Skitish Eaters

[Californiaman]

Here's a question about our two new Geckos:
Is it usual for our new Geckos to not eat very much during the first week of being introduced to their new environment (our family)?
They're both over 50 grams and female. Both were born in 2005.
We're feeding them mealworms that have been put in a container with some bran flakes with a couple pieces of mango and a small thin orange slice (mostly for the vitamin content and to keep the bran a bit moist).
It seems to me that they prefer the confines of their hide more than any other part of the terrarium. Temperatures in the hide range from 75-85 degrees (maybe it's too big of a hide for them).
Both are healthy. Both have crapped twice in the four days that we've had them.
How many times a week can I expet to feed them and they actually eat?
It seems they are still very shy and preferr that I drop a couple of mealy-morsals right infront of their nose before they chow down.
Is this typical behavior?
Sorry I don't have any pictures yet. I'll be working that out in the next few days and I'll be sure to post a few of Dot and Jiggles soon as time allows.
If you do want to see a picture go to herptopia.com. The Jungle Albino is originally from Marcia at Golden Gate Geckos and the High Yellow with all of the dots on her is from Rob at Herptopia.
Anyway, I look forward to your replies.
Todd

 

[sportbike_rob]

do you have an under tank heating system? proper temps should be around 90 for the warm spot and 77-80 on the cool side.

 

[Californiaman]

UTH

Yeah,
we have one of the Zoo Med UTHs. It's working quite well. The temperature range fluxuates depending on the time of day, but yeah sometimes it pegs out at 90. It just depends on where the Geckos are at over the pad.
The UTH is a 15-20 gal UTH. The hide I created is directly over it.
I used Arizona flagstone of verying thicknesses (1/4 to 3/8 of an inch) to create the bottom of the hide. It's like a flagstone patio if you're familiar with that. In between the peices of flagstone I used very fine Repti-Sand. That way heat escapes over the sandy areas between the flagstone (it's really like groute) and because of the verying thicknesses of the flagstone, different temeprature ranges are created inside the hide. Right now, depending on where I put the thermometer at this very moment I'm getting anywhere between 81-91.5 degrees. And the Geckos move around inside the hide to a temperature that suits them.
To tell you the truth... the girls are probably just a little stressed out being in a natural terrarium verses a plastic sweater box. They both seem very comfortable inside the hide though.

 

[sportbike_rob]

Yeah,
we have one of the Zoo Med UTHs. It's working quite well. The temperature range fluxuates depending on the time of day, but yeah sometimes it pegs out at 90. It just depends on where the Geckos are at over the pad.
The UTH is a 15-20 gal UTH. The hide I created is directly over it.
I used Arizona flagstone of verying thicknesses (1/4 to 3/8 of an inch) to create the bottom of the hide. It's like a flagstone patio if you're familiar with that. In between the peices of flagstone I used very fine Repti-Sand. That way heat escapes over the sandy areas between the flagstone (it's really like groute) and because of the verying thicknesses of the flagstone, different temeprature ranges are created inside the hide. Right now, depending on where I put the thermometer at this very moment I'm getting anywhere between 81-91.5 degrees. And the Geckos move around inside the hide to a temperature that suits them.
To tell you the truth... the girls are probably just a little stressed out being in a natural terrarium verses a plastic sweater box. They both seem very comfortable inside the hide though.

my fat tail took three weeks before he was eating after i got him, then he was very finicky and wouldnt move around much and wouldnt come out of his hide very much at all, and rarely ate, basically the same symptoms as your leo. i then added a third hide and some fake plants, and ever since he has been all over the place and eating normally. i think that they just get shy, and this stresses them out. if you feel you have enough hides and plants try this: i forget who suggested (i think it was stitch?) it but on another section from here, someone said about covering the four sides of the tank with cardboard, and take one side off each week. seems like a very good suggestion.