Special needs gecko?

swanguin

New member
Some time ago i posted about my gecko Aggro, he wasn't eating and acting strange. I took him to the vet and she said everything was perfect and healthy (except his weight obviously) I started taking off the legs of the crickets so he could eat. It kinda works, but he still has so much trouble eating. And he wont eat mealworms.

His husbandry is fine and he doesn't have parasites or any infection. His problems seem to be neurological.

I don't know what to do. He just looks so miserable compared to my other gecko.

Do you guys have any suggestions of what to do or how to help him, please?
Thanks
 
Last edited:

acpart

Well-known member
Is he looking miserable by your standards or by his? If he's eating, maintaining some kind of weight (even if it's not the highest weight), you're sure your husbandry is correct (never hurts to check), does not seem to be in pain or spending his entire "awake" time with eyes closed and lethargic, then things may be fine.

Aliza
 

swanguin

New member
I'm comparing his behavior to the one of my other gecko, which might not be ideal since my other gecko is over a year old and way too comfortable.
He eats, when he's able to catch his food :/ even with my help it still a bit difficult for him. He does not seem to be losing weight, I'm still trying to get him to gain some. The behavior he shows is odd but not lethargic, he just sometimes gives up after trying and failing to catch a cricket

Last night he was able to shed without a problem, things may go fine after all, thank you.
Do you think it would be a good idea to move him to a 20 gallon or to keep him in a 10?
 

Aimless

Super Moderator
It's easier to maintain a temp gradient in a 20L than in a 10.
Can you post a pic of your gecko?
 

Completeleopard

New member
Please fill out the questionnaire, this will help us, help you.

Leopard Gecko Questionnaire

General Information
Species of lizard:
Gecko's name:
Morph:
Gender:
Age:
Weight:
Total length:
Length of your reptile when you first acquired it:
Source (pet store, breeder, wild caught):
Captive bred or wild :

Vivarium
Enclosure dimensions (length x width x heighth):
Cage (type, size):
Substrate provided:
Types of hiding places provided:
Is there a humidity hide? location?
Please describe any other furnishings:
List recent changes in the environment, if any:

Lighting
Artificial lighting
Incandescent (“screw-in” bulbs): wattage(s):
Fluorescent (tube bulbs):
Access to ambient daylight from a distant window:

Heating
Do you have a thermometer(s) in the cage?
What type and brand of thermometer (digital with probe, temperature gun, LCD strip, analog (circle), combo digital thermometer/hygrometer, stainless steel aquarim type, other):
What is the ground temperature right on the substrate under the warm dry hide:
What is the air temperature on the warm end about 4 inches up from the ground:
What is the air temperature on the cool end about 4 inches up from the ground:
What device(s) are used to maintain the temperature (Under Tank Heater, heat light, ceramic heat emitter, Flexwatt heat tape, hot rock, other):
Ventilation space for your UTH by elevating the tank above the shelf (some UTHs come with sticky feet for the tank corners):
Are you using a thermostat(s)?
Which hide does she/he spend most of her time?
Is the temperature decreased at night? by how much?

Humidity
Is the humidity measured?
Humidity range:

Diet
Insects and worms, list type:
Regular diet fed to the insects and worms:
Are the insects and worms formally “gutloaded” 1-2 days prior to feeding off to your gecko? If so with?
How often do you feed your gecko?
Please list any supplements (with brand names) 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 (include brand name)?
Please list any recent additions/changes in the diet:

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

Previous problems and/or illnesses:

Other Critters in Same Cage or in Household
List other that are kept in the same cage:
Recent acquisitions (new pets within the past 6 months):
Are any of your other pets ill?
 

swanguin

New member
I already filled that 2 weeks ago and corrected my mistakes in the husbandry :) After correcting everything his behavior is still the same. According to the vet, my gecko doesn't have any parasites, infections or diseases. She said his problems are like mental and not physical cause he's heathy.

She thinks his odd behavior is caused by the bad conditions he was kept at the pet store before I took him
 

Completeleopard

New member
Oh I see, sorry about that!

That's a shame. Have you tried other feeders?

Here are some of feeders:


Feed adult leos 3 times per week and young leos just about every day. Offer variety selected from the following: crickets, genuine Phoenix worms, roaches, silkworms, hornworms, mealworm pupae, freshly molted mealworms, calciworms, grasshoppers, and locusts (smallest locusts possible).
 

swanguin

New member
Where I live I can only get crickets and mealworms at pet stores :/ I can't hunt insects at the parks near my house cause of all the pesticides.

Is a freshly molted mealworm the light brownish beetle?

My gecko is around 7 months old. I try to feed him every day, but I can't get him to eat more than 2 crickets each night. It seems like, when they run, the crickets are too fast for him. But if they don't run, he can't see them.
Do you think it would be a good idea that for feeding time, place him in a box, where the crickets can't hide or run away? Or would it be too overwhelming for him?
 

Completeleopard

New member
You can insects online as well!

No that is a darkling beetle, freshly molted mealworms are the ones that a very white in colour. Mealeorm pupae are OK once in a while , they are high in fat. They're the 'alien' type cacoons.

That would be OK for about fifteen minutes. Do you have tweezers? If so, place the cricket with him, and place the tweezers next to the cricket and 'rustle' the tweezers on the substrate right next to the cricket, he may become stimulated by the noise and hunt it.
 

Completeleopard

New member
That's great news! However, that would most likely indicate that he has a eyesight problem.

Are you supplementing with multivitmins that include vitamin A Acetate?
 

swanguin

New member
I knew he had some visions problems since I first got him. He's almost blind in the light and seems to have trouble seeing in the dark.
The multivitamins doesn't contain vitamin A. It contains beta carotene, but I'm not sure if it's the same, so i make sure crickets and mealworms get lots of vegetables and fruits just in case :)
I told the vet about his eyesight problems and she checked him. She said that his eyes are bright and healthy, and he doesn't show any symptom of vitamin A deficiency.

At the pet store, he was being kept under a bright, white light and no hides. Maybe that hurt his eyes permanently? he was in those conditions since he hatched and for about a month.

I think hes a bell albino btw
 

Completeleopard

New member
Unfortunately, there has been studies to suggest that chameleons can not absorb vitimin A beta carotene, the same may apply for geckos, which is why I recommend getting a multivitamin supplement with vitamin A acetate!

Yes that sounds like awful conditions and could be something to do with his she sight not being good, however, it could also be something to do with the geckos parents not being supplemented correctly, or a combination.

Well done for rescuing him!
 

Completeleopard

New member
This is from Elizabeth's care sheet, in case you needed to find a suitable multivitamin.

Reptivite contains vitamin A acetate in contrast to the beta-carotene provided in Rep Cal's Herptivite
 

Aimless

Super Moderator
an albino kept under a bright light can certainly develop eye issues. however, if the vet checked his eyes and said they were fine, this shouldn't be the case. the rescue I used to work with took in a few chameleons and a few geckos over the years that had "fry eye" from bright lights damaging their eyes, to various degrees, and the damage was evident during a veterinary exam.

are you sure he's not just a little spoiled? I mean, does he try to eat and can't, or just doesn't seem very enthusiastic about the food?
 

swanguin

New member
I'll get reptivite as soon as I can. Gosh, I feel dumb for just assuming it had vitamin a instead of reading the label.

He chases the cricket around, and then if the cricket doesn't move for about 10 seconds, he gets like distracted and leaves. Or, sometimes he strikes and fails, then gives up. He has a very odd personality
 

cricket4u

New member
Aimless it was in another thread, I guess that's why you missed it.:)

My room is always quiet and dark.

Swanuin you said that you filled out the questionnaire, however, I've searched and can't find it in any of your previous threads. Can you re-post it here and also post a clear picture of the entire enclosure? Every detail is important. I would like to see him in the enclosure as well. Try to take a photo with him visible. I would like to see his body language. A video would be even better if possible.
 
Last edited:
Top