Reptile & Amphibian Forums

sunday i got a new subadult leo. her tail has no fat reserve. I've been soking her in vitamins,electrolyes along with pfizer terramycin. She still hasn't eaten or pooped. besides taking her to the vet what can i do ? What might be her problem? Any help would be a greatly apprecaited. Don't want to loose her. Thank you guys!! Bryan

Its not uncommon for your gecko not to eat for 3-4 days after getting her, when you first recieved her you should have left her alone and not even messed with her. Getting used to her tank and all will take a couple days, moving is very stressful for a gecko, I learned this the hard way... leave her alone for a day or 2 and then if she wont eat anything be worried maybe, My new gecko didnt poop for about a week.

Ok ill try that. I keep u posted

n/p

I've got a few(dumb?) questions -

Why did you buy a gecko with a tail that was so thin?

Why are you soaking her in those things, especially Terramycin (I thought it was for eye infections)?

How many other leos do you have?

How are you keeping her?

There are simply too many variables and noone here can diagnose your problem, or give you any educated idea what may be wrong with so little info.

Leopard geckos can go an awful long time without eating, and trust me, 3-4 days is nothing to really worry about. They often do not eat for up to a week after moving, due to the stress involved as well as adapting to a new environment.
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Rob Jenkins
Have you seen the GeckoCam?
Herptopia Reptiles
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I bought her from my friends pet store. He recieved them this way. only 25.00. Plus cost for him. Plus she's a rain water albino. For your info. terramycin is an antibiotic for many things. Its a powder form. Theres a craem for the eyes. Iown 5 other leos. I have 4 eggs right now. Doin great!!!! I also own many other animals. My new little girl is in a 7x13 critter keeper with a small heat pad on one end wet and dry hide,water dish,calci/food dish and papper towel for sub.

I didn't know terramycin was used for reptiles by soaking them in it; or any soaking like that in medicine/vitamins. What are you treating it for?

As for buying her, I don't understand why people knowingly buy seemingly unhealthy reptiles. I can understand something like a couple missing toes, but a problem that you cannot even identify? Friend's pet shop and halfway decent price or not, I would never do it.

I'm glad you know what you're doing though. It was unclear in your original post. What temp is the ground in the enclosure? Sometimes temperatures can cause a leopard gecko to not eat.

Good luck with your eggs.
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Rob Jenkins
Have you seen the GeckoCam?
Herptopia Reptiles
Email Me

Its 86 degrees. atleast thats what my digital thermometer. I've bred bearded dragons and cornsnakes before. Hopefolly soon a condro (green tree python. I'm not sure if your being serious or not. And i don't know what i'm treating for but it's better safe then sorry. I bought her in hopes of helping her. I do this often for some reason. Idid this with a bearded that was extremly ill (bacterial ifec0 she is doing great now. At the pet store they don't have the time to treat. So its leave it there and poss die or take home and help her to best of my ability. Thats why people do things such as this. Say your mother was going to die, but if we put her on life support she mihgt pull out of it. Lots of money and only a possibility. see my point. I know ones an animal and ones your mother but its the smae sit. In my eyes. I would rather waist a few dollars then just let a living thing die.

I think you should give her a couple days to see if she'll eat and try different food sources. Some geckos don't readily eat mealworms and some don't readily eat crickets, so try a variety.

Below is my opinion. I don't mean to offend anyone.

>>At the pet store they don't have the time to treat. So its leave it there and poss die or take home and help her to best of my ability. Thats why people do things such as this.

Why did you have to pay for it if 1, he's your friend, and 2, it was going to die? All you're doing is encouraging them to keep buying and selling animals like that. You have alleviated them of their problem of having a (possibly) sick animal. It's the same situation as in most PetCo's you're only keeping him in business by buying the animals. There are so many other choices out there.

Don't get me wrong, I understand you want what's best for the animal and I really do hope for the best for it. I thought a long time and debated many times with people about the 'rescue' issue when it comes to leopard geckos and many other pets. I don't believe you're rescuing the animal in most cases if you're purchasing it. In essence, you're rescuing the shop from their responsibilities. If they don't treat sick animals, they're breaking the law. They shouldn't be selling them at all. If people stopped buying sick reptiles from pet shops, they'd stop selling them (unrealistic, I know, but works in theory).

But, you're doing something good for you and the animal, and I commend you for that.

>>Say your mother was going to die, but if we put her on life support she mihgt pull out of it. Lots of money and only a possibility. see my point. I know ones an animal and ones your mother but its the smae sit. In my eyes.

Don't ever compare anyone's mother to an animal. I love leopard geckos, but they are animals. You'll only ever have one mother and once she's gone, she's gone.

One problem with your analogy is that if a human being is sick and needs life support, we'd be getting that at a hospital. You're trying to save the gecko without a veterinarian by treating an unknown 'illness' in your own home and soliciting advice from an Internet forum.

>>I would rather waist a few dollars then just let a living thing die.

You didn't waste the few dollars. In the future, I would consider donating your money to a local reptile rescue or other organization that helps animals. Or support reputable breeders and stores that take good care of their animals and put places like your friend's pet shop out of the live animal selling business.

Please remember, this was only my opinion on the rescue subject, and we know what they say about opinions.

Oh yeah, congrats on the condros - hope it works out.
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Rob Jenkins
Have you seen the GeckoCam?
Herptopia Reptiles
Email Me

Opinion taken. My friends pet store was sent this gecko from a wholesaler. They do there best to take care of animals.If an animal gets sick they take off the show room and put it the back. And your right hopefully she will be fine and will produce me some nice babies.(my money not wasted then). thanks about condros, any interest in them yourself. Nice to chat with someone that will make a good strong piont.