Overweight Leopard Gecko?

[Piranha72]

I'm a little worried about one of my geckos, Eric. She's always been a bit podgy, she was like this when I got her from her previous owner. I don't believe I overfeed her, I feed 2 - 3 times a week with the correct supplements, and she normally eats about 6-7 crickets/ locusts each time.

I weighed her along with everyone else on Sunday, and she was 70g* (before feeding). She certainly looks podgy, but I've heard of geckos weighing much more than this, so is this overweight? She's 6 years old.

She also has fat stores, again which she has always had. This concerns me, as I don't really understand why. They've changed size since I've got her, reducing for a bit when she went off her food slightly and increasing now she has a good appetite. One side always seems larger than the other. Is her feeding rountine too much? Should I reduce it to only twice a week? Her cage mate also has slight fat stores, but has thankfully gained weight since I got her as she was a bit skinny. She weighed 64g* on Sunday, and has the same feeding routine.

Any advice will be really appreciated, I'm not sure what (if anything) I'm doing wrong, and whether it warrants a vet check up.

Here are photos of Eric (the normal) and a couple of her cage mate Clementine (SHTCTB) for comparison. Pics were taken this morning, and I think Eric's fat store(s) are at the biggest they've been. (Bear in mind she is 'splatting' as I call it, spreading her weight out, because my leg is rather warm).

*EDIT: Original weights were wrong, I got confused sorry. These weights are now correct (as of Sunday).

 

[BrandonBrooks]

My friend had an overweighted gecko before. He played with it more oftenly to give it good exercise and he cut down on the mealworm treats. The gecko ended up looking alot better over a few months.

 

[cricket4u]

She looks overweight in picture 1,2 and 4. You never mentioned her feeding routine or what you feed.

 

[Piranha72]

She looks overweight in picture 1,2 and 4. You never mentioned her feeding routine or what you feed.

Hi cricket4u. Sorry if you didn't see, I did mention her feeding routine. I feed her 2-3 times a week, and she eats 6-7 crickets/small locusts each time. I don't believe this is overfeeding? Perhaps I should only ever feed her twice a week? All of those photos were taken yesterday morning, as you can see she obviously looks fatter from different angles.

I supplement 1-2 times a week with plain calcium carbonate (and leave some in with them at all times), and once with multivitamins and D3. She gets no waxworms or mealworms.

I feed the crickets/locusts on cereals such as oats and weetabix, lettuce, and pro rep 'bug grub'.

 

[pakinjak]

She doesn't look overweight to me and 70g isn't overweight for a female adult leopard gecko.

 

[cricket4u]

Hi cricket4u. Sorry if you didn't see, I did mention her feeding routine. I feed her 2-3 times a week, and she eats 6-7 crickets/small locusts each time. I don't believe this is overfeeding? Perhaps I should only ever feed her twice a week? All of those photos were taken yesterday morning, as you can see she obviously looks fatter from different angles.

I supplement 1-2 times a week with plain calcium carbonate (and leave some in with them at all times), and once with multivitamins and D3. She gets no waxworms or mealworms.

I feed the crickets/locusts on cereals such as oats and weetabix, lettuce, and pro rep 'bug grub'.

I don't have much energy to repeat everything all over again and I just woke up :biggrin: so all I will say is that it's not about the grams itself. You have to look at body proportion. For example, some geckos are small framed and 60 grams can be overweight. This gecko is overweight. You can always visit an experienced vet which I know for sure will tell you the same. The "armpit bubbles" do not belong there.

It may not be due to diet alone. It the temperatures are too low, she will have a slow metabolism. What are the temps?

 

[Piranha72]

I don't have much energy to repeat everything all over again and I just woke up :biggrin: so all I will say is that it's not about the grams itself. You have to look at body proportion. For example, some geckos are small framed and 60 grams can be overweight. This gecko is overweight. You can always visit an experienced vet which I know for sure will tell you the same. The "armpit bubbles" do not belong there.

It may not be due to diet alone. It the temperatures are too low, she will have a slow metabolism. What are the temps?

Thanks for the reply daytime warm end substrate temps are 30 C, but I have a 'magic eye' thermostat which automatically drops the temps when it gets dark. They go down to 20 C sometimes, and it doesn't seem to matter how much I adjust the stat, they're always around 21 to 22 C at night, but it says the heat mat it on full.....confusing as it seems fine in the day, so I don't understand why it may only be faulty at night.. :???:

Is this ok? I've read it can go down to this at night time safely, but I was worried about the ambient air temp last night as it was 19 C, so put the radiator next to them on low as well. Rose to 21 C again.

Do you think I should take her to the vet for a check up, to make sure there's nothing else wrong with her? Thyroid problem etc....(I don't even know if geckos have a thyroid, just a suggestion )

 

[Piranha72]

She doesn't look overweight to me and 70g isn't overweight for a female adult leopard gecko.

I feel she's pretty podgy compared to all my others though, and I worry about the fat stores under her armpits.

 

[pakinjak]

I agree about the bubbles behind the armpits, I didn't see those at first look. Like I said though, just feed her less. I will warn you that my personal experience with geckos that I'd like to slim down indicates that it's pretty hard to accomplish. The bodies of reptiles are very efficient and they are built to stand longer periods between feedings than most mammals are, so I think they hang onto the weight much longer than say you or I would.

You could certainly go to a vet, IMO it would be money wasted. I don't know what they could tell you that you don't already know. It's. Not like anybody has a weight loss plan for geckos If it were my animal and I wanted her lighter I'd increase periods between feedings and probably reduce the amount fed each time.

 

[pakinjak]

I'd heat her up too, but would also wonder why only one of your geckos has gained the weight if that's the main problem. Could just be some difference between the individual geckos i guess.

Shoot for 92-95 on the hot end down to the low 80's on the cool end.

 

[cricket4u]

This I agree with.

If it were my animal and I wanted her lighter I'd increase periods between feedings and probably reduce the amount fed each time.

80's on the cool end can cause the leo to go off food or begin glass climbing trying to escape.

 

[cricket4u]

Thanks for the reply daytime warm end substrate temps are 30 C, but I have a 'magic eye' thermostat which automatically drops the temps when it gets dark. They go down to 20 C sometimes, and it doesn't seem to matter how much I adjust the stat, they're always around 21 to 22 C at night, but it says the heat mat it on full.....confusing as it seems fine in the day, so I don't understand why it may only be faulty at night.. :???:

Is this ok? I've read it can go down to this at night time safely, but I was worried about the ambient air temp last night as it was 19 C, so put the radiator next to them on low as well. Rose to 21 C again.

Do you think I should take her to the vet for a check up, to make sure there's nothing else wrong with her? Thyroid problem etc....(I don't even know if geckos have a thyroid, just a suggestion )

I would not allow the air temp to drop below 21 C at night. Keep the heat mat on 24/7. 30 C may be too low, increase it to 32-33 C. You make need a new UTH. Are you providing an overhead source for air temps? The warm side air temp should at least be 27 C.

 

[aquamentus_11]

she's just curvaceous.

 

[Piranha72]

I would not allow the air temp to drop below 21 C at night. Keep the heat mat on 24/7. 30 C may be too low, increase it to 32-33 C. You make need a new UTH. Are you providing an overhead source for air temps? The warm side air temp should at least be 27 C.

The heat mat is on 24/7, I just can't quite get the temperature to rise above 31 C. I'm not using an overhead source at the moment, but I used to (they came to me with no heat mat and a bright bulb). I've ordered them a red bulb to help raise the temp and new bulb fitting

Happily, I've moved their furniture around and they now stay on the warm side so now they're ok during the day, they were insisting on staying in a large hide together I had on the cool side. Now the big hide is on the warm side and they've moved over there, clearly they're attached to the big one :lol:

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

The heat mat is on 24/7, I just can't quite get the temperature to rise above 31 C. I'm not using an overhead source at the moment, but I used to (they came to me with no heat mat and a bright bulb). I've ordered them a red bulb to help raise the temp and new bulb fitting

Happily, I've moved their furniture around and they now stay on the warm side so now they're ok during the day, they were insisting on staying in a large hide together I had on the cool side. Now the big hide is on the warm side and they've moved over there, clearly they're attached to the big one :lol:

Here's an overhead lighting alternative:
HerpSupplies.com - Night-Glo Moonlight Bulb - Exo Terra - Night-Glo Moonlight Bulb / Exo-TerraThe bulb simulates natural moonlight ...

 

[Piranha72]

Here's an overhead lighting alternative:
HerpSupplies.com - Night-Glo Moonlight Bulb - Exo Terra - Night-Glo Moonlight Bulb / Exo-TerraThe bulb simulates natural moonlight ...

Thanks for this suggestion I've used these before and they hardly give out any heat, although I was using a very low wattage. I personally prefer the blue to the red, and as they don't mind the blue is now what I have. I've also put these two on a diet. Eric has gained weight...but Clementine has lost. We'll see how it goes

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thanks for this suggestion I've used these before and they hardly give out any heat, although I was using a very low wattage. I personally prefer the blue to the red, and as they don't mind the blue is now what I have. I've also put these two on a diet. Eric has gained weight...but Clementine has lost. We'll see how it goes

Ah I recall Clementine's thread. Would you like me to combine this thread with her other one? http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...se-scar-appeared-overnight-advice-please.html

 

[Piranha72]

Ah I recall Clementine's thread. Would you like me to combine this thread with her other one? http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...se-scar-appeared-overnight-advice-please.html

This one's actually more about Eric, but I will if you prefer How do I do it?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Ah I recall Clementine's thread. Would you like me to combine this thread with her other one? http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...se-scar-appeared-overnight-advice-please.html

This one's actually more about Eric, but I will if you prefer How do I do it?

If you're going to be mentioning both, which is very fine since you own both, then just click on that link above and post away. I'll fix the thread here. Give me a thumb up.