HELP NOT EATING

[Kaianuanu]

my gecko seemed very healthy when i got him and had him in my 10g but after i moved him into my 55g, he hasnt been eating much, i thought it was a heat issue because i only have one very small heat pad but i lowered the 100w lamp to about 1.5 foooet above the tank floor. so now instead of laying on the heat pad, he lays more to the cooler side. Also, since i have moved him hes just been laying out in the open. he lost his desire to use his hides. he has been pooping alot and it has the normal sized white part but because he hasn't been eating, the brown part is just like a small amount of liquidy stuff. He has been plenty active and he runs from me when i try to handle him like any healthy young gecko. But the other main concern is that his belly seems like a prego female, but he isnt eating, the pooping makes me think its not an impaction though. I only have a red light at night so mabe he needs more visible light for hunting but i dont think thats the problem.

 

[Kaianuanu]

i think he might possibly be a she that may be developing eggs

 

[prettyinpink]

I'm going to pass this link your way to let us help you out better

http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=70912

 

[Jordan]

my gecko seemed very healthy when i got him and had him in my 10g but after i moved him into my 55g, he hasnt been eating much, i thought it was a heat issue because i only have one very small heat pad but i lowered the 100w lamp to about 1.5 foooet above the tank floor. so now instead of laying on the heat pad, he lays more to the cooler side. Also, since i have moved him hes just been laying out in the open. he lost his desire to use his hides. he has been pooping alot and it has the normal sized white part but because he hasn't been eating, the brown part is just like a small amount of liquidy stuff. He has been plenty active and he runs from me when i try to handle him like any healthy young gecko. But the other main concern is that his belly seems like a prego female, but he isnt eating, the pooping makes me think its not an impaction though. I only have a red light at night so mabe he needs more visible light for hunting but i dont think thats the problem.

It may be that there is too much room, too big of an enclosure can be extremely stressful and daunting to a small leo. He may not be able to find heat, water, food, or his favourite hiding spot, and so forced to lay out in the open.
running away from you doesnt necessarily show he's healthy, it could also be a sign of stress, and so flights at the frist sign of danger.

if his belly seems like a gravvid female, then it may be an idea to check his sex, just type in 'leopard gecko sexing' into google and there will be plenty of pages that tell you how. You may realise he is a she.

What is the substrate? there is always the rick of impaction with loose substrates.

DONT ADD MORE LIGHTS. NO lights are needed AT ALL for leo's. So if anything take away lights. they are stressful for leo's, very stressful. they are a nocturnal animal, and so dont need light to hunt, their eyesight is much better in the dark. just dont add any more lights.

 

[Phish999]

it is either too big of an enclosure or he/she is still stressed about the move itself

 

[Pinky81]

my gecko seemed very healthy when i got him and had him in my 10g but after i moved him into my 55g, he hasnt been eating much, i thought it was a heat issue because i only have one very small heat pad but i lowered the 100w lamp to about 1.5 foooet above the tank floor. so now instead of laying on the heat pad, he lays more to the cooler side. Also, since i have moved him hes just been laying out in the open. he lost his desire to use his hides. he has been pooping alot and it has the normal sized white part but because he hasn't been eating, the brown part is just like a small amount of liquidy stuff. He has been plenty active and he runs from me when i try to handle him like any healthy young gecko. But the other main concern is that his belly seems like a prego female, but he isnt eating, the pooping makes me think its not an impaction though. I only have a red light at night so mabe he needs more visible light for hunting but i dont think thats the problem.

If you have 55gal tank you NEED a larger UTH. you probably aren't getting near enough heat for his hot side. Plus you don't mention what your temps are??? Do you have thermometer probes?

My gravid female is pooping just like yours right now...so maybe if you are able to hold up your leo and take a pic of its belly we could help let you know if this is the issue. I'll attach a pic of my Bonnie's belly.

The hides thing isn't a big deal so much IMO...Bonnie has never been a big hide girl..she likes to lay out in the open a lot!

Good Luck!

 

[Kaianuanu]

here's a pic of his belly, i thought he was a male because of his faint femoral pores and what i thought was the beginning of a hemipenal bulge. Because he still is a young one at only 6 inches.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Looks like a female to me....

 

[Pinky81]

Im gonna vote female as well! but not sure if its a gravid issue. I would try going back to the 10g. the huge tank could be stressing her out. and you didn't answer about temps....what are your temps at with only a small UTH??

 

[Kaianuanu]

i dont have a probe thermometer but i'll try to get 1 soon

 

[Jordan]

yes that is a female not a male. but it isnt gravvid.

 

[Kaianuanu]

what if i was to create an opaque divider in the center and gradually move it back untill he has the whole tank? its been over a week so i think he knows where everything is as he drinks regularly and he poops in the opposite end from where he usually lounges systematically. I think just the actual size like you said is the stressor.

 

[Kaianuanu]

also, i have another 55 gallon with large fish around 9 " long, near him, could this be stressing him?

 

[Dog Shrink]

Any external stimuli could stress him esp. a fish that looks large enough to eat him. You can put some black construction paper on the outside of his tank or a background picture, something so he can't see out. I have 3 sides of my tank walls covered to help decrease stress for my leo. I don't know if doing the divider will help altho some will say a smaller tank for a smaller/younger leo, I would think each time you'd move the divider he's gonna have to get use to the tank all oer again. Idk if it would just be easier to keep the tank open and provide many hiding places (fake plants, multiple hides, logs etc) or to divide the tank smaller.