Sub-adult female won't eat

Phil

New Member
Messages
97
Location
Montréal
- Sex || female
- Age & Weight || 10-11 months 49g
- How long have you owned your leo || 5 months
- Where was he/she obtained (ex. Pet store, breeder, wild caught, friend) || TUG breeder.

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo || Once every 1-2 week
- Is your leo acting any different today? If so how does he/she normally act which differs from now. || N/A
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe. || N/A
B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal) || Last time they were normal
- When was the last time he/she went || 14 days ago
C) Problem
- Please briefly descrive the problem and how long it has been going on || Gecko won't eat anymore. She was with another juvi female, the other one was pretty dominant. She was eating less and less and I took too long before separating them. Now she won't eat a thing. I've separe them 3 days ago. She is now in a luxury 40g for her alone. Should I wait couple of days before trying to feed her? Maybe she's still stress out from my other female.

Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size || 24x12 to 36x18
- Type (ex. glass tank) || Glass
- Type of substrate || Tiles
- Hides, how many, what kind || 1 hot, 1 humid, 1 cold.
B) Heating
- Heat source || Heat Lamp
- Cage temps (hot side, cool side) || 96f/80f
- Method of regulating heat source || N/A
- What are you using to measure your temps || Digital thermometer with probe
- Do you have any lights (describe) || 75w
C) Cage mates
- How many (males, females) || Not anymore
- Describe health, or previous problems || N/A

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding (how often, how much) || Crickets 2-3 times a week, 1-2 pinkies/month and I introduce mealworm pretty soon in the diet.
- How are you feeding (hand fed, left in dish, ect) || I put the crickets in the tank.
B) Supplements (describe how often)
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands) || I was leaving a cup of Exo-terra calcium with d3, I've read that d3 isnt good on a regular base so today I've bought one exo terra calcium without d3.
- What are you gut loading food with || cat food and t-rex calcium plus


She lost a little bit of weight, not much.. she still as is fatty tail.. I'm just a bit piss at myself that I didn't separed my 2 female faster.. Is it a good idea to force feed her? Introducing a cricket or a mealworm in her mouth? Thanks for any advices.
 

ajveachster

New Member
Messages
1,185
Location
NE Ohio
It might be stress from being bullied. She may not start eating again right after being moved into a new tank either, so I would give her a week to settle in. If she is 10-11 months and 49g I wouldn't be surprised if she is ovulating, and therefore on a hunger strike.
 

Phil

New Member
Messages
97
Location
Montréal
Ok thanks I appreciate.. Would u try to feed her or just wait a couple of days before trying again?
 

fl_orchidslave

New Member
Messages
4,074
Location
St. Augustine, FL
Let her get settled into her new place for a few more days. It would be good to leave a bowl of mealworms in case she decides she is hungry. Don't bother her. Most of my females have gone off food this time of year, eating about once a week. Adults don't eat as much anyway. It's mating season and instinct takes over. Your girl is still healthy, has good fat reserve, she will be fine. A UTH would be better for her that a heat light, they need belly heat for digestion, which helps with their appetite. NO force feeding!
 

Phil

New Member
Messages
97
Location
Montréal
Ok perfect thanks! =) To be honnest I'm not a big believer in uth.. for now..! In nature the sun comes from the top, not from the ground.. pretty much the same with a heat lamp. You just need the right temp in the hot hide and everything should be fine IMO..
 

Phil

New Member
Messages
97
Location
Montréal
A rock without a sun won't stay hot very long. Same as the sand or whatever substrate. In the wild if the gecko want a hotter belly heat he will go out of is hide and bask couple minutes then go back in. During night time I doubt the ground temp is at 95f. Well.. if I miss something here tell me..!
 

shootingstar26

New Member
Messages
16
Location
FL
A rock without a sun won't stay hot very long. Same as the sand or whatever substrate. In the wild if the gecko want a hotter belly heat he will go out of is hide and bask couple minutes then go back in. During night time I doubt the ground temp is at 95f. Well.. if I miss something here tell me..!

I always remember the picture they used in school to illustrate conduction vs. convection...
http://media-1.web.britannica.com/eb-media/40/6540-004-507B7D2B.gif

Or, think about walking barefoot on asphalt at night-- it's still warm. That's why a lot of snakes get hit on country roads at night-- they're stretched out on the blacktop to absorb heat.
 

Phil

New Member
Messages
97
Location
Montréal
im faster.. I saw a couples of your post lately and u seem to be really a pain in the ass.. U can avoid this conversation. I never said that I want stoburn with my idea, I can be wrong and maybe am I.

Thanks shootingstar for your anwser you made a good point. ;)
 

fl_orchidslave

New Member
Messages
4,074
Location
St. Augustine, FL
Ok perfect thanks! =) To be honnest I'm not a big believer in uth.. for now..! In nature the sun comes from the top, not from the ground.. pretty much the same with a heat lamp. You just need the right temp in the hot hide and everything should be fine IMO..


In captivity, we do everything possible to make conditions optimal for our animals. It has been said over and over for decades that surface temp is what leopard geckos depend on to thrive. How you achieve that is your business. Experienced keepers can do things that new keepers cannot, simply because they understand the gecko in and out and immediately recognize what is a problem and what is not.

On cloudy days the sun does not come out at all :)
 

Phil

New Member
Messages
97
Location
Montréal
Little update.. 2 days after I've bought the uth for the 40g my female started to eat again (2x 5-6 mealworms). She seem more active during the last 3-4 days..! I saw a poop today which is a pretty good sign. I'll feed her crickets tomorrow.. can't wait to see if she's gonna chase them!

Phil
 

Phil

New Member
Messages
97
Location
Montréal
Update.. She still has problem eating and now shedding.. I'm pretty sure it's ovulation issue. I've readed that it was the best time to introduce her to a male and it could resolve the problem.. that's what I did 5 mins ago. It was an succes right of the bat. They matted right away and 2 mins after it was done..! My other female start to not eating well also.. I'll introduce her to the male soon.

Phil
 

Visit our friends

Top