New gecko...not sure if he is healthy?

[adelaide]

I go to a local flea market to get my crickets/super worms. There was a pet vendor I passed that had a fat-tailed gecko that was really sad looking. He is very thin and seemed unresponsive. He was marked as $35 and I ended up getting him for $26. And although I wanted to help him, I'm not sure if I got ripped off? I'm not sure if he's healthy, I have experience with herps but not with any geckos. I've already given him a bath in the electrolize and he seems to be eating his crickets pretty well. Any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[acpart]

He doesn't look too bad. I have had experience mostly with leopard geckos but when I got my first 2 fat tails a few months ago,I noticed that they move really slowly and have kind of a "shy" personality. That may be part of it. Google some good care sheets, ask questions, give him time to feel comfortable and start eating. you will probably have more luck with crickets than with mealworms.

Aliza

 

[HepCatMoe]

there are three words that describe fat tails:

calm

shy

lazy

they hide all the time. i mean all the time. but if you pick them up, they pretty much dont care. they are probably one of the best lizards you can get if you want to handle them.

he looks healthy enough. his tail is skinny, but as long as he is eating he should be fine.

just make sure he has a humid hide, a hot hide, proper temps and gut loaded crickets with the occasional calcium dusting. but remember you dont want to put so many in the cage that he cant get away from them. to start out i would feed him 20 large crickets twice a week, for a total of 40 per week. from that you can see if you should feed him more or less.

looks like you got yourself a great gecko. if he makes it (and from the picture im 99% sure he will) you got a great deal. also, good job on picken him up before he got any worse, looks like you got him just in time.

 

[ReptileMan27]

He doesent look to bad, defently skinny but should fatten up in no time if he eats good. I would reccomend swithcing of the mulch or whatever your using, dont want him to ingest any of that.

 

[HepCatMoe]

ya, for ease i just keep my geckos on paper towels. doesnt look as good, but its safer and way easier to clean.

 

[adelaide]

great, I'll do that tonight thanks again everyone; it's GREATLY appreciated!

 

[Lecko my Gecko]

yeah he s not too bad, probably wild caught. I agree with everyone about paper towl it will aslo allow you to check his stool also. good luck

 

[adelaide]

He has definitely livened up a bit, I used to be able to pick him up just around his belly to put him in my other hand and the past two times he's bit! He wouldn't even let go last time. He was no where near this feisty when I got him, so I think he's doing good! Thanks again, everyone

 

[Select Gex]

Make sure to include a roomy humid hide box for him, the fattails really appreciate it.

Also, make sure a nice dish of clean water is available for him on your cool end. Watch when he drinks, if the tip of his tongue is darker than the rest of his tongue then he is probably a bit dehydrated.

 

[LadyGecko]

Awww............he is sweet
I think that he will do just fine

If you see some very loose poops-have a fecal done to make sure that he isn't carrying a load of parasites
Which could be very possible if he is wild caught

Using the paper towels will make it a lot easier to check what his poop looks like and if it smells bad

Good Luck with your new gecko!!

:main_thumbsup:

 

[Malin2]

My newest gecko looked like that too in the beginning. The previous owner had used a picture in the add where he looked absolutely fine. But when I got him he was much thinner. Here is the adds photo:

And here is how he REALLY looked like.

He's much better now and is gaining weight but when he first got here he was weak and just lied in the, hmm how do you say it in english. The damp box lol?
Anyways he never had one at the previous owners terrarium. Some of his toes where shorter and he hasn't gotten many claws at all. But don't worry your gecko seems to be in a better shape than mine was in the beginning and he's absolutely fine now and he's chasing crickets like crazy!

 

[adelaide]

Thanks again, everyone. Here are some updated pictures, they're not too great and the lighting is awful, but you get the gist of it.