skinny leopard gecko!!need help!!

[momok3010]

hye
ive bought adult female leopard gecko last 2weeks on 16th oct until now she refused to eat the mealworm o superworm..shes only eat 2crickets evry 3days...my gecko is real skinny until the tail also like pencil...
the previous owner told me that shes skinny because of the last breeding season..im worried if my gecko is sick...this is my first leopard gecko..
the prob is no specialise reptiles vet in my country...
is it possible if i do force feeding to my leopard gecko...??need help
sory for my broken english

 

[fl_orchidslave]

hye
ive bought adult female leopard gecko last 2weeks on 16th oct until now she refused to eat the mealworm o superworm..shes only eat 2crickets evry 3days...my gecko is real skinny until the tail also like pencil...
the previous owner told me that shes skinny because of the last breeding season..im worried if my gecko is sick...this is my first leopard gecko..
the prob is no specialise reptiles vet in my country...
is it possible if i do force feeding to my leopard gecko...??need help
sory for my broken english

From your post, it sounds like someone took advantage of you and sold a sick animal It doesn't take long for a female to put her weight back on after breeding season. Pencil tail has nothing to do with breeding either. Can you post a photo? At least she's eating.

 

[momok3010]

Thanks for the reply..i guess my gecko is sick since she was so weak from the first day i bought..how to care my sick leopard gecko since in my country dont have reptiles vet..??
From the last previous owner told me that shes healthy thats why i bought..i taught its normal for gecko after breeding..but the thing is the gecko last breed 8 months ago n until now she cant put on weight..

 

[gothra]

Can you post a pic of your gecko? If she is eating (although not much), I wouldn't try force feeding. Force feeding is very stressful to the gecko, sometimes it might do more harm than good.

 

[momok3010]

How to post a pic..?im new here..

 

[Jordan]

when making a reply, click on manage attachments at the bottom.

 

[momok3010]

ive trying to post on attachment but stil canot post a pic...there is any other way to post pic..?
btw now my leopard gecko only want cricket..she refused to eat mealworm..eventou i put mealworm in front of her..she only lick the worm n just go like that..but she like cricket as well..5 to 6 cricket per day...how to make my gecko eat a mealworm again..?any tips...?thanks in advance

 

[Dog Shrink]

It sounds to me more like she's a picky eater rather than sick. If all she had ever been raised on was mostly crickets then that is likely what she'll want. You can try to add a variety of bugs to her diet, super worms, wax worms (sparingly tho, they're really fatty and like gecko candy), phoenix worms, silk worms, horn worms, and even some roaches like dubia. Is she pooping regularly? How does that look? Normal? What is your tank set up like? What is the substrait and how do you heat it? Do you monitor her temperatures in the tank? Sorry for all the questions, just the more information we have the better equipped we can be to help direct you in her proper care needs. Also where are you located hon? Do you have different bug food sources available to you? Can you order from on line to get different feeder bugs?

 

[momok3010]

It sounds to me more like she's a picky eater rather than sick. If all she had ever been raised on was mostly crickets then that is likely what she'll want. You can try to add a variety of bugs to her diet, super worms, wax worms (sparingly tho, they're really fatty and like gecko candy), phoenix worms, silk worms, horn worms, and even some roaches like dubia. Is she pooping regularly? How does that look? Normal? What is your tank set up like? What is the substrait and how do you heat it? Do you monitor her temperatures in the tank? Sorry for all the questions, just the more information we have the better equipped we can be to help direct you in her proper care needs. Also where are you located hon? Do you have different bug food sources available to you? Can you order from on line to get different feeder bugs?

ive try superworm n mealworm already but she refused to eat..now im looking for waxworm..but its hard for me to find waxworm,phoenix worm,silkworm,hornworm and roaches in my country..im from brunei..
shes pooping regularly and looks normal...ive got to hide inside tank dry n cool side n mos hide..im not using UTH bcos 1 of my friend told me in my country no need UTH bcos brunei is equatorial climate which is same weather with afghan pakistan where the gecko come from...for now im using repti carpet for substrate..and my temp inside tank around 26*c to 29*c..i only use light bulb if the temp going down to 24*c..is it ok for my gecko..?i really need ur help...correct me if im wrong..thanks
im worried bcoz shes real thin for me...i need to fatten her up n looks healthy..this is my 1st reptile...

 

[Dog Shrink]

If your tank is only 29 C which would be 84 F then that is TOO cold. They need to be between 90-93 F to have optimum belly heat for digestion. It could be a matter of she's simply too cold. Your friend was wrong. Altho you are equatorial, you are too cold. You want about 33 degrees C for proper hot side temps. You can either use a UTH or a ceramic heat emitter or any other heat bulb that is not a uv bulb to help get your temps up to the right range. After you have your temps right for a couple days I betcha she starts eating again. If her tail isn't pencil thin then she is not starving. Don't over feed just because she doesn't have a HUGE fat sausage tail. The bigger tail will develop as she matures. How old do you think she is anyway?

 

[momok3010]

If your tank is only 29 C which would be 84 F then that is TOO cold. They need to be between 90-93 F to have optimum belly heat for digestion. It could be a matter of she's simply too cold. Your friend was wrong. Altho you are equatorial, you are too cold. You want about 33 degrees C for proper hot side temps. You can either use a UTH or a ceramic heat emitter or any other heat bulb that is not a uv bulb to help get your temps up to the right range. After you have your temps right for a couple days I betcha she starts eating again. If her tail isn't pencil thin then she is not starving. Don't over feed just because she doesn't have a HUGE fat sausage tail. The bigger tail will develop as she matures. How old do you think she is anyway?

owh ok..thats mean my friend wrong..no wonder shes not active even at night...like to hibernate..somemore now in my country is raining season..hopefully after i change the temp shes more active n starts eating again..her tail is real pencil thin..thats why im realy need to fatten her up...i think around 1yer +
how many watt do you think i use...?60w o 80w for the light bulb....?if she start eating super o mealworm im happy already...

 

[momok3010]

If your tank is only 29 C which would be 84 F then that is TOO cold. They need to be between 90-93 F to have optimum belly heat for digestion. It could be a matter of she's simply too cold. Your friend was wrong. Altho you are equatorial, you are too cold. You want about 33 degrees C for proper hot side temps. You can either use a UTH or a ceramic heat emitter or any other heat bulb that is not a uv bulb to help get your temps up to the right range. After you have your temps right for a couple days I betcha she starts eating again. If her tail isn't pencil thin then she is not starving. Don't over feed just because she doesn't have a HUGE fat sausage tail. The bigger tail will develop as she matures. How old do you think she is anyway?

owh ok..thats mean my friend wrong..no wonder shes not active even at night...like to hibernate..somemore now in my country is raining season..hopefully after i change the temp shes more active n starts eating again..her tail is real pencil thin..thats why im realy need to fatten her up...i think around 1yer +
how many watt do you think i use...?60w o 80w for the light bulb....?if she start eating super o mealworm im happy already...

 

[Dog Shrink]

I think a 60 or 75 watt moonlight bulb (the blue ones) should be fine. You don't have to make up that much temp difference and I know the one I keep on my tank adds about 5-7 degrees to the tank. Maybe go with the 75. You can always add a light dimmer to the light fixture if it is getting too hot to bring it down a little bit.

 

[momok3010]

I think a 60 or 75 watt moonlight bulb (the blue ones) should be fine. You don't have to make up that much temp difference and I know the one I keep on my tank adds about 5-7 degrees to the tank. Maybe go with the 75. You can always add a light dimmer to the light fixture if it is getting too hot to bring it down a little bit.

Owh ok thanks so much bro..i will update u soon once my tank temp setup perfectly n she start eating again..

 

[Dog Shrink]

It's sis, and you're welcome. I don't imagine it should take long once you have the temps right to see her start eating again. Maybe a few days or so. Just offer her the food on a regular schedule like you usually do.