Leo Not Acting Right

[PFGeckos]

I'm worried about my female. She's about 7 inches long, and when I got her she was housed in a 10 gallon along with the male. I separated them and put them into two 10 gallons that I had here, and she was fine until almost 2 weeks ago, when I got them each a 20 gallon long.

Since then she's stopped eating and spends most of her time with her eyes closed. I tempted her with a waxworm a few days ago, and she ate it. Today I offered her a meal worm using tongs, but all she did was wait, lick it, and walk away.

The substrate is paper towel. She had a small poo after that worm, but nothing since. He fat tail is not as fat, and this morning I saw a few slight trembles in her front legs every so often. Is she just upset about the new terrarium? Temps have been in the low 70's on the cool side and around 80 on the warm side at night, and high 70's on the cool side and mid to high 80's on the warm side during the day.

Is this a seasonal thing? Does she dislike her new terrarium? Am I just obsessing?

 

[sausage]

its probably a combination of things. moving house is stressful and the move makes it even more stressful.
what do you use to heat the tanks?
the hot side could do with being a bit hotter around 85f would be better for her.
trembling of limbs can also be an early sign of MBD, what vitamins/ how often do you give.

A trip to the vets would be a good idea if shes loosing weight though.

 

[PFGeckos]

When I got her in May, her last owner said never to give leos calcium because it's bad for them, and to just feed insects with nothing on them. When I came to this forum, I learned to feed them crickets and meal worms dusted with Repashy calcium plus, and that is what I have been feeding.

She did have an occasional tremble in her front legs then too. It's just that I noticed it a few times this morning while watching her. It's not something pronounced, just a slight wobble in the front legs.

 

[PFGeckos]

I just took a picture of her tail through the mesh at the top of her terrarium.

It's not as fat as it was, but she's not really thin, either.

 

[katie_]

Her tail looks to be a healhty size, i wouldnt panic yet.

 

[PFGeckos]

Thanks, Katie. I'll try to bump the temps up a bit (get a stronger bulb) and hope she gets used to the new cage soon.

I tend to panic when an animal isn't quite right.

 

[sausage]

bulbs are no good for leos they need to have a UTH (Under tank heater aka heat mat)
they do not absorb heat for digestion through their backs like bearded dragons do, the absorb it directly through their bellys. without the UTH digestion efficiency lowers and they become weaker and weaker and eventually die.
heat bulbs will just cook her.

She looks health in her self but if you say shes lethargic then there is clearly some thing not quite rite.

seen as her previous owner never gave her calcium her body reserves will be very low, it might be a good move to swap the heat lamp bulb for a 2% UVB and put it on for no more then 3 hours every other day for a while to help rebuild the calcium stores.

 

[PFGeckos]

She has a UTH, but when I measure the air temp it's still a little low, so that's the reason I use the light. You're probably right about the UVB bulb, I'll try that, thanks. I'll get one for the male too, even though he seems to be doing OK.

 

[Ozy]

She has a UTH, but when I measure the air temp it's still a little low, so that's the reason I use the light. You're probably right about the UVB bulb, I'll try that, thanks. I'll get one for the male too, even though he seems to be doing OK.

The air temp doesn't really matter. What matters is the floor temp. Put the probe of the thermometor directly on the floor. The reason why floor temp on the hot side is so important is because, as was mentioned earlier, Leos need belly heat to properly digest their food and get nutrients out of it.

 

[sausage]

http://www.maplin.co.uk/pocket-infrared-thermometer-220790
products like this are extremely useful, I have one that looks like a pen and it has a light on one end you just point it at the floor and it reads an accurate temp for you.

 

[PFGeckos]

That's the problem with my temps! I have one of those point and click thermometers, but was aiming it at the air near the bottom instead of the floor. The floor is currently at 87-89.

 

[Ozy]

Yea, 87-89 on the hot side is a teeny bit too cold. Shoot for 90-95. Personally mine is usually at 93-95.

 

[PFGeckos]

I've been seeing her standing with her front feet in her water dish fairly regularly. She does have a humid hide, and I don't let it dry out on her. Any ideas?