Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Lazuli is my first and only leopard geck. She is 6-7 1/2 years old and healthy at her last check up at the vet. I wanted to post a pic of her highness and also ask some advice.

I did read several previous posts, which did help some but the crux of my issue is her seemingly inability (recently) to grasp prey items.
She has never been a great huntress but now that mommy is feeding freeze-dried mealies and crickets (repti-cricket - is this a good brand?) she is having a lot of issues. I am wiggling the items - I bought tongs especially for this purpose.

When I drop the prey items in front of her, she ducks her head at them and "attacks" but fails to grasp the prey with her mouth - even though it's DEAD. I use a green towel for substrate.

Any suggestions? I have tried hand-feeding but that is only marginally effective.

Are the items I'm giving her too hard or too small?

I don't think I've heard of anyone having luck with the canned crickets and worms. If you're really set on trying it, then you could see if one of those vibrating bowls will work. Personally, I would just go back to feeding live foods. If you want to make it easier to hunt, you can take her out and place her in one of those Kritter Keepers with the live crickets and worms inside. Then the bugs have no where to hide except for in her Royal Highness’s belly. Once she’s eaten her fill, then you can place her back in her home.

What you're describing sounds like one of the first symptoms of MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease). Because of insufficient calcium, the body starts drawing calcium from the bones, it usually first manifests itself as diminished jaw strength, the prey items will seem to slide out of the lizards mouth.

What kind of calcium supplement are you using? Are you supplementing at every feeding? Does she have a dish of calcium in her cage?

Read the ingredients on you calcium supplement. Reptiles need a 2:1 ratio of calcium to phospherus. Insects have plenty of phospherus, but are low in calcium so it is important that you use a brand of calcium that does not contain phospherus (calcium phosphate etc). Supplements containing phospherus are meant for herbivorous reptiles.

I switched to rep-cal with vitamin D3 over 5 years ago after some of my babies started exhibiting the first signs of MBD (my old supplement had phospherus). Because I caught it early, it was completely reversible and I would highly recommend the rep-cal.

Since Lazuli still has a healthy appetite and is not exhibiting any skeletal deformities yet, if MBD is indeed the culprit, switching to a good supplement and using generous amounts at every feeding should get her to show improvement within a few weeks.

-Alice

well first off you really shouldnt be feeding your gecko canned crickets and canned mealworms. ive heard that they arent as good for your gecko as live ones. and also geckos only go after live prey items they have to be moving. see with my gecko if i move a mealworm with like a spoon he wont go after the worm instead he will go after the spoon. you have to make the mealworm move like a mealworm. well atleast with my gecko i do. but i recommend that you just stick with live prey and make sure to supplament because she could have lack of calcium that will weaken her jaws and make it harder to catch prey. good luck