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sick gecko?

shawn20 Dec 21, 2005 10:22 PM

i have a gecko that hasn't eatin consistantly for a week or so now. it was right after he finished shedding. i heard that they might consume their skin, and i didnt find much skin left once i cleaned the cage. it used to eat crickets with no problem, then i got some mealworms and he ate those also, but then he sheded and stopped eating. he has only eating a few crickets/mealworms in the past week. so if neone knows nething, lemme know.
thanx
Shawn

Replies (4)

seboba17 Dec 21, 2005 11:39 PM

I think it's too soon to worry, as long as he's not acting sick in any way. Sometimes reptiles fast from time to time.
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Corn Snakes: Eden, Mars, Sierra, Lavendar, The Tweedle Twins
Crested Geckos: Parker, Emily Dickinson, Bonnie, Benz, Jude, Cali
Leopard Geckos: Paris, Helen, Annabelle, Artemis, Vesta
Jambea Dwarf Retic: Montague

shawn20 Dec 22, 2005 03:56 PM

i got home today and he was all moving around and stuff, tried to feed him and just nudged it with his nose, but did not eat it. also his color is fading realy bad... its werid tho, he hasn't eating for like 2 weeks now and yet he is active but losing color on his back, his face still have the vibrant colors, but his body is fading
any suggestions?
Shawn

tbay Dec 22, 2005 10:24 PM

Has he lost much weight? If he hasn't lost more than a couple of grams he could be brumating. Sometimes leos do this in the winter and it doesn't have any negative affects on their health, it's just a little nerve racking on the owner. Watch his weight and if he doesn't lose much weight then you can either disregard it, but continue weighing him to make sure he isn't losing weight, or slowly increasing the temps and increasing the time the light's on in his cage may bring him out of it. The color loss comes with age, but it also could be happening because he's not getting as many minerals because he isn't eating as much. Make sure he eats a dusted cricket or mealworm every week. If he is losing weight, and if he's already been eating a dusted cricket, then take him to a vet right away. Also, check his stools and make sure their not runny.

Rien Dec 23, 2005 03:04 AM

Well, there is a number of things that could mean. First of all, how old is your gecko? If it's a year old, it may be going through a sort of hibernation. They won't eat hardly at all but their weight stays fairly constant and their tails plump. If this is the case with your leo, then just keep offering it food every day but don't worry if it doesn't take it. As long as it isn't losing weight.

Now, when did you get your leo and from where? Petstores are known for carrying leos that are housing parasites such as coccidia (which my first to leos had and survived through) and this can cause lethargia, anorexia, vomiting, many things but usually the first symptoms are lack of appetite and acting sleepy. They can house the parasites for up to a year without showing any symptoms. This can be fixed by taking a fresh fecal to the vet and getting a medicine such as albon suspension (although there are others better since albon can cause dehydration)

But for now, just watch its weight. If the weight is staying fairly constant and it's still eating a little bit, then it should be ok. You can help it out by placing a small dish of pure calcium powder (NO vitamin D3) inside tank for it to access at all times. That way the lack of calcium through food won't cause MBD.
Any other questions and feel free to email me at leogeckogirl@gmail.com

-Rien

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