Is this a blister or just fat? (DUW)

[Loui1203]

This is my girl, Tibbers. She is about 15 months old and a proven breeder. She has been resting for several months now and has gained a LOT of weight since she stopped laying (she's a total chub). I recently started noticing these skin pouches behind her front limbs and I can't tell if they are blisters or just more fat. I don't have a weight on her since she is too big for my scale, but I'm guessing she is 55-65g.
Opinions?

 

[Jgreen909]

It's vitamin storage from food or supplements. It's normal.

 

[reps4life]

It's usually a sign of obesity. Feed lower fat items like crickets.

 

[Daylight_Thieves]

It's usually a sign of obesity. Feed lower fat items like crickets.

No, it's calcium deposits. Females store it up, which is good if she's laying. All of my females had them before the breeding season and through the year have slowly lost them as they make eggs- infertile, but eggs never the less.

 

[lillith]

Actually, it's a pocket of lymph fluid high in calcium and other electrolytes/metabolites. It is indeed storage for future use. If they do get too big, they can be a sign of obesity, but I look more at tail size and ease of movement for that assessment (tail wider than head? dragging themselves around? yup, obese). If they are moderately sized, the gecko is getting everything they need. You could skip one feeding a week if you're worried about obesity.

 

[animeavatar]

I thought it was protein and water.

 

[animeavatar]

Actually, it's a pocket of lymph fluid high in calcium and other electrolytes/metabolites. It is indeed storage for future use. If they do get too big, they can be a sign of obesity, but I look more at tail size and ease of movement for that assessment (tail wider than head? dragging themselves around? yup, obese). If they are moderately sized, the gecko is getting everything they need. You could skip one feeding a week if you're worried about obesity.

How to tell if the pockets get too big? My gecko's seem big in my opinion but his tail isn't fat and chunky and he doesn't drag himself so should I worry?

 

[lillith]

If it interferes with taking normal steps, I'd worry. The OP's pictures are average size pockets, if they get much bigger than that, I would cut out the one feeding a week mentioned and ease up on the calium for a month or so, dusting about half as often as usual, temporarily, until they are more average sized. It's a give-and-take process.

But that's just what I would do, others may handle it differently.

I call them gecko boobs. I think having gecko boobs is a healthier sign than none, but you don't want to go overboard...

 

[Loui1203]

Thanks for all the input!
I only feed her maybe 3 times a week and 5-10 mealworms each time but she is really putting on the weight. I think it has plateaued though. She's a monster. xD

 

[animeavatar]

So 6 feedings a week???

 

[Loui1203]

6 feedings? How'd you figure that?
5-10 was a rough estimate. It's closer to 4-8 mealworms, if that makes any difference.
I'm sure she's just putting on the weight since her body is used to having to store nutrients for eggs. Her cage mate gets the same amount and is not as chubby. (But she climbs a lot so she may just be burning more off.)

 

[animeavatar]

I'm confused...
I meant 1 day a week of no food.

 

[Loui1203]

Ah No. I said before I only feed her about 3 times a week. So, for example, Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday she'll get fed. Just to pull random days out.