My gecko isn't eating =(

[KYUI]

I PMed three members about this but I can post now so im posting it up! Thank you.

I'm really worried about my gecko. It is my first time owning a gecko (or any reptile). I got her Thursday night from someone with her tank and stuff. She is a leopard gecko, about 5-6 years old, about 9-inches long. She hasn't been eating since she got here. My roommates and I are all able to notice this even though we don't know much about reptiles. Her tail has definitely got smaller. I tried to feed her crickets but she won't hunt for them. The previous owner told me that she was mostly fed on mealworms so I bought them today, dusted with calcium and multivitamin and put it in a bowl for her but she won't eat it! I picked it up with chopstick and put it in front of her mouth but she refuses to eat.

So I've been a good girl (haha) and did my homework on leopard geckos and these are the possible reasons that I came up with as to why shes not eating. But I'm still nervous and worried about her.
So yes. I think I read most of these on this forum.
1) She is in a new environment and may not eat for a week or so until she settles down.
2) The weather has gotten cold all of sudden (weird weather) and she may be going into "hibernation"
3) Maybe she will eat mealworms but didn't because I fed that to her today during day time.

=( I'm really worried about her. I feel like now I know how mothers feel when her kids refuse to eat meals. SHe's been starving since Thursday!

Thank you so much! I'll be waiting for your reply.

- kyui

 

[Bennayboi]

Leos can take up to a week to adjust to new environments before eating again. Whats your set up like? Too much stress or wrong tempatures could be other reasons shes not eating. But dont worry too much, leopard geckos can go for several months without eating and be fine. Adults may only want to eat 2-3 times a week too.

 

[KYUI]

Her tank is a long aquarium without a top. There arent that many hiding spots except her rock house and a half log, one on warm side and the other on cool side. The temperature seems to be on 80-90 area on the warmer side.

Then I shouldn't bother her or lift her rock anymore? I lifted it couple times to try to feed her. Oh and she sometimes tries to climb out of the tank in the corner. Should I not interact with her at all until she gets better?

How do I know that she has adjusted? Do I keep putting worms in there?

And.. should I get rid of my crickets until she starts eating worms? They're kind of creepy. hahaha..

 

[Bennayboi]

Its a leos natural instinct to hide ALL day and often most of the night. If they cant hide theyre going to be very stressed. Half logs arent really sufficient hides, they like to be comepletely hidden and "safe". Also your gona want to get a digital thermometer or a thermometer-gun to get the exact tempatures, which should be 88-92 degrees on the warm side floor. Just offer her food every other day and sooner or later she'll start eating. Mealworms are fine. You can continue to interact with her occasionally as long as she doesnt act like she hates it or is being stressed out.

 

[KYUI]

Yesterday, she stayed under the half log the entire day. WHen I picked her up, her body was very cold. Is that normal for her to do that? I thought geckos preferred warm places more than cold places..

I think I'm going to add a tupperware with ahole for her moss/humid area so she'll have more hiding places.

Thanks bennayboi! I really appreciate it.

 

[Bennayboi]

Yeah its pretty normal. They just need heat to digest food. Theyll stay in the oddest places sometimes for no reason.

 

[Superior]

Try not to bother her to much unless you absolutly have to.
Mine did not eat for the first 3 days...then I convinced him (or her) to eat 1 mealworm, then the next day he had 3 then 5...

 

[KYUI]

Oh okay. It's been about 3 days now.. hopefully she'll start eating soon.

Another question on the side: she wont eat sand for food right? SHes an adult and on top of that, she's always been on it. Im wondering if I should change into carpet thing for her or if I should keep the sand. I'm going to clean out her tank soon =)

Thanks again guys! i really like this forum.

 

[geckoqueen]

Eating

Yea I had a gecko that would not eat for about 3 days, then after that Ninja chowed down. I was like dude. :main_laugh:, eats like a pig now. It's like I stick a few worms in and gone within seconds.

 

[geckoqueen]

No sand..

Oh okay. It's been about 3 days now.. hopefully she'll start eating soon.

Another question on the side: she wont eat sand for food right? SHes an adult and on top of that, she's always been on it. Im wondering if I should change into carpet thing for her or if I should keep the sand. I'm going to clean out her tank soon =)

Thanks again guys! i really like this forum.

I was told sand was very bad to use, so I use paper towels, or carpet. I would suggest changing the sand to carpet, or paper towels like very soon. The sand could kill your Gecko if he eats enough of it.

 

[KYUI]

Yeah I think I'll change it today.

OH another question (sorry! but thanks )
I noticed that the mealworms keep climbing out of the bowl. Is there any way to stop that or do I just let it be? I dont want them to hatch out to beetles inside her tank though so I'm going to search for it when I go home.
BUt yes, any ways to keep it inside the bowL?

 

[Grinning Geckos]

Use a deeper bowl, or find one of those "escape proof" mealworm dishes. At about 1 1/4" deep they can't get out if the sides are slick.

 

[KYUI]

So I came home today and changed her house to paper towel. I'm debating on the carpet thing.. or maybe getting sand for her again. She seems very.. lost and confused about her house. I also put in a moss container for her. I hope she uses it =(

The water bowl is in there, with the worm dish that is calciumed and multivitamined which she is still not touching. HOpefully soon, she'll eat them.

How do I keep my worms fat and "gutload" it for my baby?

 

[KYUI]

and i DO refrigerate the mealworms or no? some people say that they get too lethargic? where and how do i keep the mealworms then? the petstore told me to keep them in the refrigerator.

 

[LeapinLizards]

Well...if you had lived in a house your WHOLE life, knew NOTHING different, then all of a sudden your carpet changed to tile, wouldn't you be confused? lol

She will get used to her new surroundings fairly quickly. The paper towel will he helpful at least for now, you can always change to carpet once you are sure she's eating properly, and having regular bowel movements.

You CAN refrigerate the mealworms. and yes it will cause them to get very lethargic. If you do not refrigerate them, they will mutate much more quickly. What I do is keep them in a bedding mixed with gut load, and take them out every few days to let them munch awhile, then put them back in the fridge. This has worked out fine for me, with 10 times less of them mutating before I can feed them.

Did she have a dish before? If not, I know a lot of people that hand feed (meaning they drop worms in front of the gecko), one by one worms (primarily people with only one or two geckos lol). That may have been the case with your girl, unless you KNOW she has been fed by a bowl

As long as your gecko has the basics...a water bowl, moist and dry hides, under tank heater, and food, she should be just fine once she settles in (assuming there aren't any unknown health issues).

 

[Geck-O]

Try not to handle it at all. I did this for one day and my gecko started eating. They won't eat if stressed out. Also, do not handle it before feeding or it might not eat.

 

[KYUI]

When the mealworms first come out, do they look like they're dead?

How do I know if the mealworms are dead or not? Last night they looked like they were but they kept movin and one of them actually escaped from my sight!

 

[thekooliest]

If they are black and hard they are dead. If you are refrigerating them the cold makes them hibernate...so it takes a minute or two for them to "thaw".
-Sam

 

[KYUI]

these are recent pictures of her.
the tail is smaller right?
i know you guys keep telling me that it's going to be okay and i believe it but im just worried.. maybe i'm being weird but her color turned a bit orange? is that normal when they dont' eat? or maybe it was always that colorr.. hahah.

well i dropped couple of mealies in front of her but she wont attack them.
could you tell me how others geckos act when they see food drop in front of them? do they bite? grab it with their short legs? i dont know.

i'm worried =( my baby is going to be okay right?

 

[Bennayboi]

She looks perfectly healthy. Leos are usually attracted to food by it wiggling, then they go into "hunt mode" and just bite their food til its secured in their mouth and gobble it down.

Just be patient and make sure she sees the mealworms, other than that dont worry unless you see dramatic weight loss. Leos colors do change a little bit depending on the time of day, they get lighter darker yellower or more orange. Its normal.