Bad Feeder - Suggestions?

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steve75

Guest
Short Background:
Ok, so I have this snake-eyed LVPA that I got from a breeder in April. When I got her she was about 30 grams...at her last vet visit, she was still the exact same size (length and weight).

UploadedMay5004.jpg


That's her when I got her and she's basically the same.

As you can see from the picture, her tail is plump; however, that's the only part of her that's plump. Her body is slim, but not skinny and her build could most certainly hold more mass.

Problem:
She doesn't EAT! She'll eat MAYBE one or two times per week (sometimes skipping weeks) and in minimal quantities (4-10 med.-lg. mealies). She has been to the vet (all-be-it, not the best IMO) and got a clean bill of health with "negligable protozoa" in her fecal. I'm pretty sure her eye-sight is mediocre at best, but there are no congenital defects that could be seen during examination.

Feeding:
I have tried crickets (yet to be tried without legs), mealworms, superworms, phoenix worms and silkworms. The only thing she eats is mealworms. I picked up some waxworms the other day and am hoping she'll take a few. Side note- she won't eat from a dish and only likes to eat when the food drops in front of her and she can't see my hand.

Personality:
She is very skittish. She has been very warry of people until recently. I replaced her dark moist-hide for a see-through one and she seems to be doing better in regards to human interaction. She isn't as fearful of my hand, but still isn't snuggling by a long shot. I have been trying to socialize her more and it seems to be working. She'll be going to my girlfriend's house for the next few months for more human interaction (my girlfriend loves her). I am going to relocate her from a 20L (she's one of the first so she got pampered) to a 10gallon for "personal security" reasons for her.

Solution?
I have been contemplating slurrying her during the weeks she doesn't eat. I am also concidering a b-12 appetite stimulant, but have not heard any reviews on any stimulant products by reputable people.

Any suggestions from some of you experienced folks? Think the enclosure size may play a roll if she's scared of such an open space? Any info on stimulants? Is the slurry formula a little overboard for putting on body mass? Should I get another vet to run a fecal? I'm open to ANY and ALL experienced suggestions because frankly, I'm stumped.
 
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steve75

Guest
With all of the experience on these boards, no one has any ideas?
 
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steve75

Guest
That was my thought process on the slurry. She's been keeping to her moist hide for most of the time now. She's not easy to feed when she won't come out of it either...oh the finickiness (is that a word?) of some animals.
 
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GeckoMandi

Guest
I have the same exact gecko morph and all, they look about the same size.

Ever since the day I got her she goes through her eating spurts, I had a fecal done 2 weeks on her and all clear, I even called the breeder twice and he said she has always been that way and even had a clean bill of health from his vet, she eats one week like a pig and then the next a few if any at all but remains active, her poops are normal. So I would try the slurry it does work wonders.
 
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steve75

Guest
She is active, her poops are normal and she is getting some slurry made tomorrow. May I ask what breeder you got yours from (pm would work), maybe just maybe they're from the same breeder in which case I wouldn't want to have them breed again if they have an eating temper.
 
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GeckoMandi

Guest
I got mine from a breeder in NC his name is Chad and he's a really great guy that takes good cares of his reptiles ;) He lives about an hour from me.
 
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steve75

Guest
...she came from NC.

I will look through my files to find the breeder's name.
 
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GeckoMandi

Guest
steve75 said:
...she came from NC.

I will look through my files to find the breeder's name.
Click to expand...

Ok cool! Let me know who if you don't mind, I'm always looking for breeders in the NC area. ;)
 
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steve75

Guest
She came from a woman named Joanne (Black?). All of the breeder photos were with a man holding her though. He emailed me also but never provided a name.
 
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steve75

Guest
And now that I think about it, I think I sent the payment to a c black on paypal. Do you know if Chad's last name is Black?
 
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GeckoMandi

Guest
No it's not black it's lail not sure if thats spelled right, but I do he doesn't breed LVPA he just got her for a project that never worked out for him and sold her to me, what city was this?

It may not have anything to do with them being the same, I just found it odd that were having the sorta the same issue. Maybe just a weird quwinkdink
 
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steve75

Guest
I was thinking the same. I'm not sure what city it was in and they definately had a group going because they offered up plenty more and sent pics. Its still weird with the same morph having the same problems.
 
acpart

acpart

Geck-cessories
Staff member
Messages
15,290
Location
Somerville, MA
Suggestion

You might consider trying this if you think she'll go for it: feed her every day or every other day. If she won't take the mealworms on her own that day, hold her genty but firmly and push a mealworm against the side of her mouth. Maybe she'll take them that way. This is not force feeding. When I do this, I'm not holding the mouth open or shoving anything down the throat, just encouraging and assisting. This is the method I use with hatchlings who seem to be getting a slow start. I also had an adult female who just didn't seem to eat on her own. I tried letting her go up to a month and when she started losing weight I would feed her this way. I did it every 2-3 days for 2 years before she started hunting by herself. The geckos I've tried this with have either taken the mealworms and eaten them or pulled them out of my hand and spat them out if they really didn't want to eat.

Aliza
 
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steve75

Guest
I'll give it a shot tonight Aliza. Thanks. I have somewhat tried that, but I have not really pressed the issue while doing it. I may have to use a tad bit more force for it to be successful. Still planning on going out in the am and mixing up some slurry. I have some syringes here I need to use up so I might as well get some kind of use out of them.
 
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steve75

Guest
Yeah, she pretty much told me to screw off. She wanted nothing to do with mealworms or waxworms. Then, she proceeded to squwak at me. Slurry time it is.
 
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steve75

Guest
89-91 hot, with a gradient to cool (I don't know the exact cool temps, she thermoregulates herself pretty well though). Moist hide on the hot side, cool hide on the cool. Paper towel substrate. Water dish, calcium dish, food dish. Simple and effective.
 
dragonflyreptiles

dragonflyreptiles

Resident PITA
Messages
2,135
Location
Winston Salem, NC
Mine are simple but effective too but I don't let mine fall below 90, Ive seen them slow and not eat well at 88 so if you are off by a little that could be part of the problem. Mine stay from 90-92 because they can regulate and go to the cool side if they want to.

Since you got her in april I doubt its a getting used to the new home deal, and you have offered all different foods and had a fecal. So my only guess would be to raise the high just a tad, offer mealies in a dish every 3nd or 3rd day not everyday, maybe that will help.
 
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