Not eating!!

[GeckoMandi]

I'm having issues with my crestie not eating, he has not ate well since I got him.

I have had him about 3 weeks I think it is, and I bought the CGD from pangea and he doesn't seem to want that I have tried to syringe feed him he takes a couple licks and doesn't want it. Ok so I went and bought some of the old CGD in the bottle not taking that at all, I had been giving him 1-3 mealies a couple times a week but I stopped that because I thought he was being a butt and only wanting his bugs.

He is in a nice 10 g set up with lots of hiding spots and fake plants, I mist him once every night. His temps stays between 70-74 it never goes above that in my room.

I have never once seem him eat his food period, I know I cannot watch him all the time but at night even in the dark in my room he doesn't seem to want to eat anything, I'm wondering if a vet trip is in order yet?

 

[Perefalcon]

He's still being a bratt huh?

He was delivered to you on the 23rd of Feburary, I just looked it up to be sure for ya.

for anyone who has advice...He'd always been an excellent eater, both of his cgd and bugs (mealies and crickets). He even ate nicely before he was shipped. So this behavior hasn't always been a pattern for him.

Mandi, did you get a weight on him yet? He was like 15-17 grams when I had last weighed him.

 

[GeckoMandi]

Yes he's still being an arse! He weighs 16 grams so he hasn't lost anything or gained. I dunno what to do about him, I checked his bowls this morning I placed the CGD in 2 different places in the tank to see if that might spike his interest more, it seems he ate nothing.

 

[Perefalcon]

I've got one that I just got that isn't doing very well, I just put cgd on a spoon and stuffed his face in it LOL

That seemed to work

 

[Valley Reptiles]

there's nothing to worry about. they can take a few weeks before they really start eating after being shipped. and chances are that he is eating enough to keep him healthy now. if he's not loosing weight then he has to be eating something. and from all the other breeders i've heard from, mealworms are bad for cresteds.

 

[Ianx]

I have to do the same with my crested, all he wants are crickets and when its time for some CGD he just dont want it, so i have to put some all over his nose and he finish licking it.

Did u try giving him some crickets?

 

[Perefalcon]

I've only heard that if you only feed mealworms that it can eventually be bad, my books say it's ok, and I've been feeding my cresteds mealworms with no ill effects. I've ended up with big fat cresteds, I feed mealies, crickets and cgd.

OH mandi, I was tuned into this last night and forgot to tell you, get some papaya from the store and mash it up. The older and softer the fruit, the better they like it...I'm gonna be trying mine on it to see how they like the taste.

 

[GeckoMandi]

Well I'm going to try not force feeding but holding him and making him lick some up, he looks healthy and everything and is very active.

I will try some of that to, tonya.

Well everything I read up on cresties it's ok to give them mealies as a treat, and he will not eat a cricket for me period. I even let some loose in his tank and he didn't bother, so I teased some in his face still a no go. I think he has ate 1 cricket for me since I've had him. I will keep doing what I'm doing and keep ya posted

 

[Ianx]

Like firecrested said as long as he doesnt lose weight he have to be eating something somehow. So i wouldnt worry too much as long as he keep his weight.

 

[Valley Reptiles]

this is from ciliatus.com FAQ from Anthony Caponetto's site, one of the big crested breeders.

Can Crested Geckos eat mealworms?
I wouldn't say that they can't eat them, but that it's not worth the effort. Mealworms are of little nutritional value and are difficult for lizards to digest, therefore I don't see any reason to feed them to Crested Geckos. If you just happen to have extra meal worms and want to feed them off, go for it. However, I wouldn't go out of my way to get them. The main problem is that mealworms move slowly, so many times they go unnoticed. If left in there too long, they will pupate and turn into beetles, which you'll then have the pleasure of removing.

All in all, feeding live prey is a hassle no matter how you slice it. Meal worms may be convenient (you can throw them in the fridge), but they simply aren't an ideal food for Crested Geckos.

 

[GeckoMandi]

Well I never heard until now that they shouldn't have mealies, everything I've read has said otherwise. I haven't given him a mealworm in almost a week now, I tried to syringe feed him tonight and it was a no go, I also offered a cricket and he didn't want that either. GRRR

 

[Reptile_le00man7mm]

this is from ciliatus.com FAQ from Anthony Caponetto's site, one of the big crested breeders.

Can Crested Geckos eat mealworms?
I wouldn't say that they can't eat them, but that it's not worth the effort. Mealworms are of little nutritional value and are difficult for lizards to digest, therefore I don't see any reason to feed them to Crested Geckos. If you just happen to have extra meal worms and want to feed them off, go for it. However, I wouldn't go out of my way to get them. The main problem is that mealworms move slowly, so many times they go unnoticed. If left in there too long, they will pupate and turn into beetles, which you'll then have the pleasure of removing.

All in all, feeding live prey is a hassle no matter how you slice it. Meal worms may be convenient (you can throw them in the fridge), but they simply aren't an ideal food for Crested Geckos.

Well the line about mealworms being slow..lol.. we feed him from a tweezer when we do give him mealies... more so as a treat. They dont even have time to move!!!!

 

[bleeding_sarcasm]

I dont know why anyone didnt ask the most obvious question, what are your temperatures like? If you are keeping it colder then its used to, then it isnt going to eat anything.

if its not loving the CGD right now, then try mixing it with something to sweeten it a little. like a banana or something.

are you leaving the food in overnight?
is this your first crested?

 

[Perefalcon]

I mostly feed mealies cause I have a small colony...I'm trying to get rid of them but I don't want to just throw out feeders...for some reason I've developed an allergy to the friggen things!!!

 

[MischiefManaged]

Hey Mandi,
I'm sure your little guy will be just fine . . . but I understand how that might worry you! When I had a crested, he was very picky when it came to food. Try buying some mango or apricot flavored baby food and mixing it with a small amount of the CGD. Those flavors are very strong-smelling and might entice him a bit. If you need a small feeding syringe, let me know and I can mail a new one out to you, no charge. They have a tapered, curved end and I bought them in bulk for my rescues. They come in handy with picky feeders too. Good luck!

 

[GeckoMandi]

Well once again the CGD is just not working he took a couple licks tonight and then ran off to hide I tried it on a spoon to and he wasn't having it, I'm going to get some baby food friday try that and see what happens, it's been a crappy week with a lot of stuff going on here at home and I have been in and out of the house.

Thanks Nikki but I have several I have got my from vet on recent trips, I always ask for samples and anything I can get free hehe.

 

[geckonate]

this is from ciliatus.com FAQ from Anthony Caponetto's site, one of the big crested breeders.

Can Crested Geckos eat mealworms?
I wouldn't say that they can't eat them, but that it's not worth the effort. Mealworms are of little nutritional value and are difficult for lizards to digest, therefore I don't see any reason to feed them to Crested Geckos. If you just happen to have extra meal worms and want to feed them off, go for it. However, I wouldn't go out of my way to get them. The main problem is that mealworms move slowly, so many times they go unnoticed. If left in there too long, they will pupate and turn into beetles, which you'll then have the pleasure of removing.

All in all, feeding live prey is a hassle no matter how you slice it. Meal worms may be convenient (you can throw them in the fridge), but they simply aren't an ideal food for Crested Geckos.

I'm not sure that this makes any sense. #1, with most feeders, its not the insect themselves, its what you feed them. I tend to think that if you feed a high nutrient diet to your feeders, this will aid the health of your pets. I use spirulina, bee pollen, wheat germ, dandelion greens, dried kelp, etc.
I know a handful of Leopard Gecko breeders that exclusively feed mealies despite what people have said about their nutritional drawbacks.

#2, in response to AC's comment about mealworms speed; if all we were concerned about was the activity of the feeder, why would people buy CGD or the new MRP diet from Repashy?
The only solid argument against mealworms is the amount of chitlin, which I can not scientifically proove or disprove.

 

[GeckoMandi]

Well he still is not eating at all for me, not really sure what to do at this point.

I have done just about everything suggested and then some, I was told by Tonya to try some organic yogurt. I didn't know he was going to be such a probelm eater for me GRRR. He has a lost a gram in weight, but that's over 4 weeks time so I don't think it's a parasite, but when I get some fresh poo I think I"m going to take it in for a fecal.

I do feed mealies only as my main diet for all my leopard geckos, and they are fat and healthy. I only feed crickets to 1 of them and he will not eat mealies.