I need help wtih a leo that won't eat

A

Aar0n

Guest
have had a leopard gecko for about a month now. He is a juvie around 6 months old. When I first got him I had him in a 10 gal tank with sand and poor husbandry. He stopped eating and I recently changed his husbandry to what other forums and the vet recommended (per vet he is free of impaction and parasites) He still refuses to eat and is losing weight. Is there something I can do to stimulate his appetite? He spends a good portion of the night in his cave and all day in the cave of the hot side

Here is what I have now:

20gal long glass tank with screen top and background on 3 sides
Red Heat Night Bulb on 24/7
75w household bulb on 12 hours next to the heat bulb on one side
Day Time temps 88-90, Night time temps around 70
Reptile Carpet
1 Cave and 1 humid hide on hot side
1 half log hide on cool side
1 dish of mealworms on hot side
1 dish of mealworms on cool side
1 dish of calcium powder in the middle of the tank
1 water dish on the cool side

He will not eat the worms or small or medium sized crix
Please help as I fear he is withering away...
 
Bodon

Bodon

Active Member
Messages
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Location
PA
i was going to suggest crickets instead of mealworms if thats all you used but if you're using both and he isn't eating im not sure what to do. How long has he not been eating? Also if bulbs are all you are using maybe you need to switch to an UTH, they have to get their belly temps right to digest food and perhaps the lights aren't doing it for him?
 
sushikam

sushikam

~Louisiana Leos~
Messages
1,111
Location
Hammond, LA
Well I'm not sure what is wrong, since he's been cleared of parasites and impaction. One thing I would recommend though is to get a UTH (under tank heater) so that he can have belly heat. Geckos don't really need ambient heat so much as they do belly heat. And with the UTH you will want to keep the substrate temps at about 90-92, with a little variation over or under being okay. That way you can get rid of the 75W bulb you have. You could probably still use the Red bulb for extra heat IF it is cold in your house or room where the geckos tank is.

That may help him work up an appetite. If that doesn't work then you may have to try something else, but I wouldn't really have enough experience to tell you what to do in that situation, hopefully someone else can help. All I would have recommended other than the UTH is to give him variety in what you feed him, but I see you have tried that.

Oh, and I just noticed, you said his night temps were 70? Is that on the cool side or hot side? If that's the hot side you will definitely need to up those temps. It is fine to keep him at 88-92 all day long, not just during the day, and once again (hate to stress it so much), a UTH would help to do that, you just have to make sure you are measuring the substrate temperature.

Hope that helped somewhat :) !
 
A

Aar0n

Guest
how big of a UTH should I use on a 20 gal long? I have a small one I used for a 10gal but I fear it is too small
 
Bodon

Bodon

Active Member
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Location
PA
When you go to buy them they say on there what size of tank it is good for. I have a 20 gallon Long also and i believe the heater is for 20s and 10s, but im not sure since ive only ever used it for my 20 gallon. They sell them at most pet stores.
 
sushikam

sushikam

~Louisiana Leos~
Messages
1,111
Location
Hammond, LA
Bodon said:
When you go to buy them they say on there what size of tank it is good for. I have a 20 gallon Long also and i believe the heater is for 20s and 10s, but im not sure since ive only ever used it for my 20 gallon. They sell them at most pet stores.
Click to expand...

Yep...they tell you what size tanks they are for. The one you need should be the size up from the mini UTH that they sell which is for 1-5 gallon tanks.
 
Bodon

Bodon

Active Member
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Location
PA
haha, i guess so, but its ok thats what this site is for, helping others and their geckos!
 
P

paulnattress

Guest
Have you tried feeding your leos some wax worms? When our girls go off their crickets or mealies they always seem to go for the waxys every time.
 
Ccrashca069

Ccrashca069

New Member
Messages
3,179
Location
Lake Berryessa/Napa, Calif
I only use waxy's as a last resort. I would try the UTH and then see what happens. Still not eat then try waxy's. If it still will not eat then get a new vet and test for parisites again.
 
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M

Mel&Keith

Mod Squad Member
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Pasadena, TX
Perhaps the regular incandescent bulb is bothering him. Definitely add the UTH so you won't need the regular bulb on anymore. Hopefully that will do the trick.
 
L

LadyGecko

Guest
Mel&Keith said:
Perhaps the regular incandescent bulb is bothering him. Definitely add the UTH so you won't need the regular bulb on anymore. Hopefully that will do the trick.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I was thinking especially if this is an albino
It might not have much to do with him not eating but Albinos are much more sensitive to bright white light than normals

I would suggest that you ditch the white light and proceed with your plans to get a uth under his tank
Also-get a digital thermometer with a probe on the end to accurately measure the floor of the tank right over the uth

You can buy those in discount stores -sold as indoor/outdoor thermometers and they work well
You will want the temp to read 88 to 90 degrees right over the uth

Marcia's slurry is excellent for non-feeding geckos but if you have problems getting everything needed for the slurry-
Flukers makes a product called Rept-A-Aid that works well for feeding non-eating skinny geckos
You can buy it at most large chain pet stores

Get the Insectivore/Carnivore formula and follow the directions-mix with water and draw it up into the syringe and place a drop on his snout
He should lick it off
Feed small amounts -maybe 1/4 of the syringe to start with if he will eat that much as-their stomachs are small- at least one time per day and night

It sounds to me that his belly temps are just not hot enough for him to want to eat if everything else checked out OK with him at the vets


Good Luck with him and please ask if you have any more questions and keep us updated on how he does
My fingers are crossed for you both

:main_yes:
Sandy
 
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rubym

rubym

New Member
Messages
1,525
Location
indiana
Try roaches. I have a rescue that we always have trouble getting her to eat. She seems to love the lobster roaches. She would only eat waxies and with her weight problems the vet said to go ahead because if we couldn't keep her weight up her life expectancy wouldn't be that long regardless of fatty liver diasease ( she only ate 1 or 2 waxies every 3 or 4 days any way)then I tried the roaches and she will now pick those over the waxies every time.She eats 4 small/med roaches a night. She has finally hit 44 grams on the roaches.
 
A

Aar0n

Guest
I got a UTH and a he still did not eat. He has been out of his hide more. I removed the magnetic rock cave that he seemed to always be in. He now splits his time between his hot hide (for now a black tupperware container), his humid cave, and his cool hide. I have been feeding him chicked baby food per the vet's instruction. He still has not touched a meal worm or cricket. Last night he took 3 wax worms from tongs after I annoyed him a little bit with them (moving it in front of his face). This is the first thing he has willingly eaten. I am hoping that he will come around and start eating now that he has tasted food. He is a bit thin so i will keep feeding wax worms to get him his fat store back. Thanks for the help so far
 
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