Going on week 2 of hunger strike

[kitten]

I have a pretty big female, last i weighed her, I'm almost certain she was around 45-50g. I recently moved her into a 10 gallon because the tank she was in before was too big and I didn't have room for it anymore. Right after I moved her into the small tank, she shed but didn't eat all of the skin, which was unusual. That was 11 days ago, and she hasn't eaten since. I've offered crickets, mealworms, superworms, and waxworms. The mealies and waxworms she'll lick, but then turn away. My ultimate goal is to get her to a vet, but right now, all the vet clinics (which are very few here) are only open while I'm at work. I'm a veterinary technician (irony?) but none of the doctors at my clinic know enough about reptiles to have any idea what's going on. My next step is Marcia's slurry. I also noticed today that the yellow on her back is starting to fade to a white color. I'm not sure if she's getting ready to shed again, or if it's something to do with her refusal to eat. She hasn't lost any weight and her tail is VERY fat. She really almost seems overweight, simply because of the size of her tail.

The tank has repticarpet, a UTH, and even though it's in the living room, I have fabric covering the top and 3/4s of the tank for privacy. Her personality hasn't changed a bit, simply this refusal of food. If anyone could point me to some articles, tips, or even something that can be used as an apetite stimulant, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[EchoPet]

She could be ovulating - females can go on a hunger strike when that happens. As long as her condition stays good and everything else is normal, I wouldn't worry too much at this point. The color fading sounds like she's about to shed again. Maybe she'll eat again once she gets through with the shed. If she starts looking like she's losing weight, then I'd worry about slurry and an appetite stimulant. I usually use Jump Start and have had good success with it.

 

[Retribution Reptiles]

That sounds like classic ovulating to me. My girls have started to pale out alittle and go off food for a bit. Just give her some time. Remember these are desertish dwelling animals. Their genetics are built for surviving for long periods of time w/o food.

I would not suggest using Marcias slurry. That was designed for helping animals that are anorexic or on medications and not eating on their own. I would give her time offer food every other day. You may wish to leave a bowl of mealies in the tank at all times.

Don't give up hope. I just got a female to start eating after not eating for over a month or better. I had to result in removing all objects in the tub placing a super in the tub and leaving her at it.

 

[kitten]

Alright, thanks guys! I did the whole put her in a clear tub and check the belly, I even shined a flashlight behind her. The bottom half (abdomen) is completely clear, can't see anything yet. The top half (chest) is completely opaque, can't see a thing. She's very active and is cruising around in her tank all the time.