Difficult hatchling

[Fishbone]

Hi all. This is my first year breeding leos. For the most part, things have gone well. My first 12 hatchings have all done great! And thanks to everyone here, I have pilfered allot of info from various threads.

So, my question, and my problem, is with my most recent hatchling, which hatched last sun, 07/02. It is very small, less than 2 grams, and still had a yolk sac attached. I kept him in a small, damp container @ 85-86°, he absorbed what was left of the yolk over the next few days. He was originally walking very clumsily, but that seems to have gotten better. But now that is he is acting more like a normal hatchling, he still has almost no interest in food. I've broken mealworms in half, smashed waxworms & butterworms, etc... He has licked a little occasionally, but not much. He defecated for the first time two days ago, and had most of his first shed the day before that. It wasn't complete, and took a few days. I helped get most of it off his tail, and have soaked him to try to get it of of his feet. He is so tiny there its not much I can do.

I normally don't worry much about this, but he seems so weak and fragile. Is there any successful way of assist feeding a neonate leo? And/or how long should I wait until I really worry?

Thanks for reading!

 

[katie_]

This would be an example of one of the many hardships of breeding. Some hatching fail to thrive, an often there is little to nothing you can do. I hope he pulls through, good luck.

 

[acpart]

Congratulations on your hatchlings to date. Even normal sized geckos sometimes take over a week to start eating. Keep offering. You can also hold the gecko gently in your hand and poke a mealworm at its mouth. Most hatchlings will bite and it may eat the mealworm. Worst case, it won't thrive, but I've had many tiny ones do just fine.

Aliza

 

[rigomez4]

I had the same thing happen to me this year. My little one did not eat for 2 weeks. I used tongs and offered her a small mealworm. She bit it and started eating. She ate 1 to 2 small mealworms every couple days at first then started eating more. She never ate a lot at one time so I offered her tong feedings 2 or more times a day. It took nearly 6 weeks of tong feeding before she ate on her own. I always kept 5 small mealworms in her dish so I could see if she ate. Can't tell you how happy I was when she ate on her own. She is still a small gecko but is starting to gain weigh. Don't give up. Hope things turn out well.

 

[Fishbone]

Thanks for the responses guys! I've tries all of the above tricks with limited success. If I hold him with a mealworm to his nose, he will open, but has yet to take the mealie. I've gotten him to lick some broken mealies, and a lick or two of smashed butters and waxes. He has had a few very small b.m's, so he must be getting something. I'm going to try to make up a mash, and maybe leave a little in there with him.

I have a hard time culling anything honestly. So, until he clearly appears to be suffering, I'll keep trying, though I'm starting to loose hope that he may pull through, but you never do know.

I was wondering if there was any type of baby food that had ever been used for difficult feeders? I've used it with some difficult beardies, mostly rescues, with pretty good success. But the different nutritional needs with leos I'm not as sure about. Could I try a protein based baby food, like chicken, turkey, etc... Had anyone tried this?

 

[acpart]

Some people use chicken baby food. Some use a commercially available product such as "jump start". Marcia McGuiness of Golden Gate Geckos has a recipe for a slurry that can be fed to ailing geckos. Personally I'd go with the mashed up mealworm/cricket or actually holding the gecko and poking the mealworm into its mouth. I just got my difficult hatchling to take its first mealworm that way.

Aliza

 

[EnchantmentGecko]

Nevermind I can't read.

 

[katie_]

I rip legs off crickets and leave them in with the hatching (one cricket at a time)

 

[LBsLeos]

I have run in to this several times over the last couple of seasons. I use Flukers Repta-Boost. It comes with a small syringe and everything you need. A couple drops a day for 1-3 days and keep small mealworms available in the tank or tub at all times and they should start eating. I have not lost 1 baby yet using this method. (knock on wood) Hope this helps and good luck with this hatchling!

 

[roger]

Hi all. This is my first year breeding leos. For the most part, things have gone well. My first 12 hatchings have all done great! And thanks to everyone here, I have pilfered allot of info from various threads.

So, my question, and my problem, is with my most recent hatchling, which hatched last sun, 07/02. It is very small, less than 2 grams, and still had a yolk sac attached. I kept him in a small, damp container @ 85-86°, he absorbed what was left of the yolk over the next few days. He was originally walking very clumsily, but that seems to have gotten better. But now that is he is acting more like a normal hatchling, he still has almost no interest in food. I've broken mealworms in half, smashed waxworms & butterworms, etc... He has licked a little occasionally, but not much. He defecated for the first time two days ago, and had most of his first shed the day before that. It wasn't complete, and took a few days. I helped get most of it off his tail, and have soaked him to try to get it of of his feet. He is so tiny there its not much I can do.

I normally don't worry much about this, but he seems so weak and fragile. Is there any successful way of assist feeding a neonate leo? And/or how long should I wait until I really worry?

Thanks for reading!

In my experience everytime a yolk has not been absorbed the hatchling has never made it.Keep on with the slurry mixture.If you see it declining or laying motionless but still breathing put it down.Its a sad reality but unfortunately there are times we have to put hatchlings down.