Hello all, just got back from the vet, my fat tail is not impacted!! The vet said he was in excellent condition, fat and not dehydrated (he weighed 35 grams). Also did a parasite test which came back negative. So, looks like everyone was right and he is just acclimating to his new surroundings. The vet did say to buy a scale and if he persists with not eating and loses weight, I'm supposed to mash up crickets or mealworms, or use chicken baby food if I have to, mix it with pedialite and give it to him with a small syringe. Dr. Riviera was the vet's name, he is the staff vet at Zoo Atlanta. If anyone lives in GA and needs a knowledgeable and affordable vet, you should call him at the Bells Ferry Veterinary Hospital. Thanks again to everyone for their advice!!
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Good news from vet!!!
Replies (4)
good to hear. let him get good and settled in and keep a eye on temps and humid hide. sometimes, I know it sounds gross, either squishing or cutting off the end of a mealie or cricket and touching the geckos lip with it will entice it to start eating. don't force it, just smear alittle on it's lip and when it licks it will usually eat the rest and maybe more.
Good luck
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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)
Since your little gecko has checked out AOK, and we'll assume your temperatures are alright (I find mine eat best with temps around 90 F on the hot side), try something I have found very successful for fattails that are reluctant to feed (and like the other advice, this is gross):
Take 3-4 appropriately sized crickets, crush their heads, and leave them in your gecko's favourite hide overnight (remove in the a.m). They will continue to twitch enough, for hours, that the gecko will still be attracted by them. With otherwise healthy fattails in good setups, I have used this method in several cases and never had it fail. Try to leave your gecko alone as much as possible to settle in after the vet visit except to tend to feeding etc., put in the crickets at night for a few nights in row, and let us all know how your new gecko is doing. I hope it works, as I know it can be very worrying when new geckos do not eat.
Once your gecko settles in you will love it, fattails are wonderful pets.
My temps stay around 83 on the cool side and 90-92 on the hot side, a little warmer immediately under the lamp, at night temps go down to 80 on the cool end and 88 on the hot end. I will try the cricket head smashing technique...I think I'll make my husband do the actual smashing, though! I do leave him alone except to clean, he doesn't mind being held though, frequently he won't get off my hand once I lower it back into the cage. I hope that once he settles in I'll be able to handle him a little more, he has a lot of "personality," more so than my garter snake.
Once he settles in, they are usually very nice to handle. If yours already seems to not mind being in your hand, he should be no problem. Ours, when not breeding, are enjoyed by the whole family, sitting on hands, shoulders, computer keyboards etc. at various times of the day or evening.
