Help - my leo is acting strange!

[BarahSell]

Hello,

I have had a Leo since October '11. She is about a year old now. She is housed in a large glass tank. She has a heat matt for her hot moist hide (which is lined with moss and/or kitchen towel and is sprayed in the morning and evening) and she also has cold hide and smaller hide in the middle.

The tank itself has reptile carper and not sand.

She has fresh water each day and meal worms which are kept topped up. I feel her 5-7 crickets every other day.

Until now she has been completely content, very energetic and completely lovely. Whenever circkets have been put in to her tank she has gobbled them up instantly.

Im not sure if it might be down to the cold snap but for the last week she doesnt appear to have eaten anything and she hasnt shed since christmas day. Im a first time leo owner and have never had one through colder months and i wonder if this is normal? She doesnt appear to have anything wrong with eyes/nose/mouth and there are no blue spots or lumps on her belly. Her weight seems normal at present. But her behaviour since she stopped eating has been very subdued. She spends 85% of her time tucked up in her warm hide with her eyes shut and seems slightly dopey in comparison to her former self. I have read that cold snaps can effect them - i make sure my room is well heated also.

Any advice or comment would be much appreciated - i couldnt bare the thought of anything happening to her!

 

[zoe2710]

Leos go in sort of hibernation. They tend to eat less and sleep more becaus of the winter. You don't have to give them this, it's not necessary but they tend to go into it them self. You have to lower the light hours so that the temperature will automatically drop a little that way the leo will lose less energy.

Ofcourse if you really think her behaviour is off, go to a vet ;-).

 

[BarahSell]

Leos go in sort of hibernation. They tend to eat less and sleep more becaus of the winter. You don't have to give them this, it's not necessary but they tend to go into it them self. You have to lower the light hours so that the temperature will automatically drop a little that way the leo will lose less energy.

Ofcourse if you really think her behaviour is off, go to a vet ;-).

Thanks - ive read about brumation (their weird hibernation) but i just wanted to check from other owners that they have experienced the same just to put my mind at rest! :main_no: whenever she does decide to wake up and wonder about and i get her out of her tank she seems fine.

 

[Russellm0704]

It's just winter time. They will eat less and cone outside less

 

[BarahSell]

It's just winter time. They will eat less and cone outside less

Thanks - how long can she go without food for? i cant see that she had eaten for a week and im worried about her getting deficient in calcium - i normally dust her crickets.

 

[LeopardShade]

One of mine does this starting around February every year. Doesn't eat as much, sleeps a lot more. As long as she doesn't lose a significant amount of weight, I don't worry. It's justthetypical winter slowdown they go through annually.

 

[BarahSell]

One of mine does this starting around February every year. Doesn't eat as much, sleeps a lot more. As long as she doesn't lose a significant amount of weight, I don't worry. It's justthetypical winter slowdown they go through annually.

Thank you - do you do anything to get calcium in them? My friend has a leo who happens to be mines sister - she hasnt eated since the cold snap started either but she has become deficent in calcium and is starting to become unwell.

 

[GeckoGathering]

Strange acting

Hello,

I have had a Leo since October '11. She is about a year old now. She is housed in a large glass tank. She has a heat matt for her hot moist hide (which is lined with moss and/or kitchen towel and is sprayed in the morning and evening) and she also has cold hide and smaller hide in the middle.

The tank itself has reptile carper and not sand.

She has fresh water each day and meal worms which are kept topped up. I feel her 5-7 crickets every other day.

Until now she has been completely content, very energetic and completely lovely. Whenever circkets have been put in to her tank she has gobbled them up instantly.

Im not sure if it might be down to the cold snap but for the last week she doesnt appear to have eaten anything and she hasnt shed since christmas day. Im a first time leo owner and have never had one through colder months and i wonder if this is normal? She doesnt appear to have anything wrong with eyes/nose/mouth and there are no blue spots or lumps on her belly. Her weight seems normal at present. But her behaviour since she stopped eating has been very subdued. She spends 85% of her time tucked up in her warm hide with her eyes shut and seems slightly dopey in comparison to her former self. I have read that cold snaps can effect them - i make sure my room is well heated also.

Any advice or comment would be much appreciated - i couldnt bare the thought of anything happening to her!

Just add 2 cents worth about too cold and too humid conditions
from experiencing it.
Possible respiratory problems may occur.
I would suggest checking / rechecking the temp. where she is hanging out.
If it's too cold there and you are keeping it misted as often as you
say.......I feel that could lead to a problem, if not at present.
Take care. HJ
​

 

[LeopardShade]

do you do anything to get calcium in them?

As long as you leave a dish of calcium in the enclosure at all times, I'm pretty sure the gecko will be fine.

 

[Russellm0704]

as long as your temps are correct, you don't need to worry yet. I had one of my males go off food from early november until january. Then one day he just started eating like he never went off. Winter is just very stressful for owners because the geckos just dont eat as much. This is why they store so much in their fat tails.

 

[GeckoDude31]

This is true--I have a big slow down with most of my gex right now. Some take a 2 week breaks from eating. I try not to stress out about too much. Just keep an eye on temps, weight, and their body language. Also, I watch their potty spot to keep an eye out for dehydration. I sometimes dip my hand in water and calcium and they seem to enjoy licking it.