Question...

[neur0tix]

My gecko hasn't shed in quite some time..... bout two months.... she is full sized, and not eating very much.... she used to love when I would suprrise her w/ meal worms or wax worms, but now she's bothered when I put them in.... gets away from them...

I don't know what this pic is going to do in regardsto help with the matter, lol... by the way, she likes when I hold her like that because she feels safe, dunno strange. she's fell asleep when i held her like that, haha

 

[neur0tix]

I think her photo cycle or something is wack... ive been staying up til 6am w/ lights on... then my room is really dark all day cause the blinds dont let light in... so i leave the lights on... so the only time there isnt light in my room is 6am-2pm

 

[neur0tix]

she seems very weak and not alert... like unlesss they get like this from age, she doesnt try to get away she sorta just chills and is lazy. She drinks lot of water, and poops, and has a big fat tail... so maybe im over reacting...

 

[neur0tix]

she's been eating about 1 superworm + 1 -2 crickets a day...

 

[Pokersnake]

How old is she? Temperatures, substrate, hides available, etc?

I would say that the day/night schedule is off. I know that people don't really go to bed when it gets dark... Maybe you could try things like putting a cover on her cage when night time hits so she gets a better feel for day/night. And if you have a window in your room, leave the blinds open during the day. That should be enough to get her on schedule.

I know one of my males really hates my "natural light" lamp that I have on in the evening. He almost refuses to come out and eat if it's on.

 

[neur0tix]

yeah its my fault i think... my job switched to 2nd shift, so instead of me feeding at 10am im feeding at like 3-4pm... now that i think about it, this has only been occuring for past month when i swithed jobs

ohwell, ill figure a way to fix it... maybe just put a beach towel over her tank from 10-10

 

[neur0tix]

what do I do about the light? I burried half of her hide so she has privacy and can't see the light from my lamp and activity/movement from the room... maybe will help? i think if I start feeding her in morning when the light comes out it will be ok...

im worried about the walnut shell substrate i switched back to cause they loved when were babies, but i stopped cause of impaction... sometimes shell go for ood and get a mouthful of sand... and try to spit it out...

 

[M_surinamensis]

by the way, she likes when I hold her like that because she feels safe, dunno strange. she's fell asleep when i held her like that, haha

Holding her upside down with a thumb pressed to her abdomen... you were applying pressure that produced a vasovagal response. She didn't feel safe, you lowered the blood pressure to her brain and caused her to pass out. Do it for a prolonged length of time and you can kill her or cause permanent neurological damage from the oxygen deprivation. "Haha" indeed.

 

[neur0tix]

Holding her upside down with a thumb pressed to her abdomen... you were applying pressure that produced a vasovagal response. She didn't feel safe, you lowered the blood pressure to her brain and caused her to pass out. Do it for a prolonged length of time and you can kill her or cause permanent neurological damage from the oxygen deprivation. "Haha" indeed.

OK i never did ANY of that... I never hold her upside down, or squeeze..... what are you talking about. She is not being held tight in that picture at all, she just likes to be held in a way that all 4 of her limbs can be supported.

What are you talking about dude...

btw, I switched her to thick papertowe... she ate 7 crickets within 2 minutes must of been the substrate, i guess i need to stop worrying about how it looksand i like it, and more care for how SHE likes it..

Anyone have an idea for how to keep crickets from hiding under the towel?

 

[neur0tix]

I put some fishing weights on the corners.... there is a piece of tape over it so she doesn't try and eat it... and seems to work ok for now

 

[Retribution Reptiles]

in all honestly 1 superworm a day is way more then enough. we don't feed our adults but 1 superworm every 3 days. 1 superworm a day IMO is over feeding...no need

 

[Retribution Reptiles]

I know one of my males really hates my "natural light" lamp that I have on in the evening. He almost refuses to come out and eat if it's on.

This is due to the fact you're giving light to a nocturnal animal...not wise

 

[neur0tix]

They arent superworms my bad, just large meal worms... or small superworms... i dont know :shrug:

I saw her bite a ccricket to silence it tonight, but not eat it... how bizarre is this!?

 

[M_surinamensis]

OK i never did ANY of that... I never hold her upside down, or squeeze..... what are you talking about. She is not being held tight in that picture at all, she just likes to be held in a way that all 4 of her limbs can be supported.

What are you talking about dude...

You're doing it in the photo you posted in this thread, it doesn't take much. Tilt the animal and you change the way blood flows, touch the nerves at the lower end of the chest just about where the rib cage is- you cause their blood pressure to immediately drop. Ever hear the phrase "rub its belly and it will go to sleep" in reference to say, alligators? Same deal, just a much bigger species.

The exact nerve connections or stimuli that can produce a vasovagal response can vary from species to species, I am sure you can find long lists of what causes them in humans (ever feel lightheaded if you stand up very fast after sitting or laying down in one position for a long time?)- but for lizards, they can be provoked through light pressure on the ventral abdomen, especially if they are not level (feet down, back up).

So I say again... she did not "fall asleep because it trusts you so much and was so comfortable" she passed out because you caused her to essentially faint. If you hold her that way for too long, she will suffer neurological damage or die- it takes a bit because of the low oxygen requirements of the species, but you should still not do it. Your vet might provoke a controlled vasovagal response as a method of restraint during an examination or for a quick procedure- but if your vet is doing so then they know what's what. You clearly do not.

 

[Jordan]

Dude, M_surinamensis is right.

He's not acting like a know it all or anything, he knows what he's talking about. Just trsut him.

M_surinamenisis, im not insinuating your a know it all lol, but you do know it all however so technically you are

 

[neur0tix]

Listen bro, i didn't mean she literally goes to sleep... i meant she is relaxed in that position. she never passed out, i would NEVER hold her upside down or not upright. i never put pressure or any kind of force on anything other then lightly rubbing her back in a petting motion........ sorry for confusion heh.

 

[neur0tix]

i need to find out why she won't eat like asap... i put crickets in and she is just bothered by them, mealworms, waxworms, and even her favorite silkworms all same response. they just seem to be bothering her. she hasn't shed in a while either, which worries me

 

[neur0tix]

I put some vegetable oil on her nose like someone said on here and shes been licking it off... she seems to like it too cause normally she tries to spit things out... do you think shes sick?