New Gecko Owner - Half Starved Leo

[77gecko]

I got my first leo today after much research. Obviously his old owner never did any research.

He (assuming it's a he) was kept on wood shavings, no water (she told me he loves to drink water, are they allowed to have it all the time, :main_angry heated with lamps (well, he didn't have any for 2 weeks - they broke the bulb but didn't replace) she also had no clue that they shed. They didn't even have any food to give me. He was owned by this woman's 10 yr old daughter, bought at Christmas time and now bored with it.

I stopped and got an UTH, cleaned out the shavings (put him on white paper towels) gave him water (which he drank) has a moist hide on the warm side, and one hide on the cool side and he ate 5 meal worms and 2 small crickets.

He is a young, approximately 4 inches long. I have read varying suggestions on feeding 5 to 8 crickets or meal worms a day for young/juvenile geckos per day.

Since he is underweight, should I increase that amount daily until he is at a healthier weight or should I give him 5 - 8 meal worms or crickets a day and let him gain weight at a slower pace?


Thanks for helping me and Gus the Gecko out!

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h190/sstarcher1/2009_08040010.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h190/sstarcher1/2009_08040016.jpg

 

[acpart]

He's very cute and will be even cuter when he gets bigger. Just feed him as much as he's willing to eat.

Aliza

 

[THE WHISPERER]

I'm glad he's in better hands now. and welcome to GF

 

[77gecko]

Thank you! I will let him have as much as he can get a day. He ate 5 meal worms and 4 small crickets. He really perked up after the mealworms and was energetic stalking the crickets. He looks a little fuller after a nice meal (his sides were sunk in and his skin was funny looking on his sides - it looked like when you pinch a person's skin when they are dehydrated and the skin stays pinched) and he is now basking on his warm side. I'm glad I got him.

 

[shadowdragon619]

aww!! i'm glad he's in better hands now! i just feed my leo as much as he can eat in one night. he doesnt like mealworms, but will eat up to nine crickets in one night. i just leave the crickets in his cage overnight and take out the uneaten ones in the morning. i cant wait til your leo grows up, he will be very healthy and happy now that you are taking care of him! :main_yes:

 

[Palor]

Sounds like your doing a great job with your new pet

 

[little98dime]

Let him eat how ever many he will eat "eagerly". When he starts looking like he might not want anymore, then he's had his fill. Other than that, you are doing everything perfectly. Have you gotten some calcium and vitamin supplements yet?

 

[gitrdone0420]

Wow, I get so angry at people's ignorance sometimes. There is just no excuse for a half-starved leo. They should have done their research before purchasing this pet. Leos are so easy to take care of! There is just no excuse for not taking care of them! Anyways, thankfully this little one is in your hands now and it sounds like you have everything under control! Let us know how the little one is doing =]

 

[77gecko]

Let him eat how ever many he will eat "eagerly". When he starts looking like he might not want anymore, then he's had his fill. Other than that, you are doing everything perfectly. Have you gotten some calcium and vitamin supplements yet?

I forgot to get the calcium and supplements yesterday, I was so upset over his condition and tank condition. I am going to pick them up on my way home from work today.


I know what you mean, gitrdone. These people have internet (I found their ad online!) the mother should have looked up the proper care for her daughter. I have done tons of research online about geckos (and other critters in the past) it's not hard to find proper care for almost every animal imaginable on the internet.

 

[lisa s]

it looks like its going to be a great looking gecko congrats on you buy. A bit on the thin side but not alarming and you will soon have him up and running big and beautiful in no time with a little of TLC

 

[77gecko]

I can't wait to get home from work to check on him I went at lunch time and picked up his calcium powder, vitamin supplement powder and gut load for his buggies. My mom was teasing me today and said he'll look like an alligator when I'm done fattening him up (I have a really big cat - he's not fat, he's big boned!)

 

[jaspa]

oh my, thank you for taking him in he will look extremely beautiful once he gets older, we all know that he is in really good care !

 

[jschaf1]

Great Job 77gecko! Glad he found a good home with a good owner. He's good looking now but he'll look fantastic when your done with him!

How about some "after" pics when you've got him all fattened up and healthy?

 

[rawson5084]

He is very pretty and I'm so glad that you have found him and saved him!!!! I hate it when people who dont know anything about reptiles go and buy their kids one and not do research and help take care of it!!!!!! Do they not realize that kids might like one thing one day and change their minds and decide they dont want it the next? sorry I just had to say it I see it all the time...

 

[77gecko]

He's starting to look good, his sides are filling out. It's going to be awesome when he's at a healthy weight, I get excited thinking about what he'll look like fully mature. He's eating 8 mealworms a day. I think I'll bust out the scale and weigh him. I wish I'd thought to do that the day I got him.

Thank you all for the positive feedback, I was afraid that I was doing something wrong. This is my first reptile I have always had cats and dogs. I had a tarantula when I was a kid and used to raise rats before I moved into an apartment.

Plenty of pics, that will be for sure!

 

[jschaf1]

I had a tarantula when I was a kid

I once thought of getting a scorpion when I was a kid, but I'm glad I didn't. I quickly grew out of that phase.

 

[77gecko]

My brother had 2 scorpions. His first one was pretty docile and he held it often. The second he had for less than a week, he lost it in a house fire. They were neat to watch.

My tarantula (rose hair) was awesome, she was super fun to watch. I never could get up the courage to hold her though. I'd probably have another, but my landlady won't allow any snakes or spiders boo!

 

[77gecko]

I feel dumb asking, but can anyone tell me what type he is? I think he looks like a jungle comparing him to pictures. It's hard for me tell. I thought he was a normal, but I haven't seen any normal with his head coloring and they generally seem to have more spots.

Some pics after last night's dinner - calcium lips