Need help! Leopard gecko stopped feeding 3 weeks ago!

[Linford]

Hi everyone. My male leopard gecko Roger has stopped eating 3 weeks ago. I think he may be addicted/used to only eating calcium coated/gut fed meal worms (offered locusts, crickets etc but no interest). He was a great eater before then slowly stopped eating.

He shed his skin on the 4th Oct but he continues to still not eat. Nora the female leopard gecko is a great eater still (eats 1 calcium coated/gut fed morio worm every day).

What should I do? He has plenty of fat reserves, but I obviously don’t want him to starve or die. I know there used to not eating in their wild natural habitat for weeks at a time but its still concerning as an owner.

Many thanks

 

[Alusdra]

Did you try offering him mealworms, if that is what he prefers? Also if you have a weight on him from before he stopped eating, then see how much he has lost. If not, see how much he weighs now and his body condition- write it down!- and you can have a number to know if he is losing too much and if you should be worried/take him to the vet or not.

 

[Bongo]

I would take the gecko to the vet. Is he pooping?

 

[acpart]

Many of my adult geckos have nearly stopped eating. I have one male tremper that gets himself up to about 115 grams by Sept. and then hardly eats till Jan by which time he's about 90 or 95 grams. I offer every 3 days and everyone is acting normal, except maybe sleeping more. Last season abouat 2/3 of my leos brumated themselves. Every year they slow way down at this time of year and pick up again in mid-winter. Some of my females gained 20 grams since the end of breeding season which should serve them well now.

ALiza

 

[Linford]

Hey guys thank you for all your fast replies. I don’t have a weight recorded on him before he stopped eating unfortunately Alusdra, although I will probably start doing it now.

He hasn’t pooped in a very very long time (probably due to him not eating anything though) so dont know what more I can do Bongo.

A vet visit would be out of the question, I’m a university student in my final year so havnt got the money to afford a health check. Stomach appears un-compacted (although no sand/grained substrate in the tank anyway).

As you said acpart, his eating situation may be due to seasonality as it is getting quite cold here in the UK now. Tank temp it the same at 80.F cold side.

Many thanks

 

[Linford]

Ok quick update. Roger my male who stopped eating around 4 weeks ago now taken interest in the movement of a morio worm but will stil not attack/eat one. He instead stands at the water bowl (which used to be a feeding bowl) waiting for food. I have tried empying the water bowl and placing a feeder inside many times but still no luck.

Grrrr this guy is really getting to me now! When a gecko behaves normal there the best pet in the world, but when they act up there annoying as hell!! I generally believe I think about my gecko's more than my university final year dissertation lol.

Many thanks

 

[Quah]

My SHTCT female quit eating for quite awhile I ended up giving her slurry and she regained her appetite(somewhat) in a week or two. Try that. If he isn't losing weight or just a little and the rest of his behaviors seem healthy I wouldn't worry about it too much.