinarian for a diagnosed clinical disease or illness.

Here is my recipe for the mixture:


In a blender, combine:

1 small can Hill's A/D pet food (available at most vets)

1 jar baby food squash cup Ensure (not chocolate)

¼ cup Ensure (not chocolate)

¼ cup Pedialite

Contents of 2 capsules Milk Thistle (herbal supplement, liver purifier, found at most drug stores)

¼ tsp. each calcium powder and herp vitamin powder

3-5 X-large handfuls of mealworms, added slowly while mixture is blending, until consistency of milkshake


Puree all ingredients until completely smooth, and pour into ice cube tray and freeze. Store frozen cubes in zip-lock bag in the freezer until ready to use, then thaw out 1 cube at a time and store in fridge for 2-3 days. You can use the empty baby food jar for this purpose, washing it thoroughly after each batch.

Using this mixture, draw a full 1ml dropper (eye dropper type) for adults, and 1/2 dropper for juveniles, and place a drop on the gecko's nose, and avoid plugging the nostrils. Be patient and do not force-feed! The gecko will lick it off its nose, and as it does, slowly squeeze out a little at a time as the gecko licks it. Be careful not to let the gecko choke, allowing for time to swallow. Most geckos love this food, and will lap it up. Patience is a key factor!
 
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