Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi there,
I've been a leo gecko owner for years now, but always males. I recently was "given" a male/female pair who have always lived together. They're just over 1 year old and have both grown and gained weight under my care. The female is currently gravid (I see 2 eggs, maybe a 3rd?) and has been digging up her humid hide moss like crazy. She's been off eating for a week or 2 now, but I do see her drinking. She has lost a touch of weight, but still has a decent fat store in her tail. The other night, I noticed her vent is reddish and possibly a little swollen. I also saw her licking it.
Never having a female before, I'm not sure if her vent issue is related to her being gravid? i've read the loss of appetite is, so that I'm not too worried about. Any insight to the vent? If it's not normal, I will obviously take her to the vet. Also, should I be force feeding her at all? She shows no interest in food when offered, and even though she looks ok, I want her to keep her strength up for egg laying.
Thank you in advance for sharing your knowledge!

Additional info I should've put in the first message: substrate is repti carpet, so I doubt impaction is an issue. I haven't noticed any feces changes or problems, but she is housed with her male mate so I can't be 100% sure whose is whose. No bullying that I have witnessed. She's had 2 sheds with me, and both were sucessful & uneventful.

The lack of eating and the licking are all pretty normal signs of a gravid female. Actually the licking is a common sign of sexual activity in males and females. As for the vent, just keep an eye on it. I'll say that if it gets any worse, take her to the vet asap. If it remains about the same then it may just be irritation from mating. I've never had this problem so I'm not 100% sure, but anything helps. Keep offering food and plenty of calcium. Make sure she stays hydrated.
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-Patrick

Thanks Patrick! Good news-she actually laid 2 eggs 2 nights ago! And her vent is back to normal. She's still not eating though. In my research, femals are supposed to be "ravenous" after laying. Not her! She still drinks, but shows zero interest in different worm types. I've takent o crushing some up and dropping a bit on he rnose to lick off, so she gets some nutrients. I'll watch her for a while in hopes she is just recovering. I suspect this may have been her first eggs. If she looses too much more weight, to the vet we go.