I just don't get it...

[LeoQueen]

Hi, I'm new around here. Just got a leo about 2 weeks ago from PetSmart (I know i know). I've never owned any reptiles aside from a few snakes I caught in the yard as a kid and kept long enough to freak my friends out with, and let go.

The leo I have is probably about 5-6 months old, ~25g, 6.5'' long.
She looked really healthy when I bought her. Nice plump tail, good color, alert, etc. The woman that I was speaking with told me that the store had had her for a few months due to the fact that everybody wanted babies, and she's obviously not.

The problem is, I can't get this dang lizard to eat. Never in my life have I had so much trouble with an animal. I'm usually great with animals! She's got a great set up... 20L, UTH with surface temps at about 90ish, and cool side... all the hides she could ever want, paper towels, etc etc etc. During the first week that I had her, she dropped a noticeable amount of weight. Her tail was getting skinnier and skinnier and she was acting weak and lethargic from not eating so I broke down and whipped up a batch of slurry. She GOBBLES that mess up like mad. She's obviously hungry. But I can't make her eat a flippin live bug. She shed a couple days ago, which she ate *most* of. She showed a brief moment of interest yesterday in a meal worm that I dropped in front of her hide. She came out, stalked at it a bit, and then LICKED it and decided that she'd rather hide. Argh. :main_angry:

Can you guys give me some advice on this? I really don't want to keep breaking down and feeding her slurry because I feel like that might be part of the issue. How long can I let her go without eating before I give her some slurry? I know she's not impacted. I don't think she's sick. She's been treated with Panacur for parasites.

 

[Leopardbreeder]

Is she loosing weight? If not, just let her calm down in her new home.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I would recommend taking a fecal sample to the vet to rule out any parasitic infection. Aslo, this time of year is tricky for some geckos because they have a natural slow-down for eating.

If it's any consolation, I have has a couple of geckos take about 2 months to begin eating after I got them... but they finally did.

Keep in mind if your gecko has a bely-full of slurry, it won't get hungry!

 

[Baysidegeckos]

Try some crickets they seem to catch the geckos attention better that any other insect.

 

[nwheat]

She's not ovulating is she? I've had females ovulate at 32 g. I know she's smaller, but how recently was she weighed? They will often stop eating while ovulating. Felicia has a good picture of an ovulating female on her site. Your are looking for that round pinkish spot in the middle.

 

[LeoQueen]

She has been losing weight. I can see it in her tail, and also have a set of scales that I weigh her on at least once every couple days.

And Marcia, I have been pulling some tough love on Mo for the past 3 days. I haven't fed her any slurry. I want her to get hungry! Obviously I'm not going to let her starve. I haven't taken a fecal to the vet, although I probably should at this point. I know Panacur doesn't cure all parasites. I'll do that this week if I can get her to poop. Her poop schedule is wacky because she's not eating on a regular basis. Silly girl.

Bayside, I've tried to tempt her with everything I can think of short of ice cream. :main_laugh: Kidding. I've tried crickets, mealies, and waxies. Even the lizard bacon made no difference. I'm beginning to think she's a vegetarian.

nwheat, don't think she is ovulating. No big pink spot that I can see!

 

[LeoQueen]

And.. ooops. Mo is a boy according to the pics I just looked at. Was going off of what the lady told me in the PetStore. Silly me.

 

[malt_geckos]

we have two geckos who haven't eaten in about three months. They are still fat as crap though. lol. But the male does the same as your female, he licks the worm, then walks away. Our female is (i'm pretty sure) gravid so she's not going to eat anything.

Like Marcia said, take it to the vet with a fecal sample. It doesn't cost much to get it checked for parasites and that will take a lot of stress off of you knowing that it's not a parasite problem.

 

[rubym]

We have a male that didn't eat in 6 weeks. He was at the vets office twice and she couldn't find a thing wrong with him ( yeah I am a overly cautious mommy, LOL). He lost a total of 7 grams. He started eating about 4 days ago. He still isn't eating as much as he did but it is a start. I called the vet and she said that it appeared that it may have been brumation and he is starting to come out of it. I gave him the slurry during week 2 and like yours he would just lap it out of the dropper. After his second vet visit, she told me to take him off and wait it out.
I would definatly go and have a fecal done first and rule out any health issue. Good luck with your little guy.

 

[Leopardbreeder]

7 grams is not much. All my geckos loose weight at this time. They do nothing because its so cold and eat nothing because they dont need it.

 

[Gecko]

You can try rubbing an insect around the lips and side of the mouth and see if it snaps at it. That's how someone taught a type of gecko to eat crickets which was refuseing all food. I've had some stubburn geckos who want the food to taste a specific way.

 

[Ipsl]

Tried differnt typs of vita dust? Or phonix worms?

 

[geckogirls]

Well I was having this same problem, and I bought some roaches, and my girl that hadn't eaten ANYTHING in 3 weeks attacked the roaches! She is now eating great, so I would suggest roaches or crickets, as soemone said earlier crickets move more than worms and get their attention better.

good luck

 

[LeoQueen]

I'd just like to report that Mo decided FINALLY that he was going to eat tonight!! He gobbled up 10 mealies with enthusiasm. I pulled some tough love with him and refused to give him slurry so he would get really good and hungry. Seems to have worked.

Thanks for all your suggestions! I'm a happy lizard mommy!

 

[Mel&Keith]

Hooray! Sometimes it just takes Leos a while to settle in to their new homes.