Checking on Vet's advice-not eating

[Lizzie's Mom]

Hi everyone,

We just took our leo to the vet because she hasn't eaten in about 3 weeks. She doesn't seem to have lost any weight and is quite spry. She has been trying to climb the tank walls all of a sudden though and sits with her head looking up a lot. The warm side is between 85-92 and the cool side is about 75.

First of all, the vet said we should have a daytime uv light. When I challenged this, he called another vet who said it can go 50/50 with that. He then checked Lizzie thoroughly, but when he squeezed her jaw, she bit him. Well, his reaction was to throw her off! The poor gecko went flying, but I don't think she hit the wall. However, she eventually landed on the floor - 3.5 feet down. All in front of my poor 8 year old!

That said, he gave us some Hill's A/D cat/dog food to feed her - 1ml per day. She seemed to like this.

Does this seem like the right way to go? Should I try to feed her something different? Although her eyes are clear, she doesn't even seem to see the worms in the tank, but she seems to see where she's going and the reflections on the walls of the tank.

Help!

 

[Stomlin35]

Have you tried crickets or super worms instead? Sometimes my geckos stop eating when they get bored with what I was offering, so I have to switch it up.

The doctor's orders seems about right, except I would have opted in for a fecal exam just to cover bases.

Make sure the hot side is a consistent 90+

 

[Srt14292]

I agree with trying crix or locusts if you can get any, also dubia roaches, as for the uv light...No..if you want to expose your gecko to uv light you can take them outside on a sunny day for a few minutes, even this is not necessary but its personal preference.

 

[CapCitySteve]

You say your gecko hasn't lost weight even though she's not been eating. That's confusing to me, she should definately loose some weight in that amount of time. Hae you actually wieghed her? I would at least twice week to be sure she's not loosing. Also try counting the number of mealies you putin her bowl. It's hard to tell if they're actually not eating if you just dump a large amount in the bowl. As for the UV it's not necessary as long as you supplement calcium with vit. D3. Also are you using a good gutloader for your mealies prior to feeding them out?

 

[Lizzie's Mom]

Tried Crickets

Yes, we've tried crickets. I dust and gut load whatever she eats. She weighed 50g today. Right before she stopped eating, she was pretty ravenous. She would eat 15 mealworms in less than 5 minutes. I was actually worried about her getting too fat. If she has lost weight, then maybe she was a little chubby before so it's less noticeable. I don't usually fill up a bowl of worms because I like to know if she's eating.

I'll try force feeding her for a while I guess. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Tony C]

Is she ovulating?

 

[shadowdragon619]

how old is your gecko? sometimes they're appetites tend to slow down. my spaz is 8 months old now, and she only eats about twice a week. she isnt loosing weight, and she gains probably about a gram every two weeks.

maybe try a wax worm to get her appetite going again...i've never had a sick gecko say no to a wax worm!


and to go with Tony C...is she ovulating? my girl goes on hunger strikes too when she's ovulating.

 

[Eric1969]

Hi everyone,

We just took our leo to the vet because she hasn't eaten in about 3 weeks. She doesn't seem to have lost any weight and is quite spry. She has been trying to climb the tank walls all of a sudden though and sits with her head looking up a lot. The warm side is between 85-92 and the cool side is about 75.

First of all, the vet said we should have a daytime uv light. When I challenged this, he called another vet who said it can go 50/50 with that. He then checked Lizzie thoroughly, but when he squeezed her jaw, she bit him. Well, his reaction was to throw her off! The poor gecko went flying, but I don't think she hit the wall. However, she eventually landed on the floor - 3.5 feet down. All in front of my poor 8 year old!

That said, he gave us some Hill's A/D cat/dog food to feed her - 1ml per day. She seemed to like this.

Does this seem like the right way to go? Should I try to feed her something different? Although her eyes are clear, she doesn't even seem to see the worms in the tank, but she seems to see where she's going and the reflections on the walls of the tank.

Help!

Our vet told me yesterday too that they should have a UV a and b light in their cage, just like we need the sun. But I have read that during the day in the desert they hide until night. Not sure what to believe. I have a red 75 watt basing lamp in mine, just for added heat, the bottom does not seem to be getting warm enough.... I think I need a bigger UTH.

 

[sammer021486]

I am surprised that the vet flung the gecko, messing with the geckos mouth, should have known the gecko would have most likely bit and have been expecting it. Good thing they can take a fall and be alright.

I had a male that only ate a few supers a month. I use to worry about him, but when I got my scale and started weighing him, he was always at 85-89grams, so I figured he was not a big eater.

 

[roger]

Hi everyone,

We just took our leo to the vet because she hasn't eaten in about 3 weeks. She doesn't seem to have lost any weight and is quite spry. She has been trying to climb the tank walls all of a sudden though and sits with her head looking up a lot. The warm side is between 85-92 and the cool side is about 75.

First of all, the vet said we should have a daytime uv light. When I challenged this, he called another vet who said it can go 50/50 with that. He then checked Lizzie thoroughly, but when he squeezed her jaw, she bit him. Well, his reaction was to throw her off! The poor gecko went flying, but I don't think she hit the wall. However, she eventually landed on the floor - 3.5 feet down. All in front of my poor 8 year old!

That said, he gave us some Hill's A/D cat/dog food to feed her - 1ml per day. She seemed to like this.

Does this seem like the right way to go? Should I try to feed her something different? Although her eyes are clear, she doesn't even seem to see the worms in the tank, but she seems to see where she's going and the reflections on the walls of the tank.

Help!

First off if i were u I would look for another vet.A professional vet should not have flung a leo to the floor.Leos do not need uv lighting.never in my 25 years of keeping leos they've never needed uv rays.thats why i give my leos MINER I vitamins

 

[steve905]

+1 on a new vet. Has he done a fecal exam? Try wax worms they are like crack for my leos. Sometimes mine will go off feed and It seems they're little brains need a reset on eating. Once they get a few waxies in them away you go. It gross but try a smashed one on they're snout and see if they will lick it off. that may get him going too. Good Luck!

 

[Eric1969]

+1 on a new vet. Has he done a fecal exam? Try wax worms they are like crack for my leos. Sometimes mine will go off feed and It seems they're little brains need a reset on eating. Once they get a few waxies in them away you go. It gross but try a smashed one on they're snout and see if they will lick it off. that may get him going too. Good Luck!

Yes they did an exam on the fecal, I called today, they said it was fine, so no parasites, or any issues with that. Need to get whatever that is still inside of him out, xray showed a few spots that might be impacted. I have been trying to give him warm baths, but he wont sit still long enough for it do do anything. I have tried meal worms, not waxworms, having a hard time finding them at my pets stores.

 

[roger]

Yes they did an exam on the fecal, I called today, they said it was fine, so no parasites, or any issues with that. Need to get whatever that is still inside of him out, xray showed a few spots that might be impacted. I have been trying to give him warm baths, but he wont sit still long enough for it do do anything. I have tried meal worms, not waxworms, having a hard time finding them at my pets stores.

Give him a drop of castor oil on his nose so he licks it if your worried about impaction.

 

[Eric1969]

Give him a drop of castor oil on his nose so he licks it if your worried about impaction.

I have read that you can give them olive or veg oil. I have some of that, but not castor oil. I also worry if I put this stuff on his noise, will he breath it in and get into his lungs before he licks it.
We are giving him a few drops of antibiotics on his nose and feeding him a liquid supplement the vet gave us since he wont eat his crickets or mealworms... I wonder how long this will last.
He doesnt seem to move around so much the past few days, I thought with the antibiotic he would get better....he used to walk right onto my hand and now I have to crab and fight him to pick him up, he does not like the vials of liquid I am giving him.

 

[steve905]

Olive oil will work fine for you. Use it in conjunction with the baths. couple of drops on the nose. Good luck. Glad to hear the fecals were good.

 

[Lizzie's Mom]

how old is your gecko? sometimes they're appetites tend to slow down. my spaz is 8 months old now, and she only eats about twice a week. she isnt loosing weight, and she gains probably about a gram every two weeks.

maybe try a wax worm to get her appetite going again...i've never had a sick gecko say no to a wax worm!


and to go with Tony C...is she ovulating? my girl goes on hunger strikes too when she's ovulating.

How do you know if she's ovulating? I've tried to turn her over, but she doesn't like it. She's 9 month's old today.