Gecko Eating Habits???

M

Michaeleos

New member
Hey its been a while... Well i have 3 leopard geckos. I've had one since August (Roxanne). The other 2 since December (Cheddar and Banana). Now here's my problem.

Roxy and Cheddar eat all of the meal worms and crickets presented to them. And at first Banana was the same way. But then it went a couple weeks without eating MEAL WORMS. Then when i bought some CRICKETS it ate them and i wasn't so worried. Until it went another couple weeks without eating. I then decided i would have the best luck by just feeding it crickets, and lately the crickets have started slowly disappearing and Banana looks healthier but obviously still underweight.

I'm going to stick with a cricket diet for now with Banana, but if it stops eating again should i be worried or is it normal for some Leos to eat less often than others?? Roxy and Cheddar eat very well everyday and I have no worries about them. While Banana eats (as far as i know) every couple weeks or so... but again Banana seems healthier lately.

Thanks :)
 
Embrace Calamity

Embrace Calamity

New member
Sometimes leos will become less interested in food for whatever reason, but if they're underweight, then something's wrong. Fill this out (and include pics of the gecko and/or enclosure preferably):

Gender:
Age:
Weight:
How big was the reptile when you first acquired it?
Source (pet store, breeder, previous owner):
Captive bred or wild caught?
Do you handle him? If so how often?

Enclosure:

Cage: type, size:
Substrate provided?
What types of hiding places are provided?
Is there a humidity hide? location?
Please describe any other furnishings:

Lighting:

Artificial lighting?
incandescent (“screw-in” bulbs): wattage(s) ?
fluorescent (tube bulbs)?

Temperature:

Do you have a thermometer(s) in the cage? what type?
What is the temperature in the warm part of the cage? under the warm hide? In the coolest part?
What device(s) are used to maintain the temperature? hot rock, UTH, heat light, ceramic heater, other:
Are you using a thermostat?
Which hide does she/he spend most of her time?

Is the temperature decreased at night? by how much?

Humidity:

Is the humidity measured? Range:


List other animals that are kept in the same cage:
Recent acquisitions (new pets within the past 6 months)
Are any of your other pets ill?
List recent changes in the environment, if any:

Diet:

Insects, list type?
Are they “gut loaded”? If so with?
How often do you feed your reptile?
Please list any supplements used. How are they given and how often?
What calcium brand are you using? with D3, without or both?
Is the calcium in the tank with D3 or without?
Multivitamins?

Please list any recent additions/changes in the diet:

If your reptile is sick, please describe the signs and how long your reptile has been showing these signs:
Is your reptile’s general activity level normal, decreased, or increased?
Is your reptile’s appetite normal, decreased, or increased?
Have you noticed any of the following?
Weight loss, Weight gain
Discharge from the eyes or nose
Increased breathing rate or effort
Change in the droppings
urates white or yellowish
Abnormal skin color or shedding
Parasites on the skin or in the feces
Weakness

Also, don't leave crickets in the enclosure with her, especially if she's not eating properly, as that will only stress her out further (they will munch on her).

~Maggot
 
M

Michaeleos

New member
Gender: unknown
Age:3 1/2-4 months
Weight: unknown
How big was the reptile when you first acquired it?4-5 inches
Source (pet store, breeder, previous owner):
Captive bred or wild caught? captive
Do you handle him? If so how often? not much (small biting problem)

Enclosure:

Cage: type, size:10 gallon
Substrate provided? slate tile
What types of hiding places are provided? 1 dry 1 humid
Is there a humidity hide? location? warm side
Please describe any other furnishings: dishes for calc./water

Lighting:

Artificial lighting?
incandescent (“screw-in” bulbs): wattage(s) ? 100 watt heat light
fluorescent (tube bulbs)? yes

Temperature:

Do you have a thermometer(s) in the cage? what type? yes... its like a piece of tape
What is the temperature in the warm part of the cage? under the warm hide? 80
In the coolest part? 70
What device(s) are used to maintain the temperature? hot rock, UTH, heat light, ceramic heater, other: heat light
Are you using a thermostat? yah
Which hide does she/he spend most of her time? dry

Is the temperature decreased at night? by how much? yes to around 68

Humidity:

Is the humidity measured? Range: no. just in the humid hide


List other animals that are kept in the same cage: none
Recent acquisitions (new pets within the past 6 months) cat
Are any of your other pets ill? nope
List recent changes in the environment, if any: i had sand under the slate but i disposed of the sand recently

Diet:

Insects, list type? crickets (i try mealworms but it wont eat them
Are they “gut loaded”? If so with? no
How often do you feed your reptile? i try everyday but it doesnt eat
Please list any supplements used. How are they given and how often? some reptomin vites and occasional calc. with d3
What calcium brand are you using? with D3, without or both? D3
Is the calcium in the tank with D3 or without? without
Multivitamins? Reptomin

Please list any recent additions/changes in the diet:

If your reptile is sick, please describe the signs and how long your reptile has been showing these signs: weightloss
Is your reptile’s general activity level normal, decreased, or increased? varys by day. lately more active which im glad to see
Is your reptile’s appetite normal, decreased, or increased? decreased
Have you noticed any of the following?
XWeight loss, Weight gain
Discharge from the eyes or nose no
Increased breathing rate or effort no
Change in the droppings no
urates white or yellowish no
Abnormal skin color or shedding no (one shed since i got it in Dec.)
Parasites on the skin or in the feces no
Weakness
 
M

Michaeleos

New member
Like i said in my first post, Banana has seemed healthier this week or so.. i just haven't SEEN it eat myself for a couple weeks. but today it has been chasing crickets and exploring its new dry hide.
 
Embrace Calamity

Embrace Calamity

New member
1) You need a minimum of three hides - 2 dry and 1 humid. You need a dry cool hide, a dry warm hide, and a humid hide. Your gecko needs the option to move between different temperatures, since it can't produce its own body heat. However, it not offered proper hiding places, your gecko will stay somewhere that will result in a wrong body temp just to feel safe.
2) Your warm side is way too cold. It needs to be 88-93 on the warm side. If your gecko can't get warm enough, it can't digest its food, which is likely why it isn't eating. Get a UTH attached to a thermostat: Amazon.com: Hydrofarm MTPRTC Digital Thermostat For Heat Mats: Patio, Lawn & Garden And put a dry hide right on top of it.
3) At night, temps on the warm side should never drop below 80. Again, this poses the issue of not allowing proper digestion.
4) You really should get a 20 LONG aquarium. An itty bitty 10 gallon is too small to give you a proper temp gradient, plus it's just too small for a leo.
5) What is "Reptomin"? I can't find that anywhere except for turtle pellets and such.
6) Get rid of that thermometer. The strip ones are made to measure water temperatures and just aren't very accurate. You'll need a digital one to get any kind of decent reading.

I'm going to assume all of the geckos' enclosures are set up similarly, so all of them need to have these changes made.

~Maggot
 
M

Michaeleos

New member
Ive got Roxanne in a 20 gal. with 3 hides and warmer temps. The other 2 smaller ones are in the 10 gals. until i can get more room for 2 more 20 gallon tanks.
Thr reptomin thing is a multi vite. supplement that i use on the meal worms. Then twice a week i dust them with calc. + D3. Also i am going to find a heat mat of some kind to bump up the temps. Thanks for taking the time to help me :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top