Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.

Click here for Dragon Serpents
Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You

How does this look?

stephh1 May 05, 2004 04:51 PM

I redid my gecko's house. Does the mealworm bowl in the back still look too big? We cut off a good 1/2 an inch in height today to lower it a bit. Plus we put the little rock in front to give him a little step stool, make it easier to get to the worms. It may not look like it from the pics, but it is actually only a tad bit taller than the water dish.

His new spot seems to be behind/next to the humid hide. The leaves we hot glued to his hide (no he can't get to the glue) give off shade that he seems to enjoy.

I think I am more stressed about his lack of interest in food than he is. Of course finding out that Petsmart lost their supply of geckos due to liver disease around the same time I got him doesn't help. He doesn't have a dark tummy or anything but I will sure be glad to see him eating worms again.

Steph

Replies (6)

ericchen May 05, 2004 08:40 PM

then it should be fine...my mealies are in petri dishes and they are like 3.5 inches wide...
-----
"you won't know success if you haven't failed..."-eric chen
1.1.1 Hi-Yellow Leopard Geckoes
0.0.2 Blizzards
0.1.0 Western (Plains) Hognose Snake
0.1 Boxer Dog

stephh1 May 05, 2004 08:51 PM

It is, it is calcium & mealworms. My purple ceramic bowls came today and I put some mealworms in to see if they can crawl out, they can't. The dishes are also a little lower than the plastic bowl. So I'm going to leave both in overnight and see if he'll eat out of one of them. If he hasn't eaten by friday I'm seriously considering taking him to the vet just to be safe. He has eaten mealworms from me before so I know he'll eat them, but this hunger strike is starting to bother me.

Steph

ericchen May 05, 2004 09:33 PM

i find that providing a seperate dish with calcium powder and then have the mealies in a dish with like 2 thin slices of carrot works the best because mealies are always eating the carrots so i know they retain nutrtion even if they aren't eaten and makes them squirm as they eat also i find that calcium powder makes the mealworms die fast and not move...so it doesn't stimulates the geckos...also one of my geckos never eat out of a solid colored dish but will eat out of petri dishes since their clear...and lower...atleast thats why i think it only eats out of petri dishes...good luck!
-----
"you won't know success if you haven't failed..."-eric chen
1.1.1 Hi-Yellow Leopard Geckoes
0.0.2 Blizzards
0.1.0 Western (Plains) Hognose Snake
0.1 Boxer Dog

stephh1 May 05, 2004 10:17 PM

Well I now have enough dishes to offer mealworms, water, and calcium separately without a problem. The mealworms are given carrot shavings which they devour.

I bought the gecko on April 21st. The lady at petsmart said he is a juvenille and about 4 months old at the time. When I brought him home he was originally on sand, that has been changed to paper towels. We started feeding him crickets and mealworms which he originally ate great. Then about a week ago his appetite dropped. He was still eating, just not as much. Then he just seemed to lose interest in the food. About 3 dayas ago I noticed he was shedding on top of his head. I haven't noticed any shedding since.

Over the weekend I started making some phone calls to get some ideas on getting him to eat again. I was informed that at the same time I bought my gecko, Petsmart lost their supply of geckos (giants excluded) to liver disease. Today is also the end of the 14 day warranty, this doesn't bother me, I don't want a replacement, just want the little guy I have become attached to eating and healthy. The petstore woman warned of a dark spot on the belly, his is fine.

The temps in the cage are fine, he has cool and warm sides, dry and humid hides, everything I can think of. I have racked my brain trying to provide the best environment I can. This makes me wonder if it is something I have done or if it is a health issue that might have started at the petstore. I'll watch him closely tonight and if nothing has changed will make a decision as to whether he goes to the vet for a check-up tomorrow or Friday.

Steph

ericchen May 06, 2004 07:30 PM

well...although i think that u probably won't get a replacement thats any better...since MOST petcos and petsmarts aren't too keen on their reptiles...*only SOME petcos and petsmarts..i have seen good ones*....but the fact is they HAVE to put their animals on sand because they sell it...they don't want people questioning them why they aren't using products they sell.....i think i told u the zen thing already...if his tails decently sized...the zen feeding method should work...or u could try commercial appetite thingies like jumpstart by ESU or REptiAid...i personally think that hes just stressed...i would personally use the Zen feeding method...works like this (idea copied from powergecko's zen feeding method):

1. leave gecko alone with only water and hides for 3 days...don't check on it...don't feed it...NOTHING....make sure its tank is free from constant change in light, temps etc...so not in a living room...i use my storage room...works well cuz hardly any people go in and usually the light is off with just enough light to see...
2. at the end of Day 3 or on Day 4...put in a dish of the squirmiest juiciest mealies or 6 of the most appetizing crickets in his/her tank...
3. leave the gecko alone with only the water hides and crickets for 30 hours....so about 1 and 1/2 days...i would preferably do 2 days...but its realy up to u...DON'T BOTHER/CHECK/TAP/LOOK/SMILE/THINK about it ...and by the end of those 30 hours...u should see a nice poo and u should be missing a few if not all the feeders u put in...worked for me..don't see why it wouldn't work for you...no garantees...but worth a try!!!..keep us posted!
-----
"you won't know success if you haven't failed..."-eric chen
1.1.1 Hi-Yellow Leopard Geckoes
0.0.2 Blizzards
0.1.0 Western (Plains) Hognose Snake
0.1 Boxer Dog

ericchen May 06, 2004 07:30 PM

oopsie daisies
-----
"you won't know success if you haven't failed..."-eric chen
1.1.1 Hi-Yellow Leopard Geckoes
0.0.2 Blizzards
0.1.0 Western (Plains) Hognose Snake
0.1 Boxer Dog

Site Tools