Could use some advice

[Ozy]

Ok.. So Ozy shed like 3 or 4 days ago. She has only eaten one mediumish small dubia since then. Not really any poop to speak of... She got angry with me because I picked her up a couple of times and turned her over because I noticed she was licking her vent area and I wanted to make sure everything was cool down there (no stuck shed, etc.) She was going for a mealworm while she was in her humid hide and got a mouthful of eco-earth instead... The mealworm was on top of the hide on the smooth part, she's just a dork. I haven't seen her normal post shed eating HUGE poop, but rather one little one and one that just looks like urate. So, I've given her a warm soak and some Olive Oil just now. Is she stressed from me picking her up, clogged up from the eco-earth? I welcome suggestions. No she is not skinny AT ALL, so I know it won't kill her to not eat for a week or more. Just wanted some reassurance I guess. She doesn't really look like she's lost any weight, I'm just worried because normally after like 2 days she is ready to tear up some dubia, crickets or mealworms.

 

[SC Geckos]

I have had several geckos eat some coco fiber by mistake when a mealie got out of the bowl and found its way into the humid hide. As long as she is healthy and hydrated it should pass right through with no issue. I have seen in the passed where it looked like the entire poop was made of coco fiber. lol.
I would not worry much about that.

I would however get a cheap digital food scale to keep track of her weight so if she does start to loose weight you can get her checked out. A gecko can loose several grams before it starts to show. At this point I would not worry too much, but if she continues to lick at her vent it may not be a bad idea to have her checked by a vet.

 

[Ozy]

Well I only saw her lick her vent twice right after her shed. It wasn't excessive licking... Just like, cleaning it up licking... She pretty much licked one side for a few seconds and then turned to the other side and licked for a few seconds and that was that. I was just worried maybe I stressed her out some by picking her up and checking out her vent area (which looks fine) Ozy HATES to be handled. I have no idea why...

 

[SC Geckos]

I have a few that hate being handled and freak out, then again I have a few that you can flip over and they could care less. I can't remember ever having one that went off food just from handling though..... Maybe try something other than dubia and see what happens.
Is she by chance ovulating??

 

[Ozy]

And yes, she's healthy and hydrated. She has a humid hide and her water bowl/hide combo. Water bowl gets scrubbed with a toothbrush everyday and re-filled with spring water. Here's a recent pic of her.. She's pretty chunky. hahahaha! I've tried mealworms also and she's not interested. I dunno, maybe she's traumatized from her mouthful of eco-earth.. *shrug* At any rate she has a bowl of mealworms with Repashy Calcium Plus in it all the time in case she gets hungry, but she normally won't eat out of a dish... Cause she's a spoiled brat.

 

[SC Geckos]

Could she be ovulating?? This will cause a female to go off food.

 

[Ozy]

Maybe.. She has never been with any other geckos.. Can they still ovulate even if they have always been alone?

 

[SC Geckos]

She sure can. This could very well be why she has lost her appetite.

 

[Ozy]

You could very well be right, because NOTHING in her enclosure has changed. Just normal tile/hide scrubbing. She is still active and isn't really acting any differently except she doesn't have her normal, huge appetite.. lol. How long do they ovulate for? I'll be sure to keep a really close eye on her.

 

[SC Geckos]

A week or two in most cases, then if she is not bred (in most cases) she will absorb the ovulationsand return to normal. Sometimes they may even lay a clutch of eggs.

 

[Ozy]

Thanks. I'll keep a close watch on her and keep her stress as low as possible. I'll offer food everyday just in case.