Chakra's fat---any tips?

[Spirit_Scale]

I'm a little embarassed to admit it, but the poor girl is HUGE (and not in a good way). When I got her originally she was pretty fat, and due to my lack of other geckos to compare, when she finished laying her clutch (she was given to a friend of mine for the breeding season) I figured I should build her back up to that, because it was 'normal' for her.

Lo and behold she's 74 grams and has this oddly permanently ballooned belly (I've had four gecko people I know, including me, look at her in case she had a clutch left---nothing and her last clutch was about 1 1/2 months ago at least).
I feel really bad thinking I've got her this way, I honestly thought it was just the way she was built.

She's got a bit of chest heaving and general bleh going on, so she's scheduled for a vet appointment next Saturday. I haven't fed her in a week or so now and she's holding weight. She's taken about three poops even after no food...so maybe she's just really blocked up. But she's never ever been on sand. I'll have the vet check her lungs and check for worms etc.

I gave the superworm colony to a friend (after she finished laying she refused all else) and she'll be on crickets and silks from now on. Its not like if she goes on a hunger strike she'll be in trouble...
I just hope I haven't caused her any permanent harm

These are some pics of her and her belly (sorry for the crappy quality)---anyone have any suggestions or thoughts?

 

[Dimidiata]

I wouldnt kill off food completely, just limit what she gets. IF its just fat then she will need to loose it slowly over time. Maybe install some more climbing areas in the enclosure or a second level to make sure shes getting a work out. Take her out more often as well.

 

[mango+cola]

agreed, you shouldn't stop feeding her just because she is big, you should just put her on a gecko diet and limit her food so she isn't over eating, but she still needs her vitamins and calcium, so she will need to intake food. The weight isnt a problem, my gecko weights 80g and is healthy, its the belly on yours that makes her look over weight (my gecko is heavier than yours, but does not have the belly), she just looks like she could do with some exercise.

 

[EnchantmentGecko]

Agreed, if you withhold food, her body will go into a survival mode and then any food she does get will go to fat stores instead of energy, a lot like people. It would work against you instead of for you.

 

[Spirit_Scale]

Well I'm a bit relieved to see you guys just think its probably fat
I'm not trying to starve her, just wanted to give her a chance to clear out as she was backed up because she was pigging out on supers for a while. Plus, she'll poop like I said long after there isn't food, like its just sitting in there.

When she was eating crickets she pooped 1-2 times a day, so I'm just trying not to back her up any more than she already is. I was also thinking that maybe I'd not feed her till post vet-visit next week (its a long time i know) just to make sure she's as empty as she can be so the vet doesn't simply say 'oh she just needs to poop'. If she can pass all the poop before then of course I'll feed her earlier, but I'm not so sure now.

The other thing is miss picky has turned up her nose at crickets every time I've offered, so part of this fast is her fault because she's too lazy (she gets all excited, realizes its just crickets and turns around and goes home to her hide lol).

How much less do you figure I should be feeding her? 12 crickets a week? 6?

 

[marauderhex]

I'd give her smaller prey on the same feeding schedule, then back down the frequency of feedings, not to drop below two food offerings a week.

 

[EnchantmentGecko]

Mealworms don't gutload as well as crickets so you would need to dust them but they would make a decent diet food. They are less fatty. My geckos pig out on them and never gain too much weight.

 

[katie_]

mealies are actually more fatty than crickets.
if you withhold food, she has a high risk of developing fatty liver disease when she starts eating again.

 

[Spirit_Scale]

I'm not withholding food, she just doesn't want to eat the crickets or silks yet, I'll offer her one silk or 1-2 crickets tomorrow and see if she wants so. Plus she has a bad history of being constipated so I'm trying to give her a rest for a week to clear out her gut so I can have a better idea of how she's pooping.

But duly noted about the fatty liver.