I Think I Bought A Stupid Gecko...

[Revasius]

I recently picked up a new brindle dalmatian female, and while she was acclimating in her isolation tank, she stayed in a paper towel tube for about 10 days. I assumed she came out at night to lick up water but I never saw her...

I finally ended up taking her out of the tube and weighed her, she´d lost 3 grams in 10 days. Not good. I´ve found that my geckos generally lose a gram after I get them because they go off feed for a while, but I was concerned.

I gave her a sauna, got her rehydrated, and she´s doing fine now, but I´ve taken out any and all tubes from her tank! She definitely was NOT stuck, she just chose not to leave her little hide. So I guess she just won´t be getting any more in the future...

Has anyone else had this happen to a gecko?

 

[Yoshi'smom]

That's very strange.... I don't use tp tubes for my geckos (just my rats lol).
I did have a juvie come to me and refuse food for 4-5 weeks but I still saw her in different places in the tank. She came to me at 5 grams and she went down to 4 grams during her hunger strike but went back up since eating. She's a good eater now, but she scared the crap outta me for sure.

 

[CrestedL]

Don't forget too, I see your location is in New England where it is begining to get colder, geckos slow down around this time and tend to not eat as often/as much, the cold weather may just make it seem like she doesn't want to eat, she should perk back up in the spring/summer though

 

[Aimless]

I wouldn't remove her safe hiding spot. that's not going to make her more likely to eat well.

 

[Revasius]

I hadn't even thought about the weather, that´s a good point. I´ll put one of her tubes back... I ended up taking everything vaguely tube-shaped out when I initially flipped out. She does have other hides though.

 

[CrestedRick]

Make sure she has enough foliage and places to make her feel safe. Make sure she's off the ground too.