Fimbs still not eating. Advice needed.

[mcahal]

My wc fimbs are getting very skinny. I've offered either crickets or Dubia every night but they just won't eat. I've had them for a full 7 days now. Do you think they'll starve themselves? Is there a way to force feed? I hate doing that, but I'd hate to lose them to starvation worse. Thanks for any advice.

 

[mcahal]

Update:
I found where others have nose-dropped crested gecko diet, so I tried that this morning. They were both pretty receptive to this and had a couple dropper-fulls. At least I know they have some liquids and vitamins in them this morning. Anything else I can do?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

My wc fimbs are getting very skinny. I've offered either crickets or Dubia every night but they just won't eat. I've had them for a full 7 days now. Do you think they'll starve themselves? Is there a way to force feed? I hate doing that, but I'd hate to lose them to starvation worse. Thanks for any advice.

Hello ~

Have you seen Luis W's caresheet: Uroplatus Information Center - Uroplatus fimbriatus

At what temperatures are you keeping them? These guys can be very sensitive to problematic environments.

Perhaps they would do well even kept a bit warmer than Luis recommends as long as they have a place to move if that is too warm. Best to try before they are gone.

 

[thorrshamri]

Have you checked for internal parasites?
Most of the time, WC Uros carry a variety of them.
A vet can do it for you, provided you bring a FRESH fecal sample in a sterile jar to him/her.
Pinworm eggs are easy to see with a microscope, but other more harmful parasites such as amoebas or coccidia may infest your animal.
Meanwhile, keep humidity up- don't turn ithe tank to a swamp, but spray at least every evening heavily his cage. As Elizabeth said, keep temps around 80°F during the day and switch off any heating aggregate at night.
What your gecko needs is insects. Vitamins combine with proteins and other nutrients, if you give vitamins alone, that won't help much.

 

[thorrshamri]

DON'T force-feed any Uro. He will not stand it.
What you can try, along with the fecal sample test, is crushing a roach and putting the juices around you gecko's mouth with f.e. a cotton bud, then offer your animal a half-crushed roach. This method often gives good results.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Earlier threads by mcahal:
http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...s/69217-new-u-fimbriatus-pair-not-eating.html

http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm.../69313-white-spots-fimbriatus-males-head.html

 

[mcahal]

Elizabeth, I've read the caresheet many times. His site is a fantastic repository of information and has been my guide in setting up and getting ready for my fimbs. I'll warm it up for them a couple more degrees and see if that stimulates an appetite. Thanks so much for your advice.

 

[mcahal]

Thorr, I just couldn't force-feed anyway. I'm going to have to get my husband to mash up a roach. I've been told that once they taste a dubia, they'll love them. Yum

I've removed only one dropping from the cage in 7 days. The next one I find will be carried straight to the vet. Thank you for your help.

 

[D.B.Johnson]

I would like to add that the enclosure/environment can be a big influence on feeding behavior. For example, if they are in an inadequate enclosure where they constantly roam and nose rub the glass looking for a way out, then they may not show interest in food. This is especially obvious if it happens with the gecko on the ground. Nose rubbing or digging at the bottom edges signifies the geckos are dissatisfied in the enclosure. This kind of behavior happens normally to some degree when they are placed in a new enclosure. They will crawl all over it. Usually they will settle in in a couple of days time and be content and focus most of their attention to the inside of the enclosure. If your geckos are doing this at all, you can discourage it by taping some paper over the lower parts of the glass until the new cage arrives. Of course I don't know if this is a problem for you or not. It may be that once you get them in a bigger, better furnished enclosure they will start eating after a few days.

It couldn't hurt to take a fecal to your vet and have them check it out. I've done this before using a ziplock bag. Keep in mind though that one thing that can kill Uroplatus geckos, quickly sometimes, isn't necessarily parasites but stress. On a side note, if you want to look at them after dark without disturbing them too much you can use a red light bulb (think photo darkroom style). That's what I use. You can get a red bulb at a home improvement store usually. Good luck

 

[thorrshamri]

I have to agree about the importance of a well-suited design. For my own fimbriatus, I use stout fruit tree branches, both vertically and horizontally inside the enclosure. They love to have one or several branches near the top placed horizontally as resting places and ambush sites for wandering prey. Cork bark oak pieces or large branches make great hides for them. I use artificial foliage, as I am a disaster with live plants.

I object to the use of any heat/light source at night. This might cause temps to go above the desired level, and may also cause unnecessary stress. If you want to watch your animals at night in a completely dark room, place a dim source of light OUTSIDE the enclosures.

 

[mcahal]

It was suggested to me that I have had them in a pretty "sterile" cage so that I can clean any droppings (which have been few, like 1) and so that it makes observing them easier.

I got my new cage in yesterday. Would you advise that I set it up tonight with the substrate and sterilized tree branches and other decor and put them in it? I feel like they'll be more comfortable, but then again, I don't want them to be re-stressed.

 

[thorrshamri]

Yes indeed, branches and hides are very important, as for the substrate, you can use paper towels as long as it does not affect the humidity level

 

[D.B.Johnson]

I would consider switching them if you have a more appropriate, better furnished, larger cage for them. I think I gave the wrong impression about the light. I have one bulb, in a lamp, outside of the cages that I turn on only when I'm looking in or feeding the geckos. I didn't mean to suggest you should have a light on them all the time at night, or one that acts as a night time 'basking' light. It would be more for ambient light so you can see the geckos at night. Thanks for pointing that out, Thorr

Another thing that occurred to me just now...if you do move them, you might consider doing it after dark. I think fimbs are less nervous then than during the daytime. Gently lift them from underneath and watch that they don't jump unless it's into the new digs.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Fecal Sample Collection Procedure
Just phoned my exotics vet for his recommendation:

1. Place a piece of plastic where your gecko usually poops. If your gecko poops somewhere else, take the poop to the vet anyway. Some poop is better than no poop!

2. As soon as your gecko has passed some poop and urates but without physically touching the sample, place the feces and urates directly into a plastic ziploc bag. (Do NOT use dampened paper towels because the paper towels might absorb some of the feces necessary for a proper culture.)

3. Refrigerate this sample...unless you are taking the sample to your vet immediately. Do NOT freeze it.

4. Take this fecal sample to your vet within 24 hours of collecting...the sooner the better!


There are two types of fecals: direct smear and float tests. For reptiles, both tests should be run.

 

[mcahal]

Awesome instructions Elizabeth! Thank you! I'm taking some in this morning. I finally have poop lol

 

[mcahal]

SUCCESS!!!! I came across something online that said fimbs like LARGE insects, so I got out the biggest dubias and put them in a clear (soft) plastic container. The container that my spring mix salad was sold in. It's kind of large, but I think because the roaches could move around more and make more noise, it got my female excited about eating. She ate several of the really big ones. I really thought they'd be too big, but I guess not. I'm not sure if the male partook, but as I have two cages now, I'm putting the female in the larger one and keeping the male in the smaller one. I got my first good night of sleep last night after seeing her feed

Thank you all for your help. I'll keep you updated on the male (if you're interested).

 

[thorrshamri]

Great news! Yes, please keep us updated.