The more you know...

[invaderzimgir]

I recently found out that the leo's I purchased from a co-worker have been alive for years (I previously thought they were only months old) about 3 years to be exact. When I took them into my care, I started feeding them daily, changed their heating arrangement to what is appropriate (they were being kept in much too hot of an environment) and started dusting their food. The female is fine and stays in the warm spot for most of the day and eats regularly. She has almost doubled in size since I got her and her tail is looking great. The male on the other hand spends ALOT of time in the cool hide and seems pretty lethargic. When i go to pick him up he will pick up in speed and scamper across the cage, only when i go to touch or hold him does he increase in his movements. Otherwise he's pretty slow. I have changed their diet to primarily super worms and mealworms. The female seems to love it but the male doesn't each much. I'll feed the female 5-6 supers a day and then she walks off. I'll try to feed the male but he refuses supers. I'll leave about 20 mealies in their dish and half are gone when i come in in the morning so i assume he eats them. It's hard for me to feed crickets as these leo's are stationed in my classroom at the school that i teach in and crickets are loud and a pain in the ass to feed to the gecko's.

I've had custody of these gecko's for about a month now. Maybe it will just take the male a little while longer to adjust to all the major changes? Why did the female adjust so quickly? Could living in one environment for so many years and then switching to another be very harmful? Any input would be appreciated.

my temps are great by the way, so not sure why he's spending so much time under the cool hide.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

That's wayyyyy too many supers for a leopard gecko to eat at one feeding. If they're larges, no more than two a day is sufficient. She will get fat and unhealthy otherwise. All geckos don't like supers, which may be the case for your male. Try a different feeder. If they're housed together, she may eat all the mealworms left for them both, bullying him so he doesn't get any. You might try bringing in just a few crickets in a separate tub to put the male in by himself and see if he takes them. A 15qt is a good size for feeding.

I takes some geckos longer than others to become acclimated to a new environment.

 

[animeavatar]

Leos are nocturnal so I don't think it's really good to keep them in a classroom. Are they in seperate tanks?

 

[invaderzimgir]

Leos are nocturnal so I don't think it's really good to keep them in a classroom. Are they in seperate tanks?

no they are in the same tank. 20 gal long. i can put up a light with a timer if you think that would be good for the day light cycles?

and thanks for the advice on the supers fl_orchidslave, after all my readings I was under the impression they would just eat until they were full and stop eating. Didn't think that was too unhealthy. She is getting large but she was also malnourished when I got her I think. I'll bring in some crickets tomorrow and just feed him after class in a separate container, see if that works.

 

[Russ S]

They likely need to be separated, especially if she isn't allowing him to get on the warm side of the tank. He needs belly heat for proper digestion.

 

[reps4life]

They likely need to be separated, especially if she isn't allowing him to get on the warm side of the tank. He needs belly heat for proper digestion.

I also think it's best to separate them. There is a chance she is the cause of his lack of appetite. If he cannot have access to the warm hide, he will never eat.

 

[hamby92]

hey man not all the crickets chirp the ones they have at petsmart in my area dont

 

[grboxa]

^ i think adult crickets generally cherp, or am i wrong.

 

[reps4life]

hey man not all the crickets chirp the ones they have at petsmart in my area dont

The size that petsmart sells are not full grown and that is why they don't chirp.

 

[invaderzimgir]

placing him in his own cage tomorrow after school. hopefully this will fix a lot of the problems. thanks for the input. much appreciated.

 

[reps4life]

placing him in his own cage tomorrow after school. hopefully this will fix a lot of the problems. thanks for the input. much appreciated.

Is it a must to keep them in a classroom? That can be quite stressful and there is no one to monitor temperatures or keep an eye to notice any aggressive behavior.

 

[invaderzimgir]

Is it a must to keep them in a classroom? That can be quite stressful and there is no one to monitor temperatures or keep an eye to notice any aggressive behavior.

i'd really love to keep at least one in the classroom. i bring in a digital thermometer every day and temps are consistently 88-93 on the warm side. She eats well and doesnt seem to have a problem being in the classroom. Him on the other hand has issues either with her, or living in that environment. like i said i'm taking him home tomorrow, so that should help his situation a lot.

 

[reps4life]

Well that's good. At least you are taking him home. Hopefully it's due to stress and not illness.

 

[invaderzimgir]

Well that's good. At least you are taking him home. Hopefully it's due to stress and not illness.

agreed! he'll be much happier in his own cage

 

[reps4life]

Yes, hope he starts eating soon

 

[fl_orchidslave]

As long as the geckos' needs are met, they make fine classroom pets. Some geckos don't do well living with another. If the female is hogging all the heat and food, the male will decline so they should be separated. There may be things going on during their more actve times (dusk and dawn) that isn't seen by anyone, aggression. One of my girls cannot live with another female but does fine with a male. Another of my girls nearly bit off a nose when I tried to introduce her to a potential female cagemate within 20 minutes. She lives alone. It just doesn't always work out. Since classrooms are well lit and have windows, it isn't necessary at all to provide additional lighting for day cycles. Most geckos will stop eating at a reasonable amount but some are downright piggies. I have a couple of those too, and they would love to have way more food than is good for them. They beg with their eyes

 

[hamby92]

The size that petsmart sells are not full grown and that is why they don't chirp.

that i didnt know lol but my gecko eats them faster than they can grow. I hate the ones that chirp i got some from petco and i ended up dumping them outside cause they were so loud

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Please don't release the feeders outside!!!! Kill them off if you don't want to use them.

 

[invaderzimgir]

As long as the geckos' needs are met, they make fine classroom pets. Some geckos don't do well living with another. If the female is hogging all the heat and food, the male will decline so they should be separated. There may be things going on during their more actve times (dusk and dawn) that isn't seen by anyone, aggression. One of my girls cannot live with another female but does fine with a male. Another of my girls nearly bit off a nose when I tried to introduce her to a potential female cagemate within 20 minutes. She lives alone. It just doesn't always work out. Since classrooms are well lit and have windows, it isn't necessary at all to provide additional lighting for day cycles. Most geckos will stop eating at a reasonable amount but some are downright piggies. I have a couple of those too, and they would love to have way more food than is good for them. They beg with their eyes

Couldn't be more true.