Help Me!! URGENT!

[Geck-O]

My gecko whom I've had for 4-5 weeks still hasn't eaten. What should I do? I'm really worried. He's starting to look quite skinny. The temp on the hot side is around 90-95. On the cold side it's around 75-80. I offer him mealies every 2 days. There is a bowl of mealies inside at all times. The bowl is a jam jar lid so it's very low and Spot has no problem spotting the mealies inside. In the shop he was kept at, he was fed mealies. There is also a bowl of water and calcium inside the tank. If there is anything else you need to know please tell me.

 

[Sunrise Reptile]

I'd try a batch of the Slurry if I were you. :main_yes:

 

[snowgyre]

Can you take a picture of the tank? What's the substrate? A picture is worth a thousand words in cases like these.

 

[acpart]

Try crickets.

Take a poop sample to the vet, if you can get some (I don't think it has to be a reptile vet; any vet should be able to analyze a fecal sample.)

Aliza

 

[Gregg M]

Before you do all of that stuff, answer this...
What are your hot spot, cool side, and ambient temps...

 

[clegault]

its not been as long with my geckos but its been almost two weeks and they still arent eating... how much does temperture play in feeding? my one female is eating fine but the other two (got them feb 22 and they havent eaten at all since ive had them) still wont and i offer mealies and crickets to them every other day

 

[Riyo]

its not been as long with my geckos but its been almost two weeks and they still arent eating... how much does temperture play in feeding? my one female is eating fine but the other two (got them feb 22 and they havent eaten at all since ive had them) still wont and i offer mealies and crickets to them every other day

Temperature has everything to do with feeding. If the temperature is too low reptiles cannot properly digest their food. Higher temperatures also stimulate their appetite.

 

[leegooman2323]

feed him crickets-my juvenile leo isn't the least bit interested in mealies yet, but he eats about 10 crickets a day...maybe that's the problem.

 

[reddmann]

I agree with leegooman. Try crickets. My leo will not eat mealies unless they are moving. But once he sees one move he will gulp down 15 or 20. Crickets move a lot more than mealies.

 

[clegault]

i give crickets, i only tried mealies to see if they would eat them since they werent eatting the crickets, mealies i leave on demand because cleo loves them, if dallas and mango eat them great if not oh well. But it is crickets i feed every other day... What temperture should my tank be kept at?

 

[leegooman2323]

Day time is 85-95 and night-time is 75-85 i believe.

 

[clegault]

okay so what is the best way to get the temperture up? the one im concerned about spends almost all her time on the cold side... i have a 36 x 18 x 18 terrarium and half of it has the underpad heater, i also have a screen top which i have just covered to help it retain heat but the average daytime temp is around 80 and the night time tends to drop closer to 70... cleo has never had a problem with this temperture so i didnt think anything of it

 

[leegooman2323]

umm you can use heat lamps-which is a very good way to raise temp. about 10 degrees. I have that and a heating pad and that manages to keep the temp. at a good level. As long as your screen top is metal, consider getting a heat lamp.

 

[clegault]

thanks ill get one tomorrow

 

[leegooman2323]

ok-glad to help

 

[clegault]

okay so would a medium size heat lamp and a 75watt dayspot bulb be sufficient for a 36 x 18 x 18 terrarium with an under tank heat pad, i just want to make sure i have the right thing before i set it up and have to return it if its wrong

 

[Mel&Keith]

Make sure you're getting an accurate surface temperature with a good thermometer over the warmest spot. I don't know what kind of thermometer you have but the ones that stick on the glass are not accurate and only read the ambient air temp. If your gecko is spending all of it's time on the cool side it would be more likely that the floor temp on the hot side is too hot, not too cold.

 

[clegault]

what thermometer would you recommend? i have the stick on one and its near the bottom of the tank... when i feel the difference between the hot and cold side it doesnt feel too different... the hot side is warm and maybe a couple degrees warmer then the cold side... my other two spend alot of time on the hot side since i gave them a new hie they seem to really like

 

[clegault]

okay so ive gotten a new digital thermometer, turns out my temperture is too high so ive got it lowered and the geckos are back to being comfortable. additionally i took the three of them to my local reptile shop and problem number two- much to my amazement (as i was told differently) i have 2 males and 1 female so now i have my one male in a temporary small tank until i manage to get another tank- he is also the one not eating, since the temp change the other now male has begun eatting, thank you everyone for your advice !

 

[Claudio Martins]

That's really great news! Glad things worked out