Won't eat?

[KiratheGecko]

I had gone away from home for three days, leaving my parents in charge of my leopard gecko. On the second day my mom called and said Kira (My gecko) wasn't eating, but acted interested in the food. She said that Kira would nip at the meal worms and nudge them with her nose, but didn't actually eat it. I've been back a while and gave her a fresh meal worm last night, but she still hasn't eaten. Kira also hasn't seemed to loose weight.

We had gotten some new Sphagnum Moss which was different from her original kind, and we think this might have made her stressed. Hopefully that's the case, but it has small strands which I'm worried she could have eaten. She has been pooping though, so I don't think her digestion is blocked.

The flooring of her cage is a Reptile carpet, so she couldn't have eaten sand.
Please help!

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Hard to tell from your photo but, is she full grown? If so, maybe ovulating, which will affect her appetite. Many adult geckos only eat every other day. It's really nothing to worry about if they don't eat for a few days.

 

[KiratheGecko]

I think she is about full grown, but mom showed me some pics a while ago that showed Kira was overweight, so I feed her every other day usually. But it's almost been a week! I did manage to get her to eat a meal worm though last night, but I'm still a bit worried about her. When she tries to pick up a meal worm, sometimes she drops it. I think she might have a problem with her teeth or jaw, making it hard for her to hold onto a meal worm? I'm not sure if that's possible though.

 

[Mel&Keith]

Leopard geckos can get mouth rot so it is a possibility. To check for ovulation (which is a most common reason females go off food), bend her back a little to get a good look at her belly. If you can see a pink spot in the middle (like a pencil eraser) then she's ovulating. If you think it's her mouth see if you can get a better look and see if there are any swollen or dark spots that could indicate an infection.

 

[KiratheGecko]

I had to go away because I was on vacation, but my friend was taking care of Kira for me. I had checked her belly and there was no pink spot, and her mouth does not look rotted. I just got back though, so I don't know if she still isn't eating as much. I do have a new problem though: One of her eyes are cloudy, what should I do? :main_huh:

 

[acpart]

Rinse her eye with clean, warm water. If the cloudiness persists, she may have an infection, needs an antibiotic and has to go to the vet to get properly diagnosed and receive the correct treatment.

Aliza

 

[KiratheGecko]

Thanks for the help, any tips on how to get her to stay still while I wash her eye? And how to do that? Kira is not a fan of staying still for health reasons.

 

[lizardfreak]

Gentle restraint is the best way to do it. You don't want to hurt her but be firm if she is squirmy.

 

[Mel&Keith]

A syringe works best for flushing the eye out. You should be able to get them at any pet supply store. You can also use a bottle of saline solution. Holding them is the tricky part. I usually hold them in one hand with my palm facing up and my thumb on top of their head if that makes sense.

 

[KiratheGecko]

Those sound like a great ideas, thanks everyone!
She always closes her eye, how should I get her to open it without hurting her?

 

[geckoboy11]

what if ur gecko doesent eat for a week or two but hasent lost any weight

 

[acpart]

what if ur gecko doesent eat for a week or two but hasent lost any weight

Sometimes they may go on brief hunger strikes. If the gecko is keeping its weight up and seems to be as active as usual, it shouldn't be a problem. I've had geckos not really eat for a few months and be OK.

Aliza

 

[Tanleo]

what if ur gecko doesent eat for a week or two but hasent lost any weight

They can last pretty long without food and sometimes try new feeders? Just to have some variety. :main_laugh: