Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My tang still isn't eating really.

He took a bite out of a mealworm a couple days ago and ate 1 cricket yesterday...

My fourth day with em...

He/she is in their own tank now.

Anything I can do?

It is more normal for a gecko to go two weeks without eating upon first arrival, than it is for them to eat within first week. You have nothing to worry about. Now, if he goes a couple months without eating, then you can start worrying. The little guy is still really stressed. He doesnt know quite what to make of the situation yet, and food is the last thing on his mind right now. He will get hungary soon enough.

I wouldn't think adaption would take as long since I picked him up, he wasn't shipped -_-

your leopard will be fine, from what i read, you've only had him for 4 days, it hasnt even been a week. no matter mailed or bought from a pet store, transportation and the new surroundings can cause a lot of stress. i would give it another week maybe two. the same thing happened to my patternless male i bought about a year ago, he didnt eat for a month, and now he eats like a pig. i would also suggest leaving your gecko alone, ex - dont disrupt the leopard, dont open the cage etc. dont introduce any feed till about a week of leaving it alone. btw is your leopard skinny, ok sized, fat??

Guy on the left is the one not eating, the smaller guy on the right eats decently, and the guy on the top is a pig. Only about a month old.

So I guess he is medium sized

Excuse the poo in the corner lol

Best Advice I can give.

Take out all edible objects (crickets, mealworms) and leave the gecko alone for 2-3 days. Don't look at him. Don't breath near it's cage. Just leave it alone.

Then, after 2-3 days, drop one single appropriate sized cricket in the enclosure. And leave him alone. Go back the next day and try to see if you can see the cricket. If you can't. Add another cricket. So on and so forth until your gecko actually comes out of his hides. When he does that. Add a cricket. If he eats it. Add another. If he eats it. Add another. If he doesn't eat it, leave it in there for 30-45 minutes. If it's still there, take it out. Then the next day, around the same time, do the same thing.

Hope this helps,
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Geckos will someday rule the world!

4.7.2 Leopard Geckos
2.1.0 Chihuahuas
2.1.0 Rottweiler Mix
1.0.0 Siamese Cat
1.0.0 Dwarf Hamsters

Josh
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Well I worry because he is still young, so he doesn't have much fat stored up...

But he won't starve to death in a week. No matter how small he is. And, adaption can take that long. It doesn't matter if he was shipped or not, he's still been moved 3 times now. He needs to just be left alone to acclimate at his own rate. Just wait a few days, then through a cricket or two in there, and leave him alone.
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Geckos will someday rule the world!

4.7.2 Leopard Geckos
2.1.0 Chihuahuas
2.1.0 Rottweiler Mix
1.0.0 Siamese Cat
1.0.0 Dwarf Hamsters

Josh
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Ok thanks I removed all his food like you said, I will try not to bug him for a day or two... Just hard when I am so concerned

I can understand that. But I would never intentionally tell you to do something that would kill your gecko (knock on wood). I've had many geckos that I have obtained not eat. So I'd just leave them alone (cover the sides of the cage with newspaper if need be) for a few days, and they ate like vaccuum cleaners! lol
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Geckos will someday rule the world!

4.7.2 Leopard Geckos
2.1.0 Chihuahuas
2.1.0 Rottweiler Mix
1.0.0 Siamese Cat
1.0.0 Dwarf Hamsters

Josh
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hmm should I do that? Would the TV and lights be making things worse?

I think that if they can't see outside, they get less stressed. So I'd say do it. But it's up to you.
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Geckos will someday rule the world!

4.7.2 Leopard Geckos
2.1.0 Chihuahuas
2.1.0 Rottweiler Mix
1.0.0 Siamese Cat
1.0.0 Dwarf Hamsters

Josh
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Hmm he doesn't see outside, just the room light/tv and stuff. But I notice he is much more active when the lights are out (makes sense since they are nocturnal)

I guess the question is, would it be even worse to move him at this point? I guess I could cover it up somehow

Hmm I just wrapped a robe around the shelf, I can peek into him now, Ill give him a day or two in privacy before I take it off. Just hope it isn't too warm covered up

I meant outside of his tank, lol. But that works. Hope it all works out, and update me.
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Geckos will someday rule the world!

4.7.2 Leopard Geckos
2.1.0 Chihuahuas
2.1.0 Rottweiler Mix
1.0.0 Siamese Cat
1.0.0 Dwarf Hamsters

Josh
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Does shedding mean anything?

yeah, leos lost their appatite before and after shedding... before... just because they do, and after, because they eat their shed skin... i just got a blizzard today, and my friend got a normal, and while his didnt eat today, it is super crazy... almost kamakazi... at the breeder place, he jumped from my friends hands on to the floor, and now whenever he gets held, just brfore you put him back in the tank, he does a nose dive into the substrate... and the substrate is rock!! on a lighter not, my bliz ate 8 mealies an hour after i got her... good luck with yours, and keep me updated
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Matt
My Reps:
1.0.0 Brown (Bahaman) Anole
0.1.0 Green Anole
2.1.0 leopard geckos a Norm, an Abberrant, and my newest... a Blizzard!