Eating and Pooping

[Cheaton]

My lovely red stripe I got a couple of weeks ago was eating and pooping fine. The last three days her poop has gone from normal size logs with urate to basically just urate and a tiny bit of feces. She is not eating when I try and tweezer feed her (previously she was loving the tweezer feeding). So, I think she's not eating anything. the leo she is sharing the tank with is still eating and pooping like a champ. I know that for one reason or another Leos (and other reptiles) will just stop eating for a couple of days or even weeks. Does this sound like anything any of you have seen before? Any insite would be appreciated.

-Chris

 

[GeckoRing]

There are several reasons that she might stop eating. What type of substrate are you using? Also, sometimes one gecko will dominate the food dish. Those would be my first things to check. Other than that it could be anything from ovulating to parasites.

 

[Cheaton]

I'm using paper towels and have been from the start. I don't think it's a domination issue, she wont even eat when I tweezer feed her. Parasites may be possible, but I honestly think that's not very likely. I would think she would have been eating poorly from the start if she was parasite infected (i've had them two weeks today). I'm going to just monitor it over the next week and see how it goes. I pulled them out and cleaned the tank a couple of days ago, I think that may be the cooresponding stress stimulus. I'm going to throw some crix in there tomorrow and see if that gets her going, that's what got her eating after I brought them home to begin with.

Thanks!

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

It could also be that time of year, some leos "self brumate" if she is an adult and been kept at normal temps all year she may think its time for natural brumation.

Id seperate her and make sure there are no above mentioned issues with food etc and see if she improves.

A lot of my leos start to slow down from now to October all on their own.

 

[Leopardbreeder]

I have been having that with one of my blazing blizzards. I only find small pee rocks on the towl. I am not worried about it because he is not loosing weight.

 

[Cheaton]

Ya, not much I can do but wait and see what happens. She is moving around and active, just not eating. Meanwhile my hypo is getting fat. Threw in some crix earlier and Streakie (the red stripe) didn't even budge. Just opened her eyes, glanced around, then closed her eyes again. Meanwhile, Bandie (the hypo) gobbled them up one by one. *sigh*

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

also, have you checked her to temps or are they in the same care, one eating one not? heating elements do wear out or fail too.

 

[MichaelJ]

"I only find small pee rocks on the towl."

That is hillarious! Pee Rocks.. I'm going to use that one..

Anyhoo, I agree with just about everyone on this one..

1. Separate her so she can be alone and you can monitor things best.

2. try different foods - wax worms, silkworms, lobster roaches, cricks, etc..

3. have a fecal done

4. if your tong feeding - she may have knicked the inside of her mouth on the tongs in a sloppy bite - she may just have a sore inside- your vet can open her mouth with a rubber spatula and if she's got a little sore he can give her some numbing agents and anti-biotics to allow it to heal without infection

5. as you even said - she may just be in a mood. I have two doing that right now and it still drives me nuts even though they do it every year..

My male stud breeder stopped eating for three months and I nearly had a coronary..
He started eating about three weeks ago and is bigger than he was prior..

 

[Cheaton]

I guess I should just get used to it. As far as the tweezer feeding I wasn't actually feeding them from the tweezers, just dropping the worms in front of them. My temps are golden. The one just seems totally uninterested in food. I think i'm just going to seperate them for good. Figure out a good way to divide up my 20L tank. She is active and seems to be doing everything right except for eating.

 

[Cheaton]

I guess I should just get used to it. As far as the tweezer feeding I wasn't actually feeding them from the tweezers, just dropping the worms in front of them. My temps are golden. The one just seems totally uninterested in food. I think i'm just going to seperate them for good. Figure out a good way to divide up my 20L tank. She is active and seems to be doing everything right except for eating.

 

[Cheaton]

Well,

She ate a couple of crix tonite. She doesn't look like she's lost any weight but she certianly hasn't gained any. I'm relieved she ate alittle. They were gutloaded overnight, but they were just small crix. Maybe i'll do some more crix throughout the next week, but I dont want to spoil them. hehe

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