Need help....Juvenile not eating

[lildevilgyrl00]

My daughter got her first gecko on 12/29 from our local Petco. Her sister got one from there months before hand and is doing great. We had posted a few pics earlier and 2 people mentioned he is very skinny. My issue is, he/she ate one cricket since he/she has been here and hasn't eaten anything since. We have her/him in a 10 gallon tank, with zoomed UTH, normal light for daylight and a Zilla Black light for nighttime. I'm getting a little worried that he hasn't eaten anything since. He looks at it but that's it. He/She is full of energy and loves climbing all around his/her cage. I stuck a meal worm up by his mouth and he just licked it and turned his head. I may not have giving everything I need to have my question answered but does anyone have any idea's of something else I could try? I'm wondering if the crickets may be to big. He did eat one but now he just lets them walk all under him, doesn't look like there is an interest. Any advise would be taken seriously. Please help.(I also don't leave the crickets in the cage I don't want them nibbling on him.

Thanks for your help

 

[satyr666]

Double check your temps make sure the surface temps on the warm side are around 90, a digital probe style thermometer or a temp gun are perfect for measuring this. Also leave him be and handle him sparingly until he gets comfortable with his new home if he is stressed he won't eat. Make sure he has a hide on the warm and cool side so he can thermoregulate, if he must sacrifice privacy for the right temperatures he will become stressed.

 

[lildevilgyrl00]

I took notice he has pooped in his cage. That would almost mean he's eating something, right?

Also, the temp on the warms side is 91 right now.

 

[gothra]

Hi lildevilgyrl00, welcome to GF! Firstly, I would replace the thermometer you have there, you'll need a digital thermometer with a probe in order to measure the floor temperature. 91F sounds good, but I personally prefer a little bit higher around 93-94F on the warm side. Your little one doesn't look too thin to me at all, young ones use all their energy to grow in length, so they don't usually get those very thick tails that adults have.

Since you just got him last week, he may still be adjusting to his new environment. Give him more privacy for now (as in don't hold him or look at him too much) and he should start eating normally soon. Does he have a humid hide? If he has, put a shallow dish of small crickets (without the back jump legs) in front of the entrance and leave it overnight. He will see those crickets when he walks in and out of the hide, and usually he'll eat it when no one's around.

 

[lildevilgyrl00]

Thanks Gothra. Yes he has hides in there and I also have plants up over the hides, he actually likes to lay on top of the hide in the plants. I'm finding out that the thermometer like the one showing in the picture is not really any good. I have ordered digital ones for both my daughters and they should be here within the next day or so. So right now I am using a digital probe thermometer to check the temps. I will try the small crickets without the back legs though that sounds like a good idea. Thanks again for your help.