Should I be concerned?

[Airilith]

I have four clutches of hatchlings at the moment. The last three pairs have been gaining weight, while the first has not.

The first clutch hatched on 4/14 and weigh 3-4g. My last clutch was born last week (6/4) and weigh 3-4g. The middle clutches are between 6-8g. The fact that my first and last cluches weigh the same concerns me. Should it? Could they just be slow growers?

The only difference between how I raised the clutches is that the first babies were seperate, and the other three were two babies to a tank. When I noticed that they weren't gaining weight I put them together in the hopes that natural competion would stimulate their appetites. I also tried feeding them slurry. Neither method produced weight gain.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[acpart]

It doesn't sound good if they're weighing 3-4 grams after 2 months. I posted on another thread that when I had a baby similarly not gaining I would hand feed by holding it and pressing a mealworm against its mouth. If it still won't take one, you could try squishing a mealworm and rubbing the guts (sorry) against its mouth. Good luck.

Aliza

 

[shadowx362]

I think if you have a clutchmate it sometimes helps because if one figures out were the food is the other one will learn and so they will eat. I also think if you help feed them like hand feed they grow slower because they never really learn to eat whenever they are hungry just when they are fed. I did this for my first group of babies and they grew as slow as I fed them and the ones that learned by themselves they got bigger faster.

 

[Airilith]

I can't believe I hadn't tried this sooner. I read somewhere that force feeding was a bad idea with hatchlings. I just gently held (well as gently as you can with a wiggly hatchling) them still and got them to each eat 3 mealie just by letting them feeling the mealie legs on their noses.

Thank you so much Aliza. How many mealie should I be trying to get them to eat a day? And should I try everyday or every other?

Thank you again!

 

[acpart]

I would feed them every day at that size. I'd estimate 3-5 mealworms each feeding, fewer if they seem uninterested. I also recommend once they get the idea trying to hand feed them with them in their enclosure, dropping a mealworm in front of them and once they get that, dropping the mealworm into the dish when you get their attention. I agree that hand feeding can set up a bad precedent, but I do use it when just letting them eat on their own doesn't work. I also think force feeding where you're forcibly opening the gecko's mouth is dangerous. I call this "assisted feeding" where I'm not forcing, just encouraging. If the gecko starts struggling I let it go and then pick it up again and try. It becomes clear pretty soon which geckos just aren't going to tolerate this and then I stop.

Aliza

 

[Airilith]

Edgar I am worried about slowing their growth due to hand feeding them. But right now they're not growing anyway.

Aliza thank you so much. I will start feeding them in their enclosure in the next day or two. And I definitely did not force their jaws open. After they figured out that they could eat the mealie they did. I just had to hold them still so that they would stop trying to escape from the tupperware I had them in (one at a time).

I only fed three tonight. But I'll try for five tomorrow, as long as they're game.

Should I supplement feedings with slurry? Or are mealies alone okay as long as they continue to eat daily?

Thank you again!

 

[Ccrashca069]

Since they are now eating no slurry. I feed them at first about 5-7 mealworms each a day or whatever they will eat. After a month I feed them 12 mealworms a day. Good luck with them.

 

[Airilith]

Thanks John. I'll up the amount in a week or two. Assuming I have enough mealies.

 

[Airilith]

Last night I got my two little ones to eat 10 small mealies each while they were in their tank. I didn't even have to hold them still. Tonight's goal will be trying to get them to eat out of the bowl. Or at least be fed in the bowl, so that they associate it with food.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[Michelle]

You're a good Mommy!