Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just received a juvenile leopard gecko yesterday - not sure of the age, but it looks quite young (still striped, skin sort of translucent, probably 3 inches from nose to tail). Quick history: I'm a teacher and wrote a grant for this gecko. Arrived from Carolina Biological via overnight mail. Thus, I don't know much about its age, etc.

Anyway, since arriving it has been mostly sleeping. Not sure about night activity - though I brought this youngster home for the long weekend, so can answer that soon. It has drunk, but doesn't seem to have eaten anything. Has ignored the mealworms (2), and when I took the hiding crickets out of the moss under its hide and chased them his direction, he ignored them. Though didn't like the "tickle" of having them close and moved.

Seemed more alert yesterday. Today seems lethargic and even weak (would barely walk or move when I put near hide, etc.). I'm worried and would like either some reassurance or some suggestions on how to help this new addition to our family adjust, grow and thrive.

What are the temperatures like? Have you got a cage picture?

Give the little guy a few days to settle in, without checking on him to make sure he's okay. Make sure there are some mealworms in a container they can't crawl out of, and put that near the hide s/he's using most.

After the temps/pictures, your concerns can be more easily addressed.
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2.2 Corn Snakes
1.2 Leopard Geckos
1.1 Crested Geckos
1.2 Green Anoles
1.0 Russian Tortoise
3.2 House Cats
0.0.1 African Millipede

RIP
Alice, Bruno, Lars

As I type this I'm in a state of shock and mourning. Our new friend (2 days with us) died today.

I don't have a pic to post, but the set-up was this:
10 gallon tank
reptile carpet
shallow water bowl
shallow food bowl (with 2 gut-loaded mealworms)
tiny bowl of calcium powder
light from above (on during the day)
a rock-shaped (purchased) hide with lots of damp reptile moss underneath
a sterilized (high heat before placing in aquarium) wide piece of bark to climb on/hide under at cool end

Temp was about 80 with the overhead light on. Night temp 70s.

I am heartbroken (and so is my 8 year old) and now afraid to try again. What did I do wrong?? I tend to be a research fiend and thought that I'd set things up perfectly.

looks to me like you had everything ok. did you have a UTH? Could be your leo had some parasites when you got him or high amounts of stress from shipping. Sorry for the loss, don't give up. Also maybee if you do choose to get another try for one that isn't that young. Look for at least a year old or so, so you know it is well established. Just my opinion.

I did have a small size Zoo Med under tank heater on one side. I worried about this and put my hand on that side (pressed against the surface). It was warm, not hot. Because of this little guy's behavior yesterday I unplugged it, just in case. Could this still have been the problem?

I don't think it was anything you did or didn't do. Can you possibly contact the place you got it from and explain the situation to them? Maybe they'll offer to replace it. It HAS only been two days. Just a thought.

Quig
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Don't interupt me when I'm talkin' to myself

I don´t think it was your fault. Theres is no way a healthy leo could die in just two days being taken care the way you did. So my guess is that he was already in a pretty bad shape.
Just a piece of advice: Next time try to leave the leo alone for 2 days so he can settle down and feel confident in his habitat..
I´m really sorry for your loss...
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4.7.0 Leopard Geckos
0.1.0 AFT
0.2.0 Homonota Darwinii (Talus & Gracilis)
0.0.1 Hemidactylus Turcicus
0.0.1 Tarentola Mauritanica (Pickles)
0.1.0 Cham Caliptratus (Clotilde)
1.0.0 Golden Retriever (Cafu)
1.0.0 Black cat (Felipe)
0.0.2 Acanthoscurria Musculosa
0.0.5 Eupalestrus Campestratus
0.0.1 Gramostola Rosea