Leo not eating and scratching cage

[killerb4dger]

Hi Guys,

I'm worried about my Leo, for a while she hasn't been eating right. I don't think I've seen her eat anything for a week? She also, only just recently started scratching the corner of the cage nearest to my bed (coincidence?). She's been doing this the same time for the past 3 nights around 12am, I can't see any problems with her physically. She still moves around easily and doesn't look in pain.
I got her out one night, thought it might be stress. Seemed fine for about 20mins and when back to scratching.

Just worried because I lost my male to cancer, he wasn't eating right either. Although his tail was alot smaller.

Any help would be great

Andy

 

[geckos9]

Please fill this out: http://geckoforums.net/f130-health-medications/70912.htm

It will help me and other members see what's wrong

 

[killerb4dger]

About your leo:
- Sex: female
- Age & Weight:
8 years old
- How long have you owned your leo
Around 6 years
- Where was he/she obtained (ex. Pet store, breeder, wild caught, friend)
I bought her from a reptile store

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo
Once, maybe twice aweek
- Is your leo acting any different today? If so how does he/she normally act which differs from now.
She seems to be hiding in the heated hide more often, and also scratches the side of the cage at 12am every night for the past 3-4 days. Also lays on top of the heated hide during the day.
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe.
She hasn’t had any health issues in the past

B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal)
They seems smaller and wetter than normal
- When was the last time he/she went
2 days ago

C) Problem
- Please briefly describe the problem and how long it has been going on
She keeps scratching the side of the cage at around 12am every night for the past 3-4 days, hasn’t eating anything for the past week and her tail is still quite large.

Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size
13”x 35” estimate
- Type (ex. glass tank)
Wooden case with two sliding glass doors at the front
- Type of substrate
Green artificial grass
- Hides, how many, what kind
Two hides, one large heated and one medium cooler hide

B) Heating
- Heat source
Heat mat
- Cage temps (hot side, cool side)
Warm inside
- Method of regulating heat source
None, large hide is half on the heat mat.
- What are you using to measure your temps
I have a temperature reader stuck to the inside of the cage
- Do you have any lights (describe)
None, other than my bedroom light, which is on the other side of the room

C) Cage mates
- How many (males, females)
I did have a male gecko, was trying to breed them at one point. He died due to cancer year back
- Describe health, or previous problems
N/A

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding (how often, how much)
When I first bought her, she was feed crickets. However since then she refuses to eat them, she now eats just locusts and I try feeding her mealworms. Pinkies once a month, but she hasn’t eaten them in a while now.
- How are you feeding (hand fed, left in dish, ect)
Locusts placed in the cage and she chases them and eats them. Sometimes she can be a bit stupid, so I move them with a stick to get her attention.

B) Supplements (describe how often)
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands)
I use vitamin powder on all locusts, just tip the powder in the box and shake before feeding her.
- What are you gut loading food with
Lettuce and carrots, wet food.

 

[Samantha12]

I have heard gravid females often try to climb out of their enclosures by scratching at a wall and a couple of mine have done this. Next time she does it you may want to check her stomach for ovulations (Round pink and somewhat glowing in the stomach), or developing eggs (round white masses with pink surrounding it). Geckos can develop and lay eggs even in the absence of a male. For better reference as to what these look like, you can look under the breeding section at the Gravid vs. Ovulating sticky.
It's normal for geckos (male and female) to go off their food this time of year because it's the breeding season, even if she's never done it before. As long as her tail stays fat you shouldn't worry.
Sidenote, feeding pinkies once a month is a bit excessive. They are pretty fatty and a bit hard for a gecko to digest. A couple times a year is plenty, but really they can do without pinky mice.

 

[geckos9]

She seems to be hiding in the heated hide more often, and also scratches the side of the cage at 12am every night for the past 3-4 days. Also lays on top of the heated hide during the day.

It sounds like the cool side is too cold.

Green artificial grass

I do not recommend this substrate. I have used it in the past and it can harm a gecko's sensitive skin. You should switch to paper towels.

Two hides, one large heated and one medium cooler hide

Do you have a humid hide? It's not required, but it can help your gecko shed and it wouldn't hurt to add one.

- Cage temps (hot side, cool side)
Warm inside

This could be the problem. The warm side should be 90-95 degrees and the cool side should be 70-80 degrees.

None, large hide is half on the heat mat.

99% of heat pads, from my experience, need to be regulated. They get too hot otherwise. You need a thermostat.

I have a temperature reader stuck to the inside of the cage

These are not accurate. You need a temperature gun to measure the surface temperature or two digital thermometers with probes.

When I first bought her, she was feed crickets. However since then she refuses to eat them, she now eats just locusts and I try feeding her mealworms. Pinkies once a month, but she hasn’t eaten them in a while now.

I wouldn't feed her anymore pinkies. I would try to vary her diet if possible. Try crickets, mealworms, superworms, dubia roaches, waxworms, silkworms, phoenix worms, hornworms, or butterworms. She may not be eating because she's bored of her current food or because of improper enclosure temperatures.

I use vitamin powder on all locusts, just tip the powder in the box and shake before feeding her.

What kind of vitamin powder? If you are using Repashy, then this should be fine, but I wouldn't recommend feeding any other vitamin powder this often. Your gecko needs either Repashy or three different supplements: Calcium D3, Calcium without D3, and a multivitamin. Calcium without D3 can be left in the enclosure at all times. Calcium with D3 can be dusted on her food twice a week and a multivitamin can be dusted two times a week as well.

Good luck! And be sure to fix the temperature issues first.

 

[sausage]

Iv got the same problem with mine. the two girls haven't really eaten since christmas even turn up their noses at wax worms lol. but none of them have lost any weigh at all so i haven't been to worried. one of them also scratches at the door every night at the same time, i sometimes open the doors and she sits at the edge just looking out but never wants to come out. once i close the doors she goes back to scratching lol