Help Please - Baby Gecko Not Eating

[scintillatingstar]

Forcefeeding doesnt mean you are shoving a worm down its throat and makeing it asperate. It just means getting it to open its mouth enough to force a peice into its mouth so it swallows the rest on its own. As small as they are, they are not the most fragile things in the world. They are actually quite resilient.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I am not going to give you a lecture about buying geckos from pet stores, Chris. You already know you shouldn't have, and the reason you gave about 'testing' yourself as a gecko-keeper... well, I guess I won't give you a lecture about that either. I think you already see the errors.

The main thing is to do the BEST you can do for this little gecko. Assuming all it's environmental needs are met, and you are not stressing it out too much by over-handling it, you will need veterinary intervention for this little baby to survive.

I do not subscribe to force-feeding at all. I have force-fed many geckos in the 13 years I have been working with them, and it doesn't work. You can try to 'tickle' the side of it's mouth with a small mealworm or waxworm and see if it opens it's mouth (this is a natural reflex) and poke the tip of it in and see if it will eat it. Try a couple of times, and then give it up... otherwise the little thing will be too stressed.

If all else fails, feed it some of my slurry. It works 95% of the time, and this way the little baby will be feeding on it's own terms. All you need is to give it enough to keep it going long enough to produce a stool for the vet to examine for parasites. Keep in mind that bacterial infections and crypto DO NOT show up on routine fecal floats and smears.

I hope you can help this little one. If not, then it is not necessarily a reflection upon your husbandry skills, but on your judgment and motives for buying this baby. Good luck!

 

[Ultrakd]

You can not say you got it because it was sick and you wanted to see if you could fix it. Then later say you got it because you wanted to raise a baby up to be your own.

I guess it was the way I worded it but I never meant I got this gecko because he was sick. I looked and tried to find the healthiest looking guy. And that was him he was not lethargic or anything he was walking around. Im not gonna give up on him either. The only time I have handeled hi is when I try feeding him. He seems t obe drinking a lot and he is taking the vionate, so at least he is getting vitamens.

THanks Marcia

 

[JordanAng420]

I think that you just need to be a little more careful of your wording on this page. Most people, not all, but most are older and words being the only way to communicate online need to be very precise. You can not say you got it because it was sick and you wanted to see if you could fix it. Then later say you got it because you wanted to raise a baby up to be your own. The original statement is what got you beat up. Just try to pay attention to detail and how you word things.
Keep your head up. Don't give up on the little man.

Very well said, and thank you for clarifying. When folks make it seem like they take home a living thing to practice on, that upsets me.

 

[syntheticreality]

Hows the leo holding up?

 

[Ultrakd]

He has gained 1g. He has eaten 2 Waxies. I am so happy

 

[JordanAng420]

YAY! Glad he's doing well! That makes me happy, too.

 

[dim&shell]

Woo very pleased for you Ultrakd.

Also I'm a little shocked at the "harshness" at some of the messages posted about you buying the gecko. Firstly I don't think theres anything wrong with buying a Gecko that is being mistreated in a petshop, if you have the money and time to care for him. I also don't think that if he does it is YOUR fault at all, your heart is in the right place. If you feel that the gecko was mistreated please report the petshop.

As some of you may or may not know, I bought a gecko from a petshop early last month, and he was REALLY REALLY ill, literally skin and bones and at first wouldn't eat a thing, I took him to the vets, got a fecal sample done, and in the mean time fed him chicken baby food and drops of water on his nose so he could lick it off, I also made sure I kept him completely away from my other geckos, washed my hands constantly and never gave up, fed him baby food for about a month, also found out from the vets that he has Salmonella which he is currently on antibiotics. I bought him his first crickets last week and in the first night he ate 15 of them in 10 minutes!! I can't explain the feeling of knowing that he's doing better and chances are he's going to survive.

I also reported the petshop to the RSPCA and they have been temporarily shut, due to the health risk (the salmonella).

Please don't give up.

 

[GeckoTeach]

I had a lil' guy we picked up from a petstore as well and he was slow to eat as well. We used Repti-aide and he would lick it up, eventually we gave him some peach baby food and then moved to mealies and crix, he is doing great. Keep us posted. I hope your lil' gecko is growing nicely.

 

[Tanner505Geckos]

i might of read it wrong your feeding him crested gecko diet

 

[dim&shell]

Yeah I did the same Missy, slow process but it's great when they start eating properly... I was OVER THE MOON when my lil' one finally ate a cricket after a month of baby food