Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We have a new baby blizzard leo, and he isn't doing too well. He has grown very very thin recently, while his tankmate, an albino of the same age, has grown to be of a great size and everything. He doesn't eat enough, but he definately isn't starving. We see him eat a cricket or 2 here or there, and we're sure he must eat more during the night, but his tail is sooooooo thin, about 1/3 or 1/4 the size of the albino's. I've been feeding him some chicken baby food mixed with calcium, multi-vitamins and, starting this morning, anti-parasite and worms stuff (which also stimulates appetite), which will hopefully help. Does a parasite only hurt a gecko's appetite or does it keep them from getting any of the nutrition they do consume as well? We're going to take a stool sample into an exotic pet specialist on monday. Thanks, Will
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1.2.0 Leopard Geckos
0.1.0 Miniature long-haired dachsund

I would have the vet check done and also you should seperate the two Leo's. Your Albino could be agressive and stressing the other out even though you don't see it. Also if their is a parasite problem you need to keep them seperated because they will spread.
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My posts and replies are my experiences only
1.2.15 Tokays
1.4.10 Leos(13 albino)
1.2.0 AFT's(amel male)
0.2.0 Stenodactylus Petrii(Dune Geckos)

Yeah we were already planning on separating the two of them. a) to make sure the albino doesn't get a parasite if the blizzard has it, b) incase the albino is stressing out the other, although it really seems like he isn't, and c) because we probably will have to eventually because of their sexes anyways.
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1.2.0 Leopard Geckos
0.1.0 Miniature long-haired dachsund

Are you using Parazap? I would discontinue with whatever treatments you are using until the vet has diagnosed that there even are parasites. There are so many different types of parasites out there that there's no one medication that can get rid of all of them. So it's best to make sure you're administering the correct one.
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chickabowwow

4.3.3 (Locke, Rosie, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)

Well this isn't really like "parazap" or any medicine or anything, it's some herbal-type supplement that we are mixing just a little bit in with the baby food weve been giving him to help him with digestion, and spark his appetite. We aren't using very much of it, because he has been eating crickets, we're just using the baby food to make sure he's getting the calcium and vitamins he needs, so we're adding in a little of this to keep his appetite going until we see what's going on. Because, even though he's been eating as much as 5 crickets a day (which is a lot because he's less than a month old), his tail is soo damn thin, like i said it's 1/4 the size of the others.
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1.2.0 Leopard Geckos
0.1.0 Miniature long-haired dachsund

If he is eating a lot but not gaining any weight, that may very well be a sign that he's got parasites, most likely worms. Sounds like he is getting the care that he needs, but you can increase his meals to 10-15 food items (mealworms/crickets) fed daily provided they're the appropriate size. Babies eat like monsters.
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chickabowwow

4.3.3 (Locke, Rosie, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)

Well he hasn't been 'eating like a monster', but he hasn't been eating enough to justify how small he is, he shouldn't be this thin, which is why it seems that he has a parasite.
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1.2.0 Leopard Geckos
0.1.0 Miniature long-haired dachsund