Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got two sickly leopard geckos about a month ago from a pet store that was shutting down, they were fairly cheap priced so I got them in all hopes that I could nurse them to health. One of them is doing very very well and the other is looking worse and worse every day. I have got them both to eat waxworms and the one that is getting worse continues to eat but not put on any weight. I wish I could get him to eat anything besides waxworms but he doesn't like to move much because of his frail body, which means crickets are out of the option. He also probably could not have mealworms because he doesn't really chew, he just swallows the waxworms whole. I was wondering if there was anything I could do to get some muscle onto his bones so he can eat normally. I have the two young geckos (unsexable) in a fifteen gallon with a 90 degree heat pad on half of the tank. There is a moist hide on the warmer side and another hide on the cool side. I also have many different things along the carpetting to give the geckos some coverage incase they want to wander. If anyone has any ideas that can help me nurse the sick one back to health it would be greatly appreciated! Would spoon feeding a mashed cricket/babyfood/calciumpowder supplement to him help?

I think your best bet would to go to a vet. I hope you find some help!!!

A vet visit would be too much money and there are no specialized vets close enough to me and thats one of the problems, a vet visit is basically out of the question.

I agree with Gecko_Chick, a vet visit is in order. They might have an infection or parasites that can't be controlled or cured without medications.

In the mean time however, i see no reason why they couldn't be fed mealworms. I have a small colony going and the really tiny ones are great as snacks (ok thats the look i got from one of my geckos when i filled her dish with them...."nice snack but wheres dinner" LOL)

Larger mealworms that have just molted are great too. I've never actually seen my guys chew their food, just chomp on it and move it around so they slide down.

Waxworms are great as a once in a while thing but they are addictive and hard to stop once the geckos become accustomed to them. I'd try feeding the mealworms (normal ones not the superworms) and see what happens. Make sure to gutload them well too, that way the geckos will benefit the most from them.

Hope that helps, good luck with them

Red
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Crested Gecko Zeek:1.0
LEOS: Boo: 1.0 normal , Bronx & Nala: 1.1 blizzard,
Lily: 0.1 patternless, Abby: 0.1 albino, Zoe: 0.1 reduced pattern, Dot: 0.1 hypo
Chip: 1.0 papillion (small dog)

One thing you can do without a vet visit is to separate the two leos. Even if you have to use a make-shift cage (a 12 quart sterilite container with air holes will work and is about $2.00 US). Depending on your undertank heater, you may be able to place it so both cages share half of it too. Its ok to have less than half the cage heated, as long as there's plenty of room for them to stretch out over the heat.

That will lower the stress level considerably and hopefully will make enough of a difference to save its life. Keeping him/her hydrated is critical as they need water in order to digest food. Several people here have gotten non-feeders here to eat by nipping the head off of mealworms and squeezing the guts out onto the leos nose. This works if you can get past the "gross out" factor. As Red said, freshly shed mealworms are soft bodied and more appealing to eat. They're a whole lot more nutritious than waxworms, especially as a main diet.

Do add calcium to whatever the leo's eating - the last thing he/she needs (and you too) is to be dealing with a calcium deficiency on top of the other problem(s).

Good luck to you - hang in there. It sounds like the leo is pretty far gone, but if its eating at all for you that's an excellent start.
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Andrea A.

You may spoon or syringe feed turkey baby food, watered down with warm water or pedialyte to your sick one. It will give it nutrition in a very digestible form & it will likely enjoy the taste. What's the stool looking like? I'd suspect parasite infestation if it's eating, but not gaining any weight. Along w/ the baby food, you may want to feed it just Pedialyte or water a few times a day as well, to keep it hydrated.
I do feel the need to add in, however, as a warning to others. NEVER adopt or purchase sick leos if you don't have the means or ability to get them vet care. They are extremely likely to need meds & all your care, time & money will go down the drain if they die because they did not have access to medication.
Best of luck!
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1.3.0 leos, Yoda, Geo, Tang, Ginger
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink Indigo (Indy)
0.1.1 frogs Buffy the Cricket Slayer, Butrose Butrose Froggy
1.1.4 firebelly newts Wayne Newton, Isaac Newton, Fig Newton, Juice Newton, Olivia Newton John & Helmut Newton
1.1.0 cats Gus & Mena