Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i was wondering, i'm supposed to get a UTH tomorrow that i can put on my female albino's tank, i haven't seen her eat since i got her at the last reptile show i think on nov 8. the daytime temp is is around 85, and the night temp can pry get down to the upper 60s or so...is that why she isn't eating? i don't know what to look for if she has parasites and that's the problem. she's pooped twice since i've gotten her (both within the last couple of days), and nothing really looked wrong with the poop, it was just kinda small and looked a little dried out. i've tried crickets and mealworms in a dish, and i don't know if she's eaten anything. any suggestions? should the UTH solve the problem? thanks

-chip

The higher temperatures should help with digesting the food, but the heat may not just be the problem. Are the stools runny or solid? Wet instead of solid stools are usually a sign of some problems or just a bad food source. Also, you should make sure the food is the correct size for the gecko (half the size of the head) otherwise they will not be interested in feeding. Good luck with the problem.

the stools have both been solid and looked pretty normal...i'm feeding her the same mealworms that i'm feeding my young leos and she's larger than them...

-chip

Also, your gecko may not know how to eat from a dish, so try feeding her with some tweezers. One of my leos will not eat from the dish, while the other will. So it all depends on the gecko.

Just a suggestion.
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1.1.0 Leopard Geckos
2.1.0 Chihuahuas
2.1.0 Rottweiler Mix
1.0.0 Siamese Cat
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Josh
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i agree with josh... also, your leo might not know they're in the dish if the sides aren't clear or they haven't seen the feeders in the dish while she was climbing around on top of things. also, be sure you get that UTH. and night temps should be around 76F - 84F instead of the 60s - they're more active at night and need heat to help with digestion both day & night.

[aimEe]
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0.1.0 Albino Leopard Gecko (Marlene)
0.0.2 Fire Bellied Toads (Norman & Forman)
0.2.0 African Dwarf Frogs (Hobo & Bobo)
1.0.0 Fighting Fish (Blue Balls)
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aimee.i8.com

i tried holding food in front of her, both right up to her nose and a little ways away so she could try and stab at them, but all she did was lick them, then turn her head and walk away. i used my fingers tho cuz i only have one pair of tweezers, and those are reserved for picking up poop. thanks for the suggestions...i should be getting that UTH tomorrow...

-chip

I know it sounds silly but have you changed suppliments recently? I have had this response to changing calcium brands on occaison. Not a sure thing but worth mentioning
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Peace!
KofSeattle
Reptile-Like
Here lizard lizard.........

I would stick to the crickets because mealworms are more difficult to get leo's to eat for some reason (for what I have experienced with them anyways). I would dust a few crickets (of appropriate size) and let them wander around in the tank. This way the gecko will not be forced to eat when being watched because sometimes they feel uncomfortable. The few amounts of crickets will help you tell if she is eating on her own or not without tweezer help or anything else. The UTH will help her feel more comfortable in the tank which should also speed up her appetite! Good luck!

When feeding mealworms with your hand - she may be too timid to eat it. That's what mine is like cause she's still relatively new. She would only lick at them until I tried dropping them near her. Then when she sees the movement and is not threatened by the presence of your hand, she should devour them.