Problematic Male Leo

[RORO]

So I have a male Leo that I've had for over a year now. I've noticed lately his appetite has been down. He is a healthy weight and looks good overall. I've noticed he seems to really like calcium. When I put calcium in a dish he will take full bites of it and generally seems obsessed with it. This makes me wonder if he isn't getting enough calcium. I dust his food periodically with Rep-Cal Calcium+Vit D or Rep-Cal Multivitamin but maybe I'm not doing it often enough. What are your thoughts on letting him eat as much calcium as he wants? I'm starting to think maybe he's so interested in the calcium because he isn't getting enough but I'm not sure.

Google search suggests that I should just give him free feed calcium. I'm going to experiment with giving him free feed and maybe his obsession will decrease when he is getting sufficient calcium?

Thoughts?

 

[RORO]

Here is a picture of my grumpy little guy

 

[acpart]

It is possible for leopard geckos to get too much calcium. It's also open to debate whether they take just what they need (as if they seem to sense what they need) or whether they have no idea what they need. Also, at this time of the year, many leopard geckos eat a lot less as the ambient light duration decreases. Consider removing the calcium, continuing to dust the food and continuing to offer food and not worrying if not a whole lot gets eaten (you wouldn't believe how long some of these guys can go safely without eating).

Aliza

 

[RORO]

So it is common for them to go off food this time of year? Since I wrote the original post both of my leos have gone on a hunger strike. I don't record feedings but the male has barely eaten anything in a few weeks. Today he ate one mealworm and that will probably be it for the next week.

 

[acpart]

It can be frustrating because in the fall/winter they're not eating because the weather and light are getting more reminiscent that it's time to brumate (not that all of them do) and then in the late winter/early spring the females are ovulating and the males are getting interested in the females so they don't eat . . . . Mine do manage to keep at a decent weight, though.

Aliza