Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently purchased my first Crestie. Unfortunately, he had to be shipped all the way from Washington state to Florida to get here, so I know he went through some considerable stress... But it's been over two weeks now and he's still not eating!

I've offered Repashy crested gecko diet, pureed fruit, babyfood, and all kinds of in between mixtures, but when I check his food dish in the morning it always looks like it hasn't been touched. I've offered crickets too, he could care less about them! they just crawl around the cage for days. All I can do is smear food on his nose so he has to lick it off, but more often then not he turns away and refuses to let me.

I'm getting really worried because he's looking lethargic and getting thin... what do I do?? Please help!

Well, I'm going to assume you haven't been harassing the gecko everyday and gave it some time to settle in as well. Also with CGD it usually looks like babies hardly eat, but then you mentioned it ignores the crickets and is getting thinner. You've done everything you're supposed to try. Assuming correct living conditions and proper temps, it is time to contact the breeder.

The breeder can tell you what the gecko was originally raised on for you to try, and should have told you this at time of sale so you can transition slowly to your food type.

At this stage however, it seems that the breeder may not have sent you a viable animal or not properly packed or something in transit. You'll have to work it out between the two of you which end was the problem, but it may involve a new animal.
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0.1 Albino Leo Gecko
0.1 Crested Gecko
1.0 Dear Boyfriend
Departed: Harvey and Spock

I only tried to handle him once since he's been here, and that was to check him out to make sure something wasn't physically wrong. However, I have been periodically adding more leaves and branches to his tank to make more cover... do you think the commotion might have bothered him?

Also, you're right, and I have contacted the breeder. Apparently she had him on a mixed up diet of babyfood, supplements and Clarks Diet. I think that might be the problem since I'm using Repashy, and I'm going to try and get the ingredients to make the mix tonight...

Hopefully things will turn up, he looked really healthy and alert when he got here, and didn't seem to be poorly shipped. I'm beginning to think it was the huge temperature flux from Washington to Florida that screwed him up ):

Well, sounds like you are doing everything you can and everything right. I agree, stop adding things for a while and try the diet the breeder suggested.

I guess all I can say is that is one weird combo diet that breeder uses, but that is my opinion.

(Oh, and insulated properly, the shipment stress shouldn't have been too bad, however I question the breeder shipping in Washington in the winter during the holiday rush. Many breeders in the north will not ship below a certain temperature even with hot packs and almost all of them won't ship December because there are always delays due to all the gifts also in the mail.)

Good luck, but I might suggest a different breeder next time, some of their activities seem a bit suspicious to me, but then, I'm the super cautious type. You and your gecko hang in there, those little guys can have a good fighting spirit and bounce right back. Best wishes, keep us updated.
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0.1 Albino Leo Gecko
0.1 Crested Gecko
1.0 Dear Boyfriend
Departed: Harvey and Spock