First let me apologize for the length of the post but there is some relative history forthcoming (maybe) Also I know I need to find a herp vet to get to the bottom of the potential problems we might have. Today, I am looking for advise from anyone with experience. I am just left scratching my head over these little cuties.
Anyway, here it goes:
My daughter and I wanted to get a new female leo to add to our 'colony'. We have enjoyed our success at breeding these little dolls and love every one of them. So,
we purchased a male and female leo from a gal who seemed to be very knowledgeable about leos and who was selling her 'stock' because she had to downsize for health reasons. She would only sell them as a set. The female was egg baring but none of her eggs hatched. We battled all of the usual problems with the clutches until we knew it was hopeless and had to dispose of them. All of a sudden, she seemed to stop eating and then began losing weight. I separated them and later I called the gal who sold her to us and she took her back to nurse her, take her to her herp vet etc. (no herp vets in my area and she offered) The vet was certain that she didn't have crypto (which i was in a panic about after searching the internet) but the specimen was too old and the poor girl later died. I never got an answer about what the diagnosis was as a necroscopy was never performed. Now I can't reach the gal who sold her to me. I think she is a good person though. Meanwhile, the male that was living with the female that died, from here on I will call him male 2, is doing fine. Huge appetite and thriving. His tail is large and looks different than the others. It isn't pointy on the end. Maybe he had problems with a dropped tail. I just don't know. It is very fat toward the end. That is probably not important at all.
I had my own female (female 1) who was paired with my own male (male 1) and they were proven producers. I have 3 beautiful juveniles to prove it. This male we have had for years. (all living separately)
Fast forward a few weeks after the incident with the new geckos. My male(male 1) began to stop eating. He had never been in direct contact with either of the new geckos. I separated male 1 and female 1. I later introduced female 1 with male 2 and they behaved like they were breeding. I cannot be 100% sure that they were successful but why wouldn't they be? Well, my proven producing female, female 1,is laying infertile eggs! She also isn't eating and normally has a ravenous appetite after laying a clutch. Her tail used to be enormous. (freakishly large) and it is slimming.
Do you think that the male is a dud? Can it have something to do with them being new to each other or did they just have an unsuccessful breeding? Lastly, is it possible for a gecko to be a carrier of some kind of illness but not show any signs of it, but pass the illness along? It seems like any female that male 2 comes in contact with, lays infertile eggs and then stops eating. She might not be sick but she certainly isn't eating and her tail has slimmed. Male 2 has NO signs of illness whatsoever.
On a separate note, my male 1 has started eating again. His appetite is just intermittent. He is definitely holding his own. He is just not eating as much.
I know it is a ton of information and inferences but any thoughts would be appreciated.
Jenny
Anyway, here it goes:
My daughter and I wanted to get a new female leo to add to our 'colony'. We have enjoyed our success at breeding these little dolls and love every one of them. So,
we purchased a male and female leo from a gal who seemed to be very knowledgeable about leos and who was selling her 'stock' because she had to downsize for health reasons. She would only sell them as a set. The female was egg baring but none of her eggs hatched. We battled all of the usual problems with the clutches until we knew it was hopeless and had to dispose of them. All of a sudden, she seemed to stop eating and then began losing weight. I separated them and later I called the gal who sold her to us and she took her back to nurse her, take her to her herp vet etc. (no herp vets in my area and she offered) The vet was certain that she didn't have crypto (which i was in a panic about after searching the internet) but the specimen was too old and the poor girl later died. I never got an answer about what the diagnosis was as a necroscopy was never performed. Now I can't reach the gal who sold her to me. I think she is a good person though. Meanwhile, the male that was living with the female that died, from here on I will call him male 2, is doing fine. Huge appetite and thriving. His tail is large and looks different than the others. It isn't pointy on the end. Maybe he had problems with a dropped tail. I just don't know. It is very fat toward the end. That is probably not important at all.
I had my own female (female 1) who was paired with my own male (male 1) and they were proven producers. I have 3 beautiful juveniles to prove it. This male we have had for years. (all living separately)
Fast forward a few weeks after the incident with the new geckos. My male(male 1) began to stop eating. He had never been in direct contact with either of the new geckos. I separated male 1 and female 1. I later introduced female 1 with male 2 and they behaved like they were breeding. I cannot be 100% sure that they were successful but why wouldn't they be? Well, my proven producing female, female 1,is laying infertile eggs! She also isn't eating and normally has a ravenous appetite after laying a clutch. Her tail used to be enormous. (freakishly large) and it is slimming.
Do you think that the male is a dud? Can it have something to do with them being new to each other or did they just have an unsuccessful breeding? Lastly, is it possible for a gecko to be a carrier of some kind of illness but not show any signs of it, but pass the illness along? It seems like any female that male 2 comes in contact with, lays infertile eggs and then stops eating. She might not be sick but she certainly isn't eating and her tail has slimmed. Male 2 has NO signs of illness whatsoever.
On a separate note, my male 1 has started eating again. His appetite is just intermittent. He is definitely holding his own. He is just not eating as much.
I know it is a ton of information and inferences but any thoughts would be appreciated.
Jenny
