Reptile & Amphibian Forums

how long should it take to get a fat tail on my gecko? it is eating well i think. it varies. i have recently switched to meal worms and it is eating about 12 or so a day. it is 5 to 6 inches long and the tail seems very thin. if this is something that takes a while to build back up thats fine but i would like a little insight.
thanks
-T

it can take awhile to fatten up the tail. Just feed your leo as much as it will eat, and you should start seeing improvement in a week or two. I offer food to my rescues twice a day, in hopes that they'll eat more. I usually give a waxie a day to the really thin ones as well, but the fatter geckos only get them once or twice a month.

johan santana

How old is it/ how long have you had it? The more info you give the better we can help!

Looks like its tail is VERY skinny, I would suggest offering some waxworms in addition to all it can eat. Does it enjoy crickets? Everything is gutloaded and dusted, yes?

What is that substrate? That bothers me as it looks like the pieces are small enough to get caught and ingested with prey items or even when shedding. Is it possible it has eaten some? That could be a huge problem. Switch to paper towels, at least temporarily, to monitor its poop. Then you can consider other options, but we only use PTs.

If you have had the gecko for at least a month and it hasn't put on any weight or even lost some then a trip to the vet to check for parasites is in order. Typically, that is usually the problem. Think about it this way: if the gecko is eating a lot of food but not putting on weight, that food is going somewhere and most likely feeding something else inside the poor thing.

Are you in MN (guessed from the name)? I can suggest an excellent vet clinic I know of there.
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0.1 Albino Leo Gecko
0.1 Crested Gecko
1.0 Dear Boyfriend
Departed: Harvey and Spock

DUMB QUESTION OFF THE TOPIC...

How did you know slimforte was from MN? The only reason why I ask is because I am from MN. Even so, can you still provide the vet that does a good job with geckos? I just got my first one last weekend. Hope I don't need one any time soon, but would appreciate the reference.

About the tail. Again, I am brand new to the Gecko world and have a lot ot learn but is there at all a possiblity that this gecko at one time lost its tail and this is the regrowth?

Well, the name above the pic is a member of the Twins baseball team, if I am not mistaken, and given all the hype lately, I couldn't help but notice.

After several poor trips to bad vets, we found Southview Animal Hospital in Inver Grove Heights, MN. They are amazing there, there is a female reptile specialist who we knew was the right one just the way she picked up our gecko.

BTW: The tail is not a regen, once you see a regen you can always tell, they are rounded and smooth without the bumps and scale patterns a normal tail has. Very sad looking.

Hope you never need this information!
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0.1 Albino Leo Gecko
0.1 Crested Gecko
1.0 Dear Boyfriend
Departed: Harvey and Spock

i am from MN origionally but i now live in denver. it is about 3 weeks since i got it. he is pooping pretty regular so i don't think it is impaction. he is a fussy eater. there are crickets in his cage that he won't touch but eats mealworms by the bowl. also i just started giving waxworms 2 days ago. do you think one a day is fine till i fatten him up?
this pic was taken today.

i am using lizard litter for the substrate right now but do plan on switching to PT's or carpet possibly tomorrow. i just need to get some type of regulator for the uth

giving a couple of wax worms a day to help add some fat won't hurt any but on the whole is he gettin fat fast enough thing, has it gotten more body or tail weight since you took it in? some just bounce back faster. if its gaining weight on a fairly regular basis i dont see any problems with whats goin on with the gecko. if no extra weight is being gained there could be something else wrong with it besides being under nourished as mentioned in a previous reply.

All you need to do is feed him mealworms and he will fatten up in a month or so.Waxworms are not a good food for leos,the waxs have to much fat in them.If you want give me a call 612.802.3980 i like to help but hate to type.
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Jodi L Aherns
612.802.3980
www.groundgeckofreak.com

Waxmorms do the trick when getting your gecko back up to weight though. If you do not offer them all the time, every now and then will do wonders.