Leopard Gecko not eating; I'VE TRIED EVERYTHING! HELP!

[Emmalou]

Hi, I'm new to owning a reptile and have been trying really hard to keep mine healthy. I bought my leopard gecko a little over a month ago and it was very small. I wasn't sure exactly what to do, so I followed the people at Petsmart's advice. So, they told me to buy a terrarium that was meant for tarantulas? With loose wooden substrate. I started doing some research and learned that it was bad for my leo. So, I took the substrate out and replaced it with carpet. Anyway, my gecko was doing great for the first few weeks. It was eating well and drank well. No problems at all. Well, it stopped eating for about 5 days and I was very concerned. Then it shed so I thought maybe it was not eating because it was about to shed. It's been about 4 days since the shed and my leo has yet to eat or use the bathroom. I bought a larger 10 gallon tank and still use the carpet. The temperature stays between 80-85 degrees all day and humidity stays at 30%. I don't know why it won't eat. It's getting thinner in the tall, but I see no signs of impaction. My leo is very alert and shows no signs of lethargy. It shows no interest in food whatsoever, but drinks lots and lots of water. I keep an undertank heater on under half of the tank and the other side a bit cooler. I've tried switching foods and warm baths. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. I feel so helpless!

Any ideas anyone?
-Emma

 

[Mardy]

Could you take a picture of your tank? Also a pic of the belly of the gecko would help too.

Your temperature should be at least 90-95 degrees F on the warm side. The temperature reading should be on the floor of the carpet, not the air temperature. So make sure you get the proper reading with a digital thermometer with a probe.

What do you feed the gecko? Do you have enough hides inside to make him feel secure? My lil juvie went through a shed recently and she didn't eat for 3-4 days. I was worried for awhile but I didn't see any impaction by looking at her belly, and nothing really seemed wrong so I just left her alone. She then started eating again on her own just fine. Without seeing your gecko or the environment situation, it's really hard to give advice.

But if you have been opening the tank and taking her out every day, sometimes they just need to be left alone for awhile with a dish of mealworms & clean water. If your temperature is correct, and she doesn't have other problems, she should start eating soon. Sometimes a combination of you changing the tank, taking her out for warm baths, and changing feeders can cause them enough stress to not want to eat. So if you have not tried leaving her alone in her tank for a day or two without opening it up, give that a try and see if she'll take bites to the mealworms. Just use a mealworm escape proof dish, and count the number you put in there. That way in a day or two you can count again to see if she ate any.

Good luck. If all else fails, a vet visit may be necessary. Also if you haven't weighed her, it'll be good to get a gram scale and track her weight. It's often a better way to tell if your leopard gecko is healthy.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi, I'm new to owning a reptile and have been trying really hard to keep mine healthy. I bought my leopard gecko a little over a month ago and it was very small. I wasn't sure exactly what to do, so I followed the people at Petsmart's advice. So, they told me to buy a terrarium that was meant for tarantulas? With loose wooden substrate. I started doing some research and learned that it was bad for my leo. So, I took the substrate out and replaced it with carpet. Anyway, my gecko was doing great for the first few weeks. It was eating well and drank well. No problems at all. Well, it stopped eating for about 5 days and I was very concerned. Then it shed so I thought maybe it was not eating because it was about to shed. It's been about 4 days since the shed and my leo has yet to eat or use the bathroom. I bought a larger 10 gallon tank and still use the carpet. The temperature stays between 80-85 degrees all day and humidity stays at 30%. I don't know why it won't eat. It's getting thinner in the tall, but I see no signs of impaction. My leo is very alert and shows no signs of lethargy. It shows no interest in food whatsoever, but drinks lots and lots of water. I keep an undertank heater on under half of the tank and the other side a bit cooler. I've tried switching foods and warm baths. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. I feel so helpless!

Any ideas anyone?
-Emma

Emma ~

As Mardy says, leos need 90-95 F temps on the warm side of the tank with belly heat in oder to digest their food. Leos like it dry.

Are you lightly dusting its prey with a phosphorous-free calcium supplement with D3?

Here is my leo care sheet. Please check it out for specifics: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...pard-gecko-care-recommendations-nutshell.html

 

[Emmalou]

Hi there. Thank you two so much for your responses. Sorry I haven't posted any photos as I am on vacation. When I return I will post pictures just in case!

But good news! Thanks to you guys my Leo has started eating and has gone to the bathroom :biggrin: I am so glad that everything is back to normal. My tank stays between 90 and 95 degrees and I know that helped so much! It is acting the same as when I bought it and is active and seems to have perked up a lot!

Again, thank you for your timely responses. They saved my Leo. You guys are awesome! Also, if you know any tips that make for a super happy leopard gecko, please let me know! I need all the help I can get and want it to feel as comfortable as possible.

And one last thing, what's the soonest you can sex a leopard gecko? I can't tell the difference at this point :roll:

Thanks again!!! All the best!
-Emma

 

[Yoshi'smom]

Good to heard your little one is doing well! You can usually sex a leo sometime after 5-6 months. Mine was difficult and I couldn't tell untill he was about 7 months. So it depends...

 

[MauricesExoticPets]

You should be able to tell by 9 months of age (rate of development differs depending on diet and other factors such as temperature and access to hydration), never the less yours is more than likely a female. Some of us can tell the sex of a leopard gecko much earlier with pretty good accuracy, but its never 100% clear until the sexual characteristics of male and female anatomy are visible.

Most breeders incubate leopard geckos at a temperature that produces mostly females, this allows them to become future breeders and reduces pet shop fighting that would happen in a male heavy group.

Maurice Pudlo

 

[M&S-328]

I too would love to see pictures so we can help asses anything else that can be done to help you and your leo out!


Do you know how old it is?
You mentioned the tail was getting skinny - so thats something Im a little concerned about. If a leo's tail gets too small then its typically a very bad sign for heath. So a few pictures would really be great!

Its wonderful to hear that he/she is eating again though! see? with just a few minor adjustments things can be made "perfect!" =]

 

[Emmalou]

I don’t think my leo is very old at all. It is only about 5 inches long and I’ve had it almost 2 months. It’s tail had gotten thinner since it had stopped eating, however, it was not ‘emaciated’ looking. It still had a plumpness to it.

My boyfriend is taking care of my leo while I’m on vacation and he has been keeping me up-to-date.

Today he informed me that there were several white stains on the carpet…. So now I’m paranoid again. I hate not being there and being unable to see what’s wrong. I hope my leo isn’t regurgitating it's food. It used to eat from my fingers, but won’t go near my boyfriend’s hand. So now, I’m not sure if my leo is eating. AH!!! The tank’s climate has been correct. Am I just being a worrywart?

I have a few pictures to share. Probably won’t be able to assess much. But I wouldn’t mind posting them :biggrin:

(They are a few weeks old)

 

[Emmalou]

My boyfriend just sent me this picture of my leo. He looks so awful

 

[Sally]

Did your boyfriend try to feed wax moth larvae? Most of my geckos eat them eagerly, even if they refuse feed.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I don’t think my leo is very old at all. It is only about 5 inches long and I’ve had it almost 2 months. It’s tail had gotten thinner since it had stopped eating, however, it was not ‘emaciated’ looking. It still had a plumpness to it.

My boyfriend is taking care of my leo while I’m on vacation and he has been keeping me up-to-date.

Today he informed me that there were several white stains on the carpet…. So now I’m paranoid again. I hate not being there and being unable to see what’s wrong. I hope my leo isn’t regurgitating it's food. It used to eat from my fingers, but won’t go near my boyfriend’s hand. So now, I’m not sure if my leo is eating. AH!!! The tank’s climate has been correct. Am I just being a worrywart?

I have a few pictures to share. Probably won’t be able to assess much. But I wouldn’t mind posting them :biggrin:

(They are a few weeks old)

How are you heating this leo's cage? UTH, bright white lights, red bulbs, ceramic heat emitters? If you are using fluorescent lighting or white light bulbs, these may be stressing your leo. The latter are way too bright for a leo.

 

[Emmalou]

No, he hasn’t tried that. I have mealworms, small crickets and wax worms to feed my leo. Im not sure where to get wax moth larvae? I’ve never seen them in any pet store.

 

[M&S-328]

Well it definitely seems time for a Vet visit.

Its possible your leo has a virus or parasites that is causing it to lose its appetite. Or, perhaps it had gotten impacted just a little before you bought it and now that has built up more.
No matter what it is, your leos weight is not good. Im sorry to be harsh, but I've had a recent loss of one of my own leopard geckos due to a pretty nasty virus. So I know the importance to Vet visits and getting your leo checked out and (hopefully) on an antibiotic or parasite "remover" to better its recovery process.

And to make sure your leo has the best recovery environment: do not use bright lights in or around the tank - heat your tank with a UTH and if more heat is necessary invest in a ceramic emitter bulb (no light). Keep a constant source (bowl) of fresh water in the tank. Keep a constant source of appropriately sized mealworms in an "escape-proof" dish (ceramic). Attempt to feed your leo everyday in the late evening/night (when they are most active). Do not handle your leo during its recovery time unless you are removing it to clean its tank - in which case place it in a secondary box or tub with one of its hides while you clean.

Please just get your leo in for a vet visit very soon. If it has an internal problem you can fix (and I hope that is true) then you will be very very relieved you caught it in time.
Best of luck to you

 

[Emmalou]

How much is a vet visit usually?

 

[Saskia]

Maybe I am not understanding well, your leo isn't eating again??? it's tail looks thin but deffinitely not skinny, is it eating or did it stop eating again? I really can't tell how much for a vet visit since I don't live on the states...

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

How much is a vet visit usually?

Emmalou ~

Best thing to do is contact your vet about the cost. Try to find a vet who specializes in exotics (which includes lizards).

 

[Emmalou]

Yes, it's stopped eating again. No poops either. Only lots of water. I returned home from vacation tonight and immediately tried to make it eat and failed miserably. It bit me And I was being as gentle as possible I would like to try the concoction with the baby food. If anyone knows the best recipe, please, help a sister out! I was looking at it's belly and it's not dark like impaction, but does seem to have some white looking balls in it? It even looks full, but not of food. It's late, or early should I say, and I know I've stressed out the poor thing so I will post pictures first thing tomorrow. Maybe it's a she and SHE is gravid? I just didn't think such a little thing could be at this age. My guess is it's at least 3 months old.

And thanks for the vet advice. I don't know where the nearest exotic vet is, i live in Podunk Town, but I've been doing so much research to find out what is going on. I think we're both stressed at this point But I've found several extremely helpful resources that have offered to take a look and meds if necessary.

Thank you guys so much for keeping in touch. It's helped out so much. It's nice to know I'm not alone in this <3

 

[Emmalou]

Also, it's nice to hear my Leo is not deathly thin :roll:

 

[Saskia]

Hi Emma!!

I've been there girl, I know how you feel.... it is indeed a possibility that she is gravid, some geckos stop eating when they are about to lay eggs, and is you see white circles that's usually the way eggs look like! How much does she weight?? she looks older than 3 months to me... if she is over 30 grames she could be gravid, not in the best condition but deffinitely a possibility!
IF she is the first thing you need to do is decide whether you are going to keep the eggs (incubate them) or just toss them, and second, provide her with a lay box IMMEDIATELY, because if they don't have a laying spot the hold the eggs inside and that can lead to major problems!
Post a picture of the belly if you can and we'll be able to tell you if she is gravid, put her in a transparent surface (like a glass jar) and take a picture from the bottom, if she is gravid you should NOT try feeding her with baby food, just wait until she lays and she will be starving immediately after that, please as soon as you read this take a shallow plastic box, (about 2 inches deep) and fill it with moist substrate (vermiculite is ideal, other options are: sand, earth, you'll find options in most gardening stores) moist it well (not tooooooo moist for it to leak) and put it in her enclosure, on the hot side, after that try to get a picture, and post it, and try to decide if you want to incubate eggs and take care of babies (you'll need to buy an incubator, another tank, another complete setup, etc) if you don't, just toss the eggs when she lays them, there is nothing wrong with that, keep us posted ok?? and forget about the baby food for today until you are absolutely sure she is not gravid

 

[Emmalou]

Saskia, thank you for your advice. I have taken pictures and I think I got a decent one, but it looks all clear. I still put in a box for my leo to lay eggs in. So far, I think I’ve ruled out impaction as a cause for it not eating. Maybe it’s stress? It did defecate, but it’s all white and not very big. I may just buy some parasite medication because I feel that’s my only option left.