Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We got a small (1.5 inch) house gecko 3 weeks ago and named him Tiktiki. It was light brown and really skinny and had lost its tail when we got it. We fed it live crickets with calcium supplement and it has since gotten darker, fatter and it looked like its tail was growing back. Today, however, it seemed to take a turn for the worse. It was laying on its back in the middle of the habitat (instead of climbing or hiding somewhere). When gently poked, it turned over and walked lethargically. I don't think it has eaten crickets for a few days. Its habitat is a 5 gallon tank with wood chips, soil, and tropical plants. There's also plenty of wood and caves for him to hide/climb. We use an incandescent bulb for heating/lighting (which is on a timer), and we monitor his temperature and humidity closely.

Is there something we can do to nurse him back to health? Is it ever normal behavior for geckos to lay on their back? We're new to geckos, but I thought we had done enough research and built him a nice habitat. Did we do something wrong? We feel terrible about that our Tiktiki is sick, especially when he seemed to be doing so much better than when we got him.

Thanks for any advice you can give.

- Rebecca & Spencer

I have never kept them but they are all over my yard . I notice they themselves are wet after storms and they lick water off themselves and leaves.

In other words it's a good idea to mist them twice a day but not keep them wet.

They seem the most active at night when the night temps are high 70s low 80s. Perhaps best not to dust the crickets to much?

I hope it does better but not normal to see one on its back nor on bottom of cage to much.

Laying on back is not normal behavior, and an indication of something very wrong, but I wouldn't know what. Honestly I don't think wood chips are typically used for geckos, and a cocofiber mix (like Eco-Earth) might be better BUT I'm unsure of how that would contribute to your problem.
I think it's important to realize that he was in poor health when you got him, and this may be due to that. Buying a sick geckos is ALWAYS an uphill battle, even for experienced keepers. Lacking husbandry can have lasting effects, and this may be due to the way he was treated for who knows how long, nothing you could control.

Is your house getting cooler? Perhaps the animal is going into hibernation. It could be sensing a cooler environment and react accordingly. Does it have a place to hide? If you think your animal is healthy (fatter) then you might just observe a bit longer. Check obvious things (mites and waste in the cage) and allow the temp to stay around 50 -60 for two months (you get a break from feeding!). Make sure your animal has water and a clean cage at all times. Good luck!

Dave
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One man with faith equals the majority.
Thomas Jefferson