our first hatchlings

[Emg]

Our female dropped her first pair of eggs last month. They hatched last friday....

Lousy pic....

I've read up and found that hatchlings should start to eat after they have thier first shed. Ours shed on Monday...today is Thurs (they'll be a week old tomorrow)......but they still don't appear to be interested in eating. We are offering pin head crickets.

Is this normal ?

 

[wings2fly]

So far, my hatchlings haven 't eaten till the 1st poop.

Carin

 

[Halley]

I couldn't even tell my first hatchlings where eating for a while. I just found piles of poop, so I assumed they where, which they where. So I guess look for poop, and that is your answer.

Sorry I couldn't have been any more help. But I wouldn't freak out just yet.

 

[Emg]

Lol.....not freaking out, just wondering. Thanks

 

[GeckoJunkie]

Yep like Nick said, just dont freak out. I have had some go for quite some time and then eat like hogs. I think alot depends on how much of the egg yolk they were able to absorb before coming out into this world.

 

[Emg]

Thanks Gecko,

I'm not the freaking out type.....really....lol. I keep a lot of fw and sw aquariums and dart frogs....though geckos are fairly new on my critter list... I"ve learned from my other "interests" about how to deal with whatever issues may crop up from time to time. So...no worries....and....thanks again folks ! I expect to learn a lot here !

 

[Ccrashca069]

They look like normals but they will be changing alot and a better pic would help. Tang hatchlings also look normal at first also.

 

[Emg]

Ok, a couple of better pics......I don't think they'll end up as anything other than your ordinary leopard gecko.....but that's ok.

Trouble is.....one of them walks funny......I'll post a video of it. It seems like it's balance is off a tad....


..

 

[Emg]

This one doesn't walk very well. Not sure what's wrong with it.

 

[Halley]

Have you seen them eat yet?

 

[Emg]

not yet.....

 

[Emg]

Hhhmmmm...I had some pictures on this thread.....what happened to them ? Did I break a rule somewhere ???:main_huh:

 

[Kristi23]

I can still see the pics.

 

[Halley]

Yeah, i can see the pics as well.

 

[Emg]

Hmm......they aren't showing up for me........odd,

I tried getting onto my photobucket page and I couldn't get logged on, must be an issue there.....but I don't know why you all would be able to see them and I can't.

eh....

 

[Emg]

Well, we lost one of the hatchlings........it just never would eat. Naturally it's the wobbly one that survived......

It's doing very well in fact....eating like a little hog.........as it wobbles it's way across the tank hunting down crickets....

 

[GeckoEcho]

Sorry to hear that. Sounds like you got a spunky one.

 

[lytlesnake]

Very sorry to hear about the loss of your hatchling. I have a few observations on getting them feeding.

1) If the gecko won't eat crickets, try small mealworms and/or small superworms. I find that most of my hatchlings really love small superworms, plus they seem to be highly nutritious. They grow fast on supers.

2) Make sure the gecko is comfortable. I put a styrofoam hide in the tub for hatchlings so they feel relaxed. If two hatchlings are housed together and one isn't eating, separate them.

3) Sometimes you have to give them extra attention. If that means sitting in front of their tub and dropping worms one by one, that's what I do. If the gecko is in it's hide, I'll drop a small superworm and guide it into the hide, for example.

4) The white plastic lids from 50 count mealworm containers work great for feeding hatchlings. I put the lid in front of their hide, then drop a worm or two in there. That way they stay in one place, except for supers which can crawl over the rim, some quicker than others.

5) Feed them at night, in the dark. Not total darkness, but try to avoid bright lights or anything that can spook them. And if they still won't eat in the dark, try feeding in the morning. It's best if the room is fairly quiet when you're trying to get them to eat too.

6) You've got to get them on a roll. In other words, a good feeding rhythm. If a gecko eats it's first worm or cricket, I immediately give it more. Feeding every night is best for hatchlings, but every other night is usually sufficient too. Just make sure they eat a good amount each time if you're gonna feed every other night.

7) Use slow hand movements. When I move in to drop a worm, I try to move slowly.

8) Keep hatchlings moist. I mist the back of their tubs every day. Not to the point that there's massive condensation all over the tub, but they need enough humidity to have those first crucial sheds. Shedding plays a part in their feeding rhythm, so it's important.

Also, the wobbling could possibly be caused by MBD. Make sure that gecko has a little lid with some calcium (w/ D3).