Tail Problems.

[Guillotine]

I filled out the questionare from one of the top sticky threads, but to sum up the problem I have a health looking male gecko that Ive been taking care of for 7 years now. When I received him he had dropped and regrown his tail and was around 5 inches or so. His tail has always been on the smallish side but for the past couple weeks its been much smaller than usual and isnt gaining size. I thought of impaction but he is eating like normal and pooping like normal and over all looks no different than when his tail was larger. Im worried about his tail tho. Any ideas of what it could be or what to do to help him gain weight to it? Or is it fine as is??
This is a picture of the gecko in question. His name is Ozzy.

About your leo:
- Sex -male
- Age & Weight - maybe around 10 years uncertain - weight uncertain
- How long have you owned your leo -7 years
- Where was he/she obtained (ex. Pet store, breeder, wild caught, friend) - he was a rescue from a friends sister that acquired him through a student she taught

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo - at least twice a week
- Is your leo acting any different today? If so how does he/she normally act which differs from now. -regular calm curious self
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe. -before I received him he had at some point dropped his tail and already regrown it. He was around 5 or so inches when I got him and I dont know anything of his previous owners care for him or when he was hatched.
B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal) - normal health and regularly added to his pile
- When was the last time he/she went
C) Problem - earlier today
- Please briefly describe the problem and how long it has been going on
- Ive noticed that lately his tail is not gaining any weight or size to it. For the time Ive had him he's always had a smallish tail but it at least had a little size. Now-a-days his tail does not grow tho he eats regularly and he looks healthy in all other aspects.
Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size - 20 gallon tank
- Type (ex. glass tank) -glass tank
- Type of substrate - sand (he has lived on sand substrate with minerals added in the mixture the entire time Ive had him and never once had a problem with impaction)
- Hides, how many, what kind - 3 (1)rock house fully enclose with 2 small opening to get in and out (2) a open ended pvc pipe as a tunnel (3) a slanted ledge made of braced rocks that he can lay underneath
B) Heating
- Heat source -heat lamp when required
- Cage temps (hot side, cool side) - 89 degree hot side, 70 and ranging cool side
- Method of regulating heat source - heat lamp
- What are you using to measure your temps -stick on thermometer
- Do you have any lights (describe) -only room light and natural
C) Cage mates
- How many (males, females) - individually caged but in a tank near another male leopard gecko
- Describe health, or previous problems - active, healthy looking except for his tail, eats and drinks normally, poops normally, however dropped tail and missing toes from previous owner.

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet -consists of live large mealworms, live crickets, frozen pinkies
- What you're feeding (how often, how much) 15 meals worms every other day, 8-10 crickets every other day when I cant acquire meal worms. Pinkies as treats every couple weeks
- How are you feeding (hand fed, left in dish, ect) -crickets are turned loose after light dusting to be hunted, and meal worms are place in a dish. Pinkies are hand fed so they seem to be alive. they will not eat already dead food.
B) Supplements (describe how often)
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands) Zoo Meds Reptivite reptile vitamins without D3. Dusts half the crickets with each feeding
- What are you gut loading food with - Flukers High Calcium Cricket diet for the crickets, and i add a little to the meal worms housing.

 

[sausage]

I can see a problem straight off from the questionnaire.
Leos do not require a heat lamp as the absorb heat through their thin bellies not backs like many other lizards.
Although you may have been using a lamp for years, geckos are the same as any other animal their needs change with age. the older they get the less they can cope with not ideal housing ect as young animals are quite robust.

switch to a UTH and up the temps on the hot side to at least 95 as 89 is a too low.
hopefully your weight loss problem is due to not being able to digest food to the max and that will hopefully solve the issue.

secondly take a waste sample to the vet to check for parasites.