awholeasszoo
New Member
- Messages
- 15
My leopard gecko is over 14 years old. I've had him for just over a year now.
He's always been a good eater, loves his morio worms. The past month or 2 he hasn't been eating much if at all, maybe taking 1 morio a week. I've offered other healthier bugs but he's refused them. He's also shed 2 or 3 times in unusually quick succession. I put the lack of appetite down to his sheds as I know he's never been keen on food around his shedding, and he eats the skin which takes up space in his stomach.
I hadn't initially been too worried as his tail looked a good size. However, I've noticed he's getting skinnier in his body, spine showing a bit, but his tail size is the same. If I remember correctly it was a similar thing when I first brought him home but he gained weight back after eating well for a while, so I hadn't thought anything of it. I'm now worried that there's something else wrong. I don't get paid for another week and a half but as soon as I get the money I'm taking him to the vet.
Until then I desperately want him to eat something, but I've no clue how to get him to eat, he's even refused wax worms, just closes his eyes and turns away. Is my best bet force feeding him? What's the best way to do that? Is this a thing that happens with older geckos? My other gecko is younger and she always loses weight in her tail before her body.
When I adopted him from a family friend, I'd thought it would be a short time of keeping him comfortable, but he'd gotten so much stronger and I thought I'd still have a whole left with him, but if this turns out to be something bad then there won't be another choice. I just want to do everything I can to help him.
Main points:
• vet appointment as soon as I get paid
• should I try force feeding or would it be too stressful?
• is muscle wastage as opposed to fat loss (i.e. from the tail) indicative of any commonly known illness for leos?
He's always been a good eater, loves his morio worms. The past month or 2 he hasn't been eating much if at all, maybe taking 1 morio a week. I've offered other healthier bugs but he's refused them. He's also shed 2 or 3 times in unusually quick succession. I put the lack of appetite down to his sheds as I know he's never been keen on food around his shedding, and he eats the skin which takes up space in his stomach.
I hadn't initially been too worried as his tail looked a good size. However, I've noticed he's getting skinnier in his body, spine showing a bit, but his tail size is the same. If I remember correctly it was a similar thing when I first brought him home but he gained weight back after eating well for a while, so I hadn't thought anything of it. I'm now worried that there's something else wrong. I don't get paid for another week and a half but as soon as I get the money I'm taking him to the vet.
Until then I desperately want him to eat something, but I've no clue how to get him to eat, he's even refused wax worms, just closes his eyes and turns away. Is my best bet force feeding him? What's the best way to do that? Is this a thing that happens with older geckos? My other gecko is younger and she always loses weight in her tail before her body.
When I adopted him from a family friend, I'd thought it would be a short time of keeping him comfortable, but he'd gotten so much stronger and I thought I'd still have a whole left with him, but if this turns out to be something bad then there won't be another choice. I just want to do everything I can to help him.
Main points:
• vet appointment as soon as I get paid
• should I try force feeding or would it be too stressful?
• is muscle wastage as opposed to fat loss (i.e. from the tail) indicative of any commonly known illness for leos?
