Help!

[Kystaubi]

So I've had my leopard gecko for about a week now, and he's not really eating too much. I don't know what to do because he doesn't seem interested at all in food.... I've tried crickets and mealworms. He eats the mealworms but I think he's regurgitating them or at least not digesting them well, because they look almost whole. I've gotten some scrickets which he also doesn't seem too interested in. Since I've had him for the last week or so, he's only eaten around 7-8 meal worms, and 2 crickets. At least 3 of the mealies have been spit up (or not digested well) and 1 of the crickets too. The 3rd or 4th day that I had him he ate 4 whole meal worms, but only didn't digest one very well. After that he didn't want to eat for about 2 days, and then ate 2 mealies--one of which he regurgitated. I got him to eat another mealie at 5:30 in the morning, which most of it came out whole at around 6PM this afternoon. I've tried upping the temp to around 97 after eating, because someone said it helps digestion. I have a shallow rock looking water dish (which I see him in sometimes), and a small gatorade like cap with mealies in it that he hasn't touched at all.

He's young still and totally striped. I don't know exactly how old, but he's only 3-4 inches long total. I've been keeping the tank at around 94 degrees (on the warm side), but the temp has been fluctuating alot between 86 (sometimes by morning) and 98 degrees (on the warm side). He's only been hanging out around the warm side as far as I know, every time I look at him he's usually under the hut which is on top of the warm side. I'm using paper towel as substrate, with some smooth rocks around and under his hut (with some places exposing the paper towel if he wants to get warmer) and around the tank. I have a humid hide near the warm side. I'm using the 5 gallon UTH from zoomed, and using a lamp to heat it back up in the morning or when it drops below 90.

Any suggestions on what to feed him, or how to make him more excited to eat would be wonderful. I've been using a calcium powder every dusting (and have some in a cap in the tank), and got some reptile vitamins to dust with too. I got waterbites with vitamins for gutload and have been putting it in with the crickets/mealies I keep (not sure if they are eating it or not though). I really don't want him to die or get sick, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help!

 

[ariana]

hes still new,
give him time to adjust.
offer him food, but dont mess with hm too much.
i am making a STRONG suggestion you get a larger UTH, especially since the smallest aquarium he can be in is a 10gal.
if he still hasnt eaten in a week then id be worried, but it just sounds like hes stressed and thats why hes not digesting well.

 

[Kystaubi]

I have him in a 10 gallon right now, and I got the smaller one by mistake--and since it sticks they won't give me money back. I was going to wait until he gets a little bigger to get another one.

Should I put cardboard around the cage then for a little while to reduce stress, or just try to leave him alone other than to clean/feed? I have been trying to feed him once or twice a day, and have been cleaning up the side where he goes to the bathroom daily...I have tried to hold him too so he easily could be stressed out. I was just told that they're supposed to eat alot when they're babies so I've been worried, and I don't know anyone who has one to ask about them either... lol. I want to be a good owner!

 

[bman123]

I sent you a pm with some info about helping you.

 

[bman123]

I don't know how big his uth is but if it's bigger then he is then I don't think you have a problem. As long as he can lay down and it covers his body which shouldn't be hard to do since he is little then he should digest his food just fine. Your temps see
good, sometimes it drops but most of the time it is right on so that's cool.
He is little so that concerns me with him not eating as little leos normally eat alot of food. He does need time to settle in so give him a few more days, he should be ok and start eating right.

 

[Kystaubi]

I'm worried because I'm going to be moving him around alot for the next couple days until I get into my new apt on Sunday.... if anyone has any other suggestions on what to do it'd be great. He's seemingly only a few weeks old... his tail is getting pretty skinny so I'm worried--not sure if he can last another week or so of not eating...

 

[Kystaubi]

Just an update--he is a lot more active today. I left him alone completely and just put some mealies in with him and a couple of small crickets. Yesterday I got some reptile stress relief spray/solution which says it's good for giving newly aquired reptiles back their nutrients, helps their metabolism and helps with stress. It said to soak him in it for a little while, diluted with water, and I did so for around 20 minutes. Afterwards he looked much brighter and rejuvinated. It also said to put some in his water, so I've been doing that too, and it seems to be helping. Last night he ate one of the crickets and tried to eat a mealie, but spit it out again. I think they might be too big for him but at least he was trying. Tonight he's been a lot more exploratory and active in his cage, and still gets very close to attacking the mealies/crickets, but as soon as he gets ready to strike he seems to turn around and go the other way. I'm assuming that he just isn't hungry for some natural reason.

I've been making sure the crickets aren't bugging him, but they're small ones so they usually just hide under the paper towel. He ate one last night, so since it worked I'm going to try to leave a couple in with him again tonight.

 

[bman123]

I never leave crickets in the tank for more then 20 minutes. I Would only leave the mealies in there at night and try the crickets during the day for 20minutes or so and if they aren't eaten then take em out.
At least he's more active now that's a good thing. Can you post a pic of the stuff you bought? I never heard of that, it sounds cool and if it works then That's great