new addition!

[Blazingecko11]

So had some use to my spare 10 gallon tank, and bought a small juvenile leopard gecko, it has a bright yellow body with purple bands and a little bit of dots, also black eyes, the first day i got it, it ate like 4 small crickets and pooped over night,and the poop was pretty big for a little gecko! but for some reason on the second day, i tried giving it a few more crickets and it doesnt seem to want to eat, im sure this is a common problem with new geckos, but its just weird how it ate the first day and not the second, so please comment if you know why. Ps: repti carpet, rock hide, u.t.h, infrared red heat lamp, moist hide, food and water dish.

 

[SC Geckos]

Fill this out. It will give people more info to help you.

About your leo:
- Sex
- Age & Weight
- How long have you owned your leo
- Where was he/she obtained (ex. Pet store, breeder, wild caught, friend)

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo
- Is your leo acting any different today? If so how does he/she normally act which differs from now.
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe.
B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal)
- When was the last time he/she went
C) Problem
- Please briefly describe the problem and how long it has been going on

Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size
- Type (ex. glass tank)
- Type of substrate
- Hides, how many, what kind
B) Heating
- Heat source
- Cage temps (hot side, cool side)
- Method of regulating heat source
- What are you using to measure your temps
- Do you have any lights (describe)
C) Cage mates
- How many (males, females)
- Describe health, or previous problems

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding (how often, how much)
- How are you feeding (hand fed, left in dish, ect)
B) Supplements (describe how often)
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands)
- What are you gut loading food with

 

[Blazingecko11]

i just wanted to know if its normal or not, my set up is quite adequate

 

[Embrace Calamity]

"Infrared red heat light"? I seriously hope you don't mean a red light, as you've been told numerous times that this not a good method for heating. I also seriously hope you have more than just one "rock hide." Furthermore, I can't imagine why you'd go buy a second gecko when you can't even figure out how to get the care of your first one running smoothly.

~Maggot

 

[SC Geckos]

There are many things that can cause issues with feeding. Not knowing if all of these things are correct it is hard to tell you if it is "normal".
Sometimes it takes a while for an animal to get comfortable with its new surroundings..... Other than saying that is is hard to help without more information.

 

[Blazingecko11]

Yes i have more than one hide, and my other gecko went pretty crazy when i fed her today! so i think shes ok now.

 

[SC Geckos]

Yes i have more than one hide, and my other gecko went pretty crazy when i fed her today! so i think shes ok now.

??? OK.
Is this gecko housed with other geckos? Any new geckos should be quarantined for at least 90 days before they even come close to other geckos in your collection. This is to insure everything is good with the new gecko and prevents spread of illness if your new gecko happens to be sick.
I would suggest housing them separately.

 

[Blazingecko11]

yeah they are housed separately, i have a big mack snow in a 20 gallon, and the little new one is in a 10 gallon. Like im not really having a huge issue here. its just weird that the new little one ate the first day i got her, and not the second. because i know your supoose to feed juvenile geckos small crickets almost everyday. something i read.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

??? OK.
Is this gecko housed with other geckos? Any new geckos should be quarantined for at least 90 days before they even come close to other geckos in your collection. This is to insure everything is good with the new gecko and prevents spread of illness if your new gecko happens to be sick.
I would suggest housing them separately.

He's having issues with his other gecko as well. It was totally off food for 6 days or so and laying out in the open on sand instead of inside the hide while the temps on the hot side measured 77 degrees. Several suggestions were made (remove the sand, get a thermostat for the UTH, etc.), but they were all ignored.

~Maggot

 

[Blazingecko11]

omg.. hahaha, listen. The temperature under the rock whas 91,which included the under tank heater beneath. Ill admit, i did over feed my big gecko right before she had shed. Which was why she didnt eat for 6 days. There are so many people on these forums that said it was a normal thing. I fed her friday, she ate. I even Fed her 3 medium sized crickets which are a little small compared to the large ones i've been giving her. She ate all 3 while dusted with "leopard gecko calcium/d3" and now is just laying under her rock which is getting the belly heat of 91 degrees. The little one is roaming around its tank and was just literally drinking water our of its bowl, which means it getting use to its new environment. Sorry if im not following your directions/ advice. But im a full time college student with a part time job that can only afford so much. And yet my geckos are ok. I was planning on switching the sand out for the repi carpet and getting a thermostat, but im worried her nails are going to get stuck..

 

[Embrace Calamity]

Dude, I'm also a full time college student with a part time job, so don't give me that excuse. I was giving context for Brad because he was obviously confused about your comment regarding your other gecko eating. I still personally fail to believe that inside the hide was 14 degrees (or 15, as you said before it was) warmer than outside, especially since you appear to have about an inch of sand on top of the UTH. But that is neither here nor there. I was simply pointing out to Brad why the comment was made.

~Maggot

 

[Blazingecko11]

I have the temperature probe outside of the rock, and that one day it said 77.7 i had a towel off the screen lid, and my room was a little chilly. But when i put the probe in the sand where there undertank heater was, it read 91, so shes pretty much laying on that now probably trying to digest. When i have the towel on the screen lid and have the basking lamp on, it reads in the mid 80's. I honestly dont know why it read 77.7 but i knew it couldnt be right. When i first bought the gecko, i had none of that, besides a 75 watt purple heat lamp, one hide, and an under tank heater in a 10 gallon tank and she grew up just fine then. Now idk.. I guess shes doing fine if she went ape Shytt over food today, and i really cant afford to bring her to the vet cause it would probably cost me an arm and a leg

 

[Embrace Calamity]

I give up on you. I wish the best for your geckos.

~Maggot

 

[Blazingecko11]

Please tell me what i should do!!, like what else i should buy and ill listen , promise lol!!!!

 

[SC Geckos]

I would also suggest removing the sand. If you are worried about repti carpet you can also use tile or paper towels, both of which are better and safer than sand and are very cheap. If you don't already have one I would suggest getting a probe style digital thermometer to place on the surface of the warm side and monitor the temps. Take a look at some care sheets on this forum so you can see what needs to be corrected regarding your setup and husbandry.

Also keep in mind that these animals can sometimes require a vet if they get sick and if a vet visit can not be afforded then I would suggest not purchasing the animals. I understand money being tight but these are living animals that need to be cared for properly, which includes vet visits if needed.

Good luck.

 

[Kylerbassman]

Get rid of the sand. Get cheap slate tile from store. Will cost you less then 10 bucks. The sand is robbing heat from your uth. It's probably barely letting anything up, which is why your using a 50w+ bulb to get your temps. Do you have 3 hides warm, moist, cool? Get rid of red light. If you are set on using a light, at least get the blue nighttime light, but Che can eliminate lighting needs at night. Some Leo's can even be irritated with the blue, so Che might be best route. Daytime light should be low wattage (no more then 25) I use 15 w. if you can get the tank near a window and your temps correct, you won't even need lighting. I bet if you get that slate in there and or the higher end stickie tiles, your temps will be close to where you need them without lighting.

 

[Ozy]

I agree with Kyle. I have slate tiles with a bit of hermit crab sand underneath to eliminate air pockets and distribute heat evenly. I just have my UTH and thermostat and my temps are perfect. When I first got my leo I used paper towels. You can also use newspaper.

 

[Phoenix1115]

To answer your original question, yes, it is common for a gecko in new surroundings to go off feed for a little due to stress. You need to be worried if you see them losing weight and getting dehydrated.

Personally, 4 of the 8 new geckos I've brought home ate the first day then stopped for a few days, then ate again once getting settled in.