Gecko not eating

[Texgirl]

Gecko not eating *update*

Hi Y'all,
I'm baffled...:? :?
My soon to be 8 yr old daughter has an Albino Leoprad Gecko that has stopped eating. He is about 5 1/2". We have had him about 3 months, and he had been doing fine. He has grown since she got him. But now, he just won't eat. We have tried changing the cricket size, wax worms and meal worms. Nothing. He will drink fine. My 10 yr. old daughter also has a gecko. She is doing great. She will chase the crickets down, take wax and meal worms from your hand. Her tail is nice and fat. The two geckos get the same care ( because I over see them) and they are in the same room, (my sun room) with anoles & long tails (differnt tank) and several Tarantulas. So I don't think temp is the problem.
Any ideas?
Lia

 

[IguanaMama]

What substrate to you keep it on? Have you noticed if it has been pooping?

 

[Texgirl]

The substrate is coco fiber. He hasn't really been pooping much lately, 'cause he isn't eatting.

 

[bengerno]

Hi,

What's the weather there...If there is a kind of winter, maybe she feels, she need to do a winter sleeping (cooling period).

 

[Texgirl]

Well... It's cold outside, but not in my sunroom. My sun room is about 75 to 80 F. And it is usually very... sunny.

 

[Thoth]

They also use day length as a cue to let them know what time of year it is.

What IguanaMama was trying to say, is it might be your daughters leo is suffering from impaction. Here is some info on impaction.

 

[dirtborder4life]

impaction

Does he have a UV light? Does he have a couple of hides? What is his diet like? What supplements do you use?How big is his tank?I would keep him a little bit warmer.There are just so many things that can cause impaction,stress being a very common one.

 

[IguanaMama]

Yes, I was asking about the substrate and pooping because of the possiblity of impactation. I don't know much about coco fiber, but I wouldn't think it is good. It expands when wet. Think about it, if a lizard eats some of it dry and then drinks water, boom it expands in its innards. I don't know how easily digested it is either. Maybe a call to a vet is in order. Don't call a petstore, especially not one like deathco, they don't know anything about these things, they just pretend too. Another reason for not eating is parasites. Even when a critter doesn't eat, it still usually poops a little. The fact that it's not pooping at all makes me think impactation. If I were you I would call a vet. If you can't afford a vet, go to www.kingsnake.com's leopard gecko forum and ask questions there. There are things you could do for impactation.
Good luck,
Jodi

 

[GootySapphire]

Yes, I was asking about the substrate and pooping because of the possiblity of impactation. I don't know much about coco fiber, but I wouldn't think it is good. It expands when wet. Think about it, if a lizard eats some of it dry and then drinks water, boom it expands in its innards. I don't know how easily digested it is either. Maybe a call to a vet is in order. Don't call a petstore, especially not one like deathco, they don't know anything about these things, they just pretend too. Another reason for not eating is parasites. Even when a critter doesn't eat, it still usually poops a little. The fact that it's not pooping at all makes me think impactation. If I were you I would call a vet. If you can't afford a vet, go to www.kingsnake.com's leopard gecko forum and ask questions there. There are things you could do for impactation.
Good luck,
Jodi

Coco fiber expands when wet, when it is still in cube form...not after its already been expanded.

 

[Schlyne]

Does he have a UV light? Does he have a couple of hides? What is his diet like? What supplements do you use?How big is his tank?I would keep him a little bit warmer.There are just so many things that can cause impaction,stress being a very common one.

Leopard geckos do not need UV lights.

 

[Hedorah99]

If its losing weight from the tail first, it may have a parasite known as cryptosporidium. If you have a vet take a fecal sample, if one is available, for analysis. the drug of choice for this is called SMZ. It may take a while to get rid of this if it is cryptosporidium. Rule out everything else first, bowel impaction winter cooling etc.

 

[dirtborder4life]

leopard gecko

Whoops,forgot we were talking bout a leo.

 

[IguanaMama]

Coco fiber expands when wet, when it is still in cube form...not after its already been expanded.

I don't care, I still don't trust that coco fiber stuff, you won't catch me eating it. Just curious though, is it a generally recommended leopard gecko substrate? I know a lot of people use it and like it for their spiders, but I never heard of it being used for geckos.

 

[GootySapphire]

I don't care, I still don't trust that coco fiber stuff, you won't catch me eating it. Just curious though, is it a generally recommended leopard gecko substrate? I know a lot of people use it and like it for their spiders, but I never heard of it being used for geckos.

I wouldnt use it for leopard geckos, I would just use playground...sandbox sand.

 

[IguanaMama]

Yeah, I use calci-sand for my Leos. Dirtmix for my spiders. I'm looking to sell my Leos though, I find them to be boring. My prettiest one is about to shed, after she does, I'll post a picture in the classifieds.

 

[billopelma]

I had a big female who didn't eat for five months, hardly even lost weight, don't know how typical that is though. From what I've read on other boards, sand is the last thing you want to use for substrate, even calci-sand, though it is still of course debated by some. It is recommended to use either no substrate or paper towels/newspaper or a mat. Some leo's are fine with whatever, I used calci-sand for years, but I guess it's asking for impaction problems.

Good Luck,
Bill

 

[Texgirl]

Gecko update

Happy day! He pooped!
Yes, the coco fiber was recomended to us, but I can see how it could be a problem, just as sand could cause the same trouble... for the little guys any way.
I put him in a tank with just paper towels. I had read about giving mineral oil to help with impaction, but I wasn't sure I wanted to try that. I took the lid from the natural peanut butter jar, it still had a bit of peanut butter oil on it, and I used that for a water dish. We also gave him warm water soaks a few times a day. After about a week he finally pooped. I picked up some Fluker's Rescue Remedy for dehydration and malnutrition and he is getting that, but he is also eating and drinking like normal now.
We have now put medium size wood chips (like for the garden) in for him and he is getting a smaller size cricket. He is doing much, much better.
Thanks for all the tips and imput.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Happy day! He pooped!
We have now put medium size wood chips (like for the garden) in for him and he is getting a smaller size cricket.

Careful, wood chips can be eaten also. Google "leopard gecko" "wood chips" for more information/thoughts, there's a lot of results.

 

[Texgirl]

They are much too large to be eaten. They are not those tiny ones they sell at the pet store. I took some of the large ones used for mulch in a garden and broke them up a bit, so now they are medium side. But they are all at least twice the size of his head.

And yes..I nuked them first to be on the safe side.

 

[garysumpter]

Me too

Hi all.

Iam having a similar problem. I have 2 young Leos in together and one is looking thin.

I split them yesterday into 2 tanks in case there is any kind of dominance.

Tonight I will replace the sane they are on with kitchen towels.

Is it a good idea to provide a moist hide? What do you guy sput in the moist hide?

My thinner one seems to be walking funny, her front lets look a bit bendy, almost like walking on elbows. Unless this is how they are SUPPOSED to walk?

Many Thanks

Gary