My Gecko Won't Eat

[Misstippie]

We had bought two gecko's from people who wee selling them along with tank and all. They are about a year old and raised together as we were told and very friendly. When we got them home they were very skiddish but as days went by the female came around. We had noticed that there were crickets left in the tank in the mornings and was concerned one of them weren't eating. The male being very tiny (compared to our 4mth old) we have thought it would be him. We had decided to give the female to someone else since I really didn't want to deal with babies and I was concerned with the male not eating. Since she is gone (1 week) he is extremely friendly, but still not eating crickets. I had bought meal worms and he won't touch them. I had contacted the previous owners and they tell me he had no problem eating crickets, meal worms or super worms. I have been forcing 3 meal worms a day for 2 days into him and have calcium in his water. I had taken everything out of his tank except his homes and water dishes. I had thought maybe he couldn't find his crickets. But in the morning they were still there. His tank is 30 gallon with 2 hide spots, 2 water dishes, rocks on the warm side and I had taken out the substrate and put in paper towel. Someone please help me with this. I don't know if it is serious or not but I don't like seeing him not eating. He measures about 7" and very tiny (skinny) verus our 4 mths old being about 8" and much thicker. What can I do?

 

[Caleb C]

We're talking about leopard geckos, right?
Take a picture of the tank, and a picture of him if possible. Don't force feed, it will only stress him out more, making him not want to eat.

 

[Misstippie]

We're talking about leopard geckos, right?
Take a picture of the tank, and a picture of him if possible. Don't force feed, it will only stress him out more, making him not want to eat.

Yes, he is a leopard gecko. I have read so much and watched so many videos on youtube. Some say force feed others give plain yogurt ad pedilyte while others has a mixture of different items and given to them. I don't want to hurt him. I have taken photos of what is tank is now with nothing and his tank when we bought him. It did have substrate on the bottom but I had taken it out thinking it would be easier for him to catch his crickets because they used to go under the rocks. There is one of him in his tank and another of him on a bed. I have also gotten a picture of our other one which is only 4 months old to try to show how tiny he is. I couldn't get the one to stay long enough for a side by side. Like I said this is a set up they had used the whole time they had them for at least a year, since this is his age. She had told me that it was touch and go with him when he was little with keeping him alive. Not sure what she really meant but they had no problems with him eating before hand.

 

[Caleb C]

Don't use see through hides, they won't feel secure. There's no need to put all the extra decorations. Keep it simple until he can start eating. Use forceps to feed and don't leave anything in if he doesnt eat it. Try feeding him mealworms, he doesnt need to hunt for those.

 

[Misstippie]

I will change his hideouts for him and take everything back out. You say to use forceps to feed him, what do you mean? Should I make him eat a meal worm each night or use them to get hi interested in them. I don't think he is starving but I have seen some pretty bad photos of ones in rough shape. I don't want him to get to that point. How long do you think it is safe for him to go without eating anything?

 

[Geckomaster743]

I'd say on a scale of 1 to 5, Five being the worst that he's at a 3. He doesnt look that bad, and ive seen much worse but I would really really try increasing though fat levels. They lose fat pretty fast which is why this could get serious really fast. As caleb said get some hides ( Nothing heavy, or sharp, dangerous ) so that he feels secure. That might actually help with the eating. Make sure he's hydrated as some times gecko's will stop eating if they get too thirsty. Look for some thing at you're pet store called Repta - Aid which is full of vitamins, Also you should mash up worms in a syringe with water, and feed that too him. If he gets used to drinking worms he might get used to chewing up worms when he has more energy. Good luck, Don't take his current tail fat for granted like I said he could get really weak in 1 - 2 weeks, Boost, and keep his strength up while you still can. Keep us updated.

By the way for the worm blend make sure it's mixed with Wax + Meal worms. Wax = Fat Meal = Protein

 

[Amanda1]

I've heard if you cut the heads of mealworms the smell is very enticing to a gecko, so you could try that.

 

[Misstippie]

I had taken out those hides and replaced them with two solid containers I had here for now. I have the Exo-Terra Calcium +D3. Would this be the same as Repta Aid? I have put some calcium in his water dish and I had coated a meal worm and placed it on a cover in hopes he will eat it. Do you think that it could be too noisy for him. We have 2 dogs that bark plus I have a 5 year boy which doesn't stop and a tv. He is in the living room but I am able to move him into my bedroom where it is quitter if needed. When I had bought the meal worms from the pet store she had told me to smoosh one and rub the insides on his mouth which might get him to it. He liked but nothing else. How can you tell if he is stressed? I spray his tank is there any other way to keep him hydrated? As for feeding him mashed up worms and water how much should he eat at first? This is all new to me and I really don't have a clue what I am doing. Is it just meal worms or meal worms and wax worms that I mix up?

 

[Josh2]

The Calcium + D3 isn't the same as ReptaAid. The noise may be bothering him. Try moving him somewhere quiet and dark to de-stress. You can spray his tank and make water always available to keep him hydrated. Cutting the mealworm trick should work. The worms squirm and smell a lot more for the gecko. Please keep us updated on how he's doing!

 

[Caleb C]

I will change his hideouts for him and take everything back out. You say to use forceps to feed him, what do you mean? Should I make him eat a meal worm each night or use them to get hi interested in them. I don't think he is starving but I have seen some pretty bad photos of ones in rough shape. I don't want him to get to that point. How long do you think it is safe for him to go without eating anything?

Feed him with forceps, so the insect doesnt run around. Drop a mealworm in front of him, if he's not interested, try the next day.

 

[Geckomaster743]

What amanda was saying is a really good idea. I randomly started doing the trick * Ripping the worms head off * and giving it too the gecko as they are able to begin licking the mealworm fluids coming out, and then begin biting the entire worm.
Meal worms are the long brown ones that are high in protein, Wax Worms are the white/yellowish squishy ones that are high in fat. Don't over feed Wax Worms as they becoming very addicting for geckos but try it out. Repta Aid is not the same as the stuff you using as Repta Aid carries tons of different Proteins, and fats built in to help with the geckos recovery including electrolytes. You can tell if he's been dealing with stress by his reactions. If he doesn't come out lay under the light or heatpad thats a sign.

 

[Misstippie]

Well. This is way stressful!! I have squirshed the meal worms and had rub some insides on him, took him to it and nothing. He does stay in his hideout where his heat pad is. I went to our pet store today. We only have one that sells these things. No luck on wax worms. He didn't know of any place to buy them and for the Repta Aid he had given me electrolyte & vitamin d3 liquid supplement. He had also said I can put it in the spray bottle when I mist. If he is stressed should we leave him alone and not handle him. He had calmed down a lot when we gave the female away. I was told that he was handled all the time, very calm and loveable. He liked to be close. No issues with feeding. But when we brought him home you could even pick him up. But now he isn't like that. I had even noticed when he shedded he never tried to pull the old off himself like our other one did. Is this normally? I am worried about him and really don't want anything to happen. Sunday I need to call a guy back at a zoo which works with the reptiles. Maybe he'll have some added advice. I will take anything at this point. Thanks guys for trying to help me out. I really mean it to. I am in this totally blind. I never thought I was buying someones unhealthy gecko

 

[Caleb C]

Don't handle him at all, this will stress him out even more. They should only be handled if they're comfortable with you. Take another picture of your new setup, and is the right side the hot side? If so, the hide without the coco fiber should go there.

 

[Misstippie]

I guess we will stop taking him out. I had moved his cage into our room hoping it will be a little quiet for him. I had gotten ride out the see through and just put in two white ones I had here. Nothing fancy. He jus has the paper towel and water dish. I did leave one rock in for him but he doesn't come out. The cool side is where his water dish is and the warm is the opposite side, He is peeking at me. This is where he stays. The temp on the cool is 73 and on the warm is 80. These differ depending on the temp in here. Today it is cooler because of the wet weather. I had bought the electrolyte & vitamin D3 and put some in his water bowl and spray bottle when I mist him. Would a warm bath help him? Also I had seen on Golden Gate Gecko Site a mixture of Hills A/D Pet Food, Baby food squash, ensure, pedialite, milk thistle and meal worms blended together. Would this be good for him?

 

[Caleb C]

I'd just spend some money and get a real hide. The entrance hole is way too big, he won't feel safe in there. They should be able to hide and have you not see them. I wouldn't mist too often. The mixture you're spraying might not help, the calcium is useless in the water if it's not going into his system, and it will just leave stains on your glass. How long hasn't he been eating? Take out the light, they don't need it, and it might annoy him, as he seems like an albino.

 

[Misstippie]

I had taken out his hide and got the one for now from our other gecko. The lights are off. I was told he was a Tangerine Albino. We had gotten him 2 weeks ago today. When we first brought them home and fed them in the evening he had gobble up a cricket. I had noticed through the first week crickets was still in the tank. I had decided to give the female away and had contacted the previous owners. They had told me there were no issues with him eating. We had forced him to eat mealworms, 3 one day and 2 the next day of this week until I was told by you not to. Yesterday I had cut one up in tiny pieces and he did lick a few pieces in. But he shows no interest in anything. All he does is sleep in his hideout. When he does come out it was when I got him out. Last night I kept checking him on and off and every time I did he wasn't out. He had a poo yesterday morning and it was greyish instead of brown. I guess it is from not eating? It still had white (pee).

 

[Caleb C]

That's unhealthy poop, but leave it alone. They're not supposed to come out their hides for no reason. You can get a plastic syringe and feed him through that, and have him lick. Never force anything into their mouths.

 

[Misstippie]

Should I mix him up one of those mixtures I had mentioned earlier with the baby food, mealworms, etc.

 

[Caleb C]

You can if you want, just lightly put it to his mouth and let a little bit out. If he licks, put more.

 

[Misstippie]

Last night I had smooshed a meal worm and put in his tank and threw in a cricket. When we got up this morning the worm was still there, but the cricket was GONE!!!!! I was so happy. So we threw some more in with calcium and kept going until he was done and he eat 5. I really hope this keeps up. With his lights being off should they be off all the time or on for a certain time length? With our other gecko his lights are one 24 hrs. Thank you so much for the help you have given me. I would have never thought lights or hiding spot.