LeopardShade
Spotted Shadow
- Messages
- 1,001
- Location
- Western Montana
One of my geckos was doing fine about three months ago, eating like a pig and always hungry. But around mid-Feburary, it was like she was an entirely different gecko.
For the last two months, she just hasn't had her usual appetite. When I offer her food, she will turn her nose up to it and squint her eyes. It's rather odd. A few times (about 3 or 4, usually happens about once or twice every 2 weeks) she will get this fiery spark in her eye, I'll toss a mealworm in there, and she'll devour it with a ravenous appetite. She'll then eat about 8 or 9 more, basically as many as I give her. But then, she'll stop and refuse food once again.
Once again, it has been going on for about two months now and I honestly cannot diagnose it. She appears healthy overall, as she is rather active and her stools have been fine for this two-month period (not runny or disfigured, no fecal signs of parasites/etc), she has lost a bit of weight in her tail, but other than that, she appears normal. She's just not had her usual appetite, and I know that if she continues on like this she'll just continue to lose more weight.
I do not keep her on sand or any other loose substrate, I keep her on paper towel, so impaction is not an issue.
I put her on Golden Gate Gecko's slushy mixture for a couple of weeks, just to add.
There are a few things I think I should mention. Right before she stopped eating, I was handling her and she accidentally escaped under my bed. I got her out eventually, but I can tell she was very stressed out. At first, I was wondering if the fasting was because of the shock of that experience, but now I'm not so sure. I hope she didn't contract any parasites or bacteria underneath there...
Lastly, she did almost the same thing last year (around March-July) where she decreased her appetite. But come mid-July, she ate well and had a big appetite (from mid-July until now). I am now wondering, because of this, if there's a annual sort of brumation she goes through..
Sorry this is such a long post, but I honestly cannot understand why she is doing this. I appreciate anyone who took the time to read this and would equally appreciate any help!
For the last two months, she just hasn't had her usual appetite. When I offer her food, she will turn her nose up to it and squint her eyes. It's rather odd. A few times (about 3 or 4, usually happens about once or twice every 2 weeks) she will get this fiery spark in her eye, I'll toss a mealworm in there, and she'll devour it with a ravenous appetite. She'll then eat about 8 or 9 more, basically as many as I give her. But then, she'll stop and refuse food once again.
Once again, it has been going on for about two months now and I honestly cannot diagnose it. She appears healthy overall, as she is rather active and her stools have been fine for this two-month period (not runny or disfigured, no fecal signs of parasites/etc), she has lost a bit of weight in her tail, but other than that, she appears normal. She's just not had her usual appetite, and I know that if she continues on like this she'll just continue to lose more weight.
I do not keep her on sand or any other loose substrate, I keep her on paper towel, so impaction is not an issue.
I put her on Golden Gate Gecko's slushy mixture for a couple of weeks, just to add.
There are a few things I think I should mention. Right before she stopped eating, I was handling her and she accidentally escaped under my bed. I got her out eventually, but I can tell she was very stressed out. At first, I was wondering if the fasting was because of the shock of that experience, but now I'm not so sure. I hope she didn't contract any parasites or bacteria underneath there...
Lastly, she did almost the same thing last year (around March-July) where she decreased her appetite. But come mid-July, she ate well and had a big appetite (from mid-July until now). I am now wondering, because of this, if there's a annual sort of brumation she goes through..
Sorry this is such a long post, but I honestly cannot understand why she is doing this. I appreciate anyone who took the time to read this and would equally appreciate any help!
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