Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to help solve this problem? I don't want to stop her from eating but maybe get her more active. Any ideas?

First, are you sure your Leo is really overweight? What do you feed your Leo, how often do you feed it & how much does it eat each time?
-----
www.StoplightCityLeopardGeckos.com

I feed her 2 or 3 crickets every other day. I can't truthfully say I know she's overweight but she's definately storing fat in her tail.

They are supposed to store fat in their tails, and if you are feeding 2 or 3 crickets every other day I would go out on a limb and say she is not overweight.
-----
2.0 Leos (Spot - Normal but oh, so sexy; Jessie - hypotang)
3.2.4 Fattails (Henri, Suwannee, Valencio, Dixie, Isis, Zipper, Pheonix, Hissy, and Snickerdoodle)
0.0.1 redfoot tortoise (Sherman)
0.0.1 sulcatta tortoise (Tinacious aka Tiny)
1.1 Dogs (Zubin and Brenda)
0.1 cat (Mimi)

I realize they do store fat in their tails and i've seen them do this but this is an abnormal amount I think-- i may be able to post a photo

Leos are NOT known for being overweight. Their systems are designed to store the fat in various places on them.. including tails and in fat pads under their front legs. An overweight leo is a rarity... I have several 8 inch females who are over 70 grams... they're huge and thats the way they should be. Their kidneys and liver are suited to the mobilization of fat from storage resources therefore hepatic lipidosis (Fatty Liver disease) is virtually unheard of in leos.. While it is possible.. its very improbably that your leo, especially if fed only those few crickets every other day, is overweight. I'd guess more she's underweight... My geckos.. (I have 18 now.. 2 hatchlings today) go through 1700 large mealworms a WEEK. They'd probably go through even more crickets... which is why I'm starting to work with roaches for them now.. This is a healthy, fine weight female Tang Tremper Albino at 3 years old..

-----
Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
5.11.Leopard geckos (1.2 Blizzards (Caine, Phoenix, and Mirage), 0.2 Tangerine Albinos (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short, and Casper), 1.0 Tremper Albino (Mycah), 0.3 Poss. Het. Albino (Annika, Lace, and Aris), 1.1 dbl. het blizzard x tang albino (Malice, Malfeas), 1.0 Full Stripe Chocolate Tremper Albino (Discord), 0.1 pastel (Raven) and 1.2 Normals)
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros) (R.I.P. November 18, 2005)
13 rats (plus pups)
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
2 cats (Ashe and Hercules)

well I'll admit I feel 10 times better now. My leo's tail looks similar to the one in that picture. Thank you for everyone's help!

Actually, leos can die from fatty liver disease. I had a female died last month, and her post-mortem indicated that the cause of death was Hepatic lipidosis. When their fat reserve becomes mobilized (probably due to not eating rather than being overweight), the fat deposit will build up in the liver, this process can only be reversed if found early and getting it to eat normal again.

I agree, I don't see any way a leo could be overweight only eating 2-3 crickets every other day. Heck I have an adult female that is 8 1/2" long & currently weighs 76 grams. She's a bit chubby but I wouldn't say fat, just very healthy looking & ready for the upcoming breeding season LOL
-----
www.StoplightCityLeopardGeckos.com

I never said it was impossible.. I said it was virtually unheard of. Most leos who die.. end up dead from impaction, improper heating, lack of proper nutrients and just general bad husbandry...They are designed to store fat, go long periods without food and water and utilize the fat stored in their bodies until a new food source appears or conditions become more favorable to their survival... I had one leo who went into a period of estevation.. still active and moving but wouldn't eat for almost 6 months...she came out of it having only lost about 8 grams off her original 75 grams. Its when the mobilization of fat is very quick and very thick in the blood stream that they can become ill... Hepatic Lipidosis is very very uncommon to see in leopard geckos... Monitors are another story as well as snakes.. but leos and most other fat storing lizards have a much lower incidence of it.
-----
Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
5.11.Leopard geckos (1.2 Blizzards (Caine, Phoenix, and Mirage), 0.2 Tangerine Albinos (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short, and Casper), 1.0 Tremper Albino (Mycah), 0.3 Poss. Het. Albino (Annika, Lace, and Aris), 1.1 dbl. het blizzard x tang albino (Malice, Malfeas), 1.0 Full Stripe Chocolate Tremper Albino (Discord), 0.1 pastel (Raven) and 1.2 Normals)
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros) (R.I.P. November 18, 2005)
13 rats (plus pups)
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
2 cats (Ashe and Hercules)

They have large fat pockets under the arms and the tails are at least an inch wide. Healthy leos, though. They just never miss a meal if they can help it. I seriously doubt if the initial poster's leo is overweight.

All my leos are 95 grams and higher, and they only get fed every 3 days.

This really isnt getting anywhere, how much does your leo weigh?

Fatty LIver Disease?! I can't truthully give an accurate guess of her weight.

Guessing doesn't help. That's why you need to weigh her
-----
2.0 Leos (Spot - Normal but oh, so sexy; Jessie - hypotang)
3.2.4 Fattails (Henri, Suwannee, Valencio, Dixie, Isis, Zipper, Pheonix, Hissy, and Snickerdoodle)
0.0.1 redfoot tortoise (Sherman)
0.0.1 sulcatta tortoise (Tinacious aka Tiny)
1.1 Dogs (Zubin and Brenda)
0.1 cat (Mimi)

I think I have a scale that weighs in lbs. and ozs. I'll see what I can come up with

I'm guessing after I asked what it ate, how much & how often, and the response was 2-3 crickets every other day . . . . like myself, everyone probably thought, why bother asking what it weighs LOL What's the likelyhood of a Leo eating that little being overweight?
-----
www.StoplightCityLeopardGeckos.com

Because then we can accuratly tell him/her to fatten it up