Gecko eating normal but losing weight

LunaKeogh

New member
I have an adult (1-2yrs) female leopard gecko, Sybil, and I have some worries about her and her weight. She used to belong to a friend of mine, who rescued her from a PetSmart where apparently she was very sick and possibly dying, but my friend nursed her back to health. When I took her in, around May of 2019, she was happy and healthy at around 50-55g. I had some trouble with feeding for a month or two, but I think that was because she was getting used to her new surroundings. She is in a 10gal long tank with a hot hide, moist hide, and cool hide. The hot hide stays between 31-32 degrees C, and she always has fresh water. She has a day-night cycle of 12hrs of LED light with a timer.

This is her in May, shortly after I got her:
GECKO_MAY2.jpg

For a period of time she was only eating gut loaded crickets once a week, as she had been doing at my friends. I switched to mealworms and she started eating more.

Her tail was never super fat, but I started to notice it getting thinner and I've watched her weight fall for about two months now. I've now managed to get her to eat more and I feed her approximately 10 gutloaded mealworms with supplements twice a week. I use ReptiCalcium with D3 usually, but when I give her Reptivive Vitamins with D3, I give her calcium with no D3. A container with the D3 calcium is in her tank at all times. She hates the smell of the Vitamin powder, but she usually eats the worms if I leave them in with her for a while in a bowl. I gutload the mealworms with tomato, carrot, cabbage, and sometimes dark greens.

When she started eating more, she weighed 47g. Now, on her regular eating schedule of 7-10 mealworms twice a week, she has gone down to 45g. I'm really worried about her and I don't know what to do. She is adventurous and active, and very alert when I feed her. Although the tank is a little small, I've tried my best to make sure she has everything she needs. I have no explanation as to why she is still losing weight.

The only thing I can think of is that she took a little fall about a month or so ago. She fell from some leaves (now removed) in her tank, into her water bowl. The fall was only about 10cm and she seemed totally fine after. I checked her underbelly and her legs but everything was normal. Her stool got a little runny once or twice, but I cleaned the tank and now everything is fine.

I have no idea what to do as this is my first gecko. I want to do right by her and I'm very worried. Below is an image of her now, and the supplements I use. Does anyone have any sort of advice at all? Tysm.

GECKO2.jpgGECKO1.jpg
 
Last edited:

Geopard Lecko

New member
Mealworms are not a great staple feeder, they should be used in combination with other insects like crickets, dubia roaches, superworms etc, Also 7-10 twice a week is probably not enough, I'd add a 3rd feeding between the 2 and offer something different each time.. Thats basically what I do anyways except for the girls laying eggs I spoil them a bit more than the others and if they seem like they are hungry (giving me those big doe eyes an head tilted to the side smile) I'll feed em lol.
 

acpart

Well-known member
Some geckos eat less when they're ovulating and lose weight. I know you said she's eating more, but it will take a little more time to determine whether or not she's still losing weight because I don't think a 2 gram change (from 47 to 45) is significant. I am finding that after a late spring/early summer where the geckos don't eat so much, now the breeding season is winding down and everyone is pretty hungry. I recommend you go another few weeks,see if she continues to eat and whether she gains weight. If it's not happening you'll need to take her to a reptile vet and have her tested for parasites.

Also, it's possible to over supplement so I recommend you continue to dust her feeders but take the calcium and D3 container out of the cage.

Aliza
 

Smiley Face

New member
2 gm weight loss is nothing at all to worry about. Weights can go up and down all the time. It's only if weight loss is more substantial there is cause to worry. If that should happen then test for parasites (pinworms) as that can cause weight loss.
 
Top