HELP! Geckos Health

[Dreyz]

So i purchased a four year old female Leopard gecko last sunday and when i purchased it the breeder said she may not want to be handled as much due to her shedding & she could potentially be pregnant (Too early to tell for sure). Anyway once i got home i put here in my old Snake tank until i get a more suitable terrarium for her later this month, but i purchased a heat mat, food and set up three hiding spots for her (Warmer, Colder & neutral). The bedding i used is left overs from my snake which is just like bark chips until i buy more with new terrarium. I was told her stable diet was crickets so that's what i bought. From sunday till now (Wednesday) she has not eaten a single thing and ignores all food around her. I remove her from the enclosure and put her in a smaller container with one cricket at a time in it to see if she will eat that way but she just looks the other way when the crickets are in front of her. Not to mention she doesn't like to be handled and has tried to bite me a few times. I'm really concerned about her health and would just like some advice/help on the matter. I have taken several photos of my tank & gecko to help you identify the problem or see if she is healthy. I just recorded the temperature of the area around the heat mat and it was 63 Fahrenheit which is below what it should be for some reason, should i use a basking light also?

 

[DrCarrotTail]

First off, she looks fairly healthy so I wouldn't be super concerned about her not eating for a few days. Sometimes the stress of a move can put them off their food.

Second I would fill out the sticky on this thread so people can give better advice: http://geckoforums.net/f130-health-medications/70912.htm

A few things I can say right off - wood chips are no good. Rough and sharp pieces can rub and tear the soft underbelly of a leopard gecko. Also crickets will burrow making it very hard to catch them and the gecko could eat the wood chips and they could impact or puncture their digestive tract. Snakes are predators of geckos so if the bedding smells like a snake the gecko might be super scared being in there. Secondly, they need a spot they can put their belly on that's at least 90 F. Without this they will be lethargic and more than likely won't eat since they can't properly digest their food. If the temperature in the room where you're keeping her is below 65 I might get a ceramic heating unit to warm the tank. Lights can make them nervous. They need dark places to hide away from lights. They need a moist hide where they can be in a higher humidity environment that will help them shed their skin.

 

[sausage]

i would also like to add that it looks like she has a healing wound on her tail, a bite mark prehaps? if this is true check to make sure she hasnt got any more. and check that all the shed is off her toes. if shes in pain could also be why she bites. DrCarrotTail is more likely right shes just scare from the move. give her a couple weeks to settle in

 

[Dreyz]

I have been taking her out of her enclosure with the wood chips and placing her on my pool table or in that plastic container to feed her so the crickets wouldn't hide or escape. Do you think i should get a different substrate now rather then waiting till the end of the month when i'm getting a whole new enclosure together? Also rather then buying a ceramic heating unit would i just be able to use my current basking light and buy a new red or black bulb?

 

[Dreyz]

i would also like to add that it looks like she has a healing wound on her tail, a bite mark prehaps? if this is true check to make sure she hasnt got any more. and check that all the shed is off her toes. if shes in pain could also be why she bites. DrCarrotTail is more likely right shes just scare from the move. give her a couple weeks to settle in

She has no other marks apart from the ones on her tail which i thought was just her shedding. Do you think she will be find without eating for say 2-3 weeks? Thanks

 

[B&B Geckos]

I agree with Dr. CT's advice, no wood chips and ensure temp is in the suitable range. You should not handle your gecko until it acclimates...this may take a few weeks. Below I pasted a past post on the subject of acclimating. Hope it helps.

http://geckoforums.net/f162-general-discussion/92759.htm#post756875

"Reminds me of my first experience with Leo's.
This behavior is normal. Geckos dislike change, it stresses them out. i have had some that refused to eat for 4 to 5 weeks, and although stressful for me they ultimately ate.
The key is to leave them completely alone for at least 3 -4 days for juvies, 7-10 for adults. Don't offer food, especially don't hold them, this stresses them out more. Don't offer crickets or dubia or superworms, as they will climb on them or nip at them, further stressing them. Place enough water to last a couple of days and don't even peek at them...resist the temptation (people lose they're geckos for months and they have been surprised to find them alive).
I like to cover the sides of their enclosure with paper to eliminate visual stimulation as well and only remove the paper one side at a time per week after they've been eating for a while. If you chose to do this now, move very slowly and be as quiet as possible.
When you do try to feed after a few dys, place the mealworms in their dish, add water and leave the gecko alone for a few hours before you check.
Some geckos do not respond to mealworms. In this case, offer one cricket at a time.
Sometimes it's hard to tell whether or not they are eating, unless you're counting mealworms. If they're pooping they are eating.

Here's the best video I've found on this topic, by my friend John from Geckoboa.
YouTube

Here's an article on the topic.
Answering "Why won't my gecko eat?" | Gecko Time

Good luck!"

 

[mörten]

She is a very pretty girl! Do you know what morph she is? I really love her color and pattern.

I also suspect that the snake enclosure creeps her out. While you are waiting for the new tank setup, you could get a disinfectant fot reptile tanks and clean the tank thoroughly. As for substrate, you can use paper towels. They are cheap, easy ti clean and wont cause impaction.

What heat mat are you using? I remember when I got my first gecko, I accidentally ordered a heat mat with too low watts. Do you measure the floor temps or the air temps? You need a thermostat and a probe termometet. The probe thermometer measures the floor temps above the heat mat. You simply plug the thermostat to your heat mat and set it to 90 degrees. Once the temperature for proper digestion is right, she might eat again. Of course, she might also be stressed out by having a new home to settle in to.

Like i said, i really adore your gecko girl. There is just something about her I am sure that you will figure this out and give her a good home! Good luck and keep us updated

 

[Dreyz]

She is a very pretty girl! Do you know what morph she is? I really love her color and pattern.

I also suspect that the snake enclosure creeps her out. While you are waiting for the new tank setup, you could get a disinfectant fot reptile tanks and clean the tank thoroughly. As for substrate, you can use paper towels. They are cheap, easy ti clean and wont cause impaction.

What heat mat are you using? I remember when I got my first gecko, I accidentally ordered a heat mat with too low watts. Do you measure the floor temps or the air temps? You need a thermostat and a probe termometet. The probe thermometer measures the floor temps above the heat mat. You simply plug the thermostat to your heat mat and set it to 90 degrees. Once the temperature for proper digestion is right, she might eat again. Of course, she might also be stressed out by having a new home to settle in to.

Like i said, i really adore your gecko girl. There is just something about her I am sure that you will figure this out and give her a good home! Good luck and keep us updated

Unfortunately i don't know what morph she is :/
I am going to replace my current substrate with newspaper & buy some reptile disinfectant which hopefully helps.
As for the reptile mat i am using, the brand is reptile one & its 7watt. To measure the temperature i just place a probe thermometer above where the heat mat is located but have not recorded the air temp.
My dad seems to think that the heat mat will not get hotter with the thermostat for some reason and keeps suggesting buying a red heat light, would you suggest just plugging the heat mat into the thermostat or buying a new bulb for a basking spot?

Also Sausage mentioned the bite mark on her tail, could this be from mating? I have watched leopard geckos mate on youtube and the males seem to bite the female..

 

[mörten]

7 watt is quite low. I think you just might have the solution right there! I have an exoterra heat wave desert mat of 8 watts and it gets very hot without a thermostat. I have hears from some people that the reptile one 7 watt heat sometimes has not reached proper temperatures. I would try a new heat mat, the exoterra mat for example, and plug a thermostat into it. I understand what your father is saying. The heat mat you are using now probably won't get any hotter than it already is, and a thermostat can't make it get any hotter if the heat mat already has reached its maximum. You are using the right method to measure temperatures with the probe

I am also wondering if the glass to the snake tank might be too thick? I know its a long shot but maybe you could check it out

The males usually bite the females on their neck and upper back, so I can't really tell. But you have received excellent advice from Dr carrot tail, sausage and B&B geckos. If you follow the advice you got here, you will do just fine

 

[Dreyz]

Before i decide to swap my heat mat how do i know if the current one has reached its full heat without using a thermostat? I just looked at the glass and compared it to my smaller frog tank and they are bascially the same which is not thick at all. Thanks for all of the help so far!

 

[DrCarrotTail]

I don't think off the shelf heat mats have any type of temperature regulation built in. When they're plugged in they just heat up to whatever temperature they're built to so if its directly plugged into the wall or more than an hour I would take the temperature directly on the middle of the mat and assume its reached the highest temperature it can reach.

 

[Ozy]

Wood isn't the best heat conductor, you know. It may not be getting very hot because you are trying to heat wood. Just a thought.