My leopard gecko isn't eating

[Doggey75]

I got my Leo on Sunday last week. I first tried wax worms but he never even looked at the bowl so I tried meal worms and the same thing. Yesterday I tried letting the meal worms free in the tank into his hide. He was staring at them then trying to bit but missing. When I pull led the hide off to take the mealworms back into the bowl he was scared of one of them that was coming his way . Any help would be really appreciated.

 

[DrCarrotTail]

Is he a healthy adult? Sometimes they don't eat for several weeks - commonly after a big stressful move. If this is the case I wouldn't worry much. If he's not a healthy adult but skinny or really young I might worry a bit more and get him to a vet.

If you fill out the sticky on how you're keeping him that might help people give you some advice to see if there's anything about your husbandry that could be improved: http://geckoforums.net/f130-health-medications/70912.htm

 

[Doggey75]

He is about 3 months old. He doesn't look very skinny. Normally you can see their back bone when they are skinny right?

 

[lisa127]

what kind of bowl are you putting them in?

 

[Doggey75]

This bowl is the blue thing

 

[Doggey75]

I'm going to be calling the pet shop I got him from. I'm going to get a refund or replacement. I have tried meal worms, crickets, wax worms. He has only eaten one wax worm in the time I've had him. I would rather the pet shop deal with him rather than me. My parents are not going to pay vet care for an animal I only got a week ago. Thank you for your help everyone.

 

[Poppy243]

Before you do that, try gutting a mealworm and letting him catch a whiff of it. This is a trick several well-known breeders use to get their stubborn hatchlings to start eating, and it works on adults too. It gets their natural instinct to eat to kick in. Think of it like how you feel when you smell someone cooking bacon (or whatever delicious smell you prefer)! You smell the food and you start getting hungry. I don't have the video handy that shows you how to do it, I forget what it's called and who posted it, but the gist is you cut it open just a little bit about a third to a half of the way down the body from the head, then squeeze out the guts a little. Having tongs is helpful, but I bet you could just hold it in front of where he is, like if he's in his hide, and let him get a good lungful of that smell.
Also, I'm not entirely sure about this, but I think waxworms are generally considered to be a little too fatty to be healthy for a staple of a gecko's diet, unless mixed with stuff like crickets and mealworms.
Also, since it appears you have him on sand, you need to be conscientious of the possibility of your little guy getting impacted. I have mine on sand (for now, I've got a new cage coming and am going to be building a fake canyon with caves, so no more sand) and haven't had any problems with it, and I know people who have kept their leos on sand for YEARS and have had no problems, but it's definitely a threat to any gecko on a loose substrate of any kind. You can look up symptoms and how to help them if they seem like they might be impacted, before it gets to the point where you have to take him to the vet. Just thought I'd give you the tip, it's a good one to know
Hopefully you can get this issue with him not eating sorted out so you don't have to deal with the pet store! He may also be stressed and getting used to his new surroundings, like others have said, so leaving him alone as much as possible for a few days could be helpful. It's a big change going from a pet store cage, where you may have anywhere from a couple to 10 other geckos living with you, to your own cage! Try to get him eating first though, hopefully without too much hassling and bothering.

 

[Doggey75]

I took the sand out. I forgot to update the pic. I put paper towel. I tried this method today and nothing . He just closed his eyes and went to sleep .

 

[lisa127]

He is not eating from that bowl because he can't even see into it. Poor guy.

If you have a disposable glad or ziplock container, cut it down to be a "dish" with just a shallow rim. Just high enough so the mealworms can't crawl out. Then use a lighter to lightly melt the edges where cut so it's not sharp. Use that as a mealworm bowl and he'll be able to see them. You can also use a glass ashtray if you can find one at the dollar store or something. Both of these will be shallow enough to see into, and also see through so he can see them. Honestly, neither of my leo's would be eating either if that were their mealworm dish.

Also, ditch the sand and add a humid hide. I hope you have not gotten rid of him as my guess is he is fine. And hungry, because he can't see his food!

 

[Doggey75]

I put crickets in there yesterday free and he didn't even move or attempt to bit him. My sister saw him drolling the other day so I'm pretty sure he is sick. I'm about to go to the pet shop today.

 

[Tongue Flicker]

General rule for any new reptile:

Leave it be for a full 2 weeks (making sure there is food and water). This means no handling, no bright lights and no loud noises.

If after this time she looks skinny then refund/replace it or take it to the vet.

I know the excitement of interaction from a new purchase can get the better of us sometimes.

 

[Dinosaur!]

also, if the floor (not air!) temperatures are not high enough (high 80s, low 90s) geckos generally will not eat because they know they cannot digest it. that lamp probably isn't providing sufficient enough belly heat, so that little gecko might not be eating because it knows that if it does, the worms will just rot in his bell and make him very ill. I used to use lamps and this happened to me, so I know. I really hope that you didn't get rid of the little fellow after just a week, but.... its your choice I guess

 

[Doggey75]

I didn't. The pet shop I got him from is awesome. They helped me with everything . They gave me free butter worms and tomato worms.They even force feed him a tomato worm just to help. He just ate a butterworm today and tried to eat a tomato worm but does suckers really want to live and was holding on to the repticarpet for dear life lol. I was wondering can butter worms be used as a staple diet till I can get him to eat a mealworm.

 

[Dinosaur!]

that's great that they got him to eat something! butterworms should be used as treats, like waxworms. or so I read...Food - Leopard Gecko Wiki this is the link to the page I just read, but id probably do more research.

 

[Doggey75]

He has been eating 1 meal worm a day so far. It has been going pretty well. He doesn't seem to want to eat more than one

 

[Tongue Flicker]

Do you have a male leo? They tend to eat less than females. I also have a picky male that eats 1 superworm a night but he's really fat now

 

[Doggey75]

Ya he is I believe. He is kinda small so its hard to tell.

 

[Doggey75]

So, he is doing it again. He hasn't eaten in four days. I'm gonna bring him to the pet store on saturday or sunday so that they can help me if he doesnt eat. They are really helpful. I just really hope I don't have to give him back that is the last thing I want to do. He is the only albino in that store. But, I'm running out of ideas and it is getting really frustrating. I've bumped his temp up to 87-92.

 

[Tongue Flicker]

You do realize bringing him to the petstore everytime causes him a great deal of stress making him more not to eat.

 

[Doggey75]

You do realize bringing him to the petstore everytime causes him a great deal of stress making him more not to eat.

I've only brought him once after I brought him he started eating two days after. He hasn't eaten in almost a week. The only days I can go to the pet store are sat-sun. So I would have to wait another week before I can go again.