almost two months without eating

Dwaggie

New Member
Messages
27
Location
germany
Hey all!
I'm starting to worry about my littles. (the info about them is at the bottom)
basically, i got three female leos early january. they moved in with me complete with their tank, so it wasn't all new for them
since i got them, only one of them has eaten once (about 5-6 loaded mealworms, i was so excited i didn't really count)

the other two haven't touched any food at all so far.
things i've tried offering: crickets (dusted and non-dusted), mealworms, bee larvae (also called wax worms here), wax worms (moth larvae), a type of tiny wood roaches, i also got a couple adult dubias in plans of breeding them and feeding the babies/nymphs later on (since crickets are annoying and gross ^^; )
repashy grub pie.

the grub pie was a desperate attempt, since i've read some people got their leos back to feeding with it.
they licked it when offered (i admit, i basically gently dabbed a tiny bit on their mouths to make them lick it off. when they turned away, i let them go)

i tried having a dish of mealworms in their tank for a couple days, to see if they'd eat them at night / when i wasn't around, but they didn't
i tried using tweezers, to offer them the insects directly, wriggling them, holding them still, nothing

they have three water dishes (one on hot side, one on the cool side, one in the middle) and they do drink regularly

they also have one dish with calcium powder in their tank at all times (i can't tell whether they've eaten any of that, i haven't seen them and it's hard to tell with the powder)

i've found a couple normal looking poops, but they've gotten less over time.


all three geckos are active, alert, clear eyes, pink tongue licking at me when i handle them, overall, they do not appear weak or sick.
during the time they've been here, each of them has now shed twice, so they've at least eaten that, i guess.

i am still starting to worry, though. it's a bit long to not be eating anything proper




About your leo
:
- Sex: females
- Age & Weight: about 8 months (hatched around the same month)
- How long have you owned your leo: 2 months
- Where was he/she obtained: private owner looking for a new home for them

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo: daily for a couple minutes
- Is your leo acting any different today? no. over the past two months, they've gotten a lot relaxter around me and don't run or struggle when i pick them up
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe: nothing new.
B) Fecals
- Describe: little dark turd with white bit on top
- When was the last time he/she went: can't say for individuals, but there's about 3-5 poops a week
C) Problem
- Please briefly describe the problem and how long it has been going on: see above

Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size: 110 cm x 45 cm x 60 cm high
- Type: wooden terrarum, glass front, cork background with "ledges" for climbing
- Type of substrate: sand mat on hot side, tiles on cold (sand mat looks like sand, but has no loose bits)
- Hides, how many, what kind: 2 wooden "hamster houses" on warm side, one big, flat reptiterra hide (they seem to all prefer this one, sitting in it together most of the time) in the middle (half on half off the heatmat), a clay hide in the humid box (filled with cocofibre), a cork round piece on the cold side
B) Heating
- Heat source: heatmat under substrate on warm side, heat bulb on warm side during the day
- Cage temps: ~30-32°C on hot side during the day, 26ish during the night (without the bulb), cold side is ~20-22°C
- Method of regulating heat source: heatmat is on 24/7, i switch the heatbulb on/off myself in the morning and evening
- What are you using to measure your temps: analog thermometer, have a digital one for the hot side on the floor to keep an eye on the heatmat
- Do you have any lights : heatbulb on one side, it makes a yellow light, not too bright (about a weak normal lightbulb)
C) Cage mates
- How many: 3 females, grouped since they hatched
- Describe health, or previous problems: health seems alright as far as i can tell. shedding goes over well within 1-2 days. i had to help once with one of them, she had a bit of skin left on one foot. was easy to remove after sitting her in a tiny puddle of water for 2 minutes and picking it off with a finger

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding: see above
- How are you feeding: all of the methods, short of stuffing it in their mouths (i don't want to force feed. i do sometimes nudge the feeders against their faces (without holding them when i do))
B) Supplements (describe how often)
- What vitamin/minerals are you using: repticalc, and the same brand with vitamins, but i haven't had chances to actually use it yet. the last few tries, i didn't dust the feeders, since i didn't wanna waste any
- What are you gut loading food with: carrots, oats, seeds, tomatoes, lettuce
 

SIngram

New Member
Messages
12
Location
Illinois
I'm really very new to keeping leopard geckos, but I will tell you that your concern is a common one. This time of year female leopard geckos ovulate and will often stop eating. As long as the females don't seem to be loosing weight, you should not be concerned to much. Also, since they are new to you, stress is likely a factor as well.
 

SIngram

New Member
Messages
12
Location
Illinois
After keeping mammals as pets my whole life, I've had to remind myself repeatedly that reptiles do not follow the same rules when it comes to eating. Adult geckos do fine eating 2 times a week. Long stretches without eating are common. The Leo we got took a month to eat. She never seemed to lose weight so that set our minds at ease. There are plenty of great care sheets on this site for Leo's. Also, lots of people with more knowledge than me. I'm sure someone more senior than myself will get to your question soon if my answer seems lacking
 

Neon Aurora

New Member
Messages
1,376
Location
New Mexico
Your set up looks fine to me. They could be ovulating, which means they won't be eating much. It's also worth mentioning that when I get new geckos in, it can and often does take them a few months to get eating properly. It just depends on the gecko. It would be best to try not to handle them very much until they are eating, as they might be taking a while to settle in.
 

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