Not eating

[KaylaGirl14]

My new gecko isn't eating. I've had it for 4 days now. The first day I offered her grasshoppers. Didn't touch them. Second day I kept them in. Third day I offered wax worms. She ate one so I threw in another. She ate that one too. This morning my dad threw one in to her and he watched her eat it. So later I threw in two. One dead(I wanted to see if she would eat it) and the other alive. Well we go to the movies and come back. In her cage was two live worms, the black dead one, and two dead ones smooshed together as tough they'd been eaten. I assumed that she threw up the dead ones that were squished together...But can geckos throw up?And if she did throw them up why? Were they too big(she's 4 1/2" they're 1 1/4")? What should I do? I put some Zoo Med's brand Leopard Gecko Food in I don't know if she'll eat it. Some one please help me!

 

[Marc118]

Give her some time, she is still adjusting to her new home. How old is she? Whats your temps?

 

[KaylaGirl14]

I dunno how old she is. I got her from petsmart. I dunno the temp of her cage either. I have no thermometer and I use a heat lamp

 

[Marc118]

Well then...hehe.

Id suggest you get a digital thermometer with some sort of probe. You really need to know the temps.

I also prefer a heat mat over a light.

 

[KaylaGirl14]

Where would I get a thermometer? And where and how much is a heat mat?

 

[Marc118]

Wal-Mart/Petsmart has them. Petsmart has the Coralife digital thermometer with probe. Ive used them with no problems. Wal-Mart has a nice accurite digital thermometer with probe/hygrometer which is nice. accurite is $15 and coralife is $8 I believe.

With an UTH you will need a dimmer or if possible a thermostat to accompany it.

Some people like the heater to cover 1/3 of the tank, some like 1/2. You can get one of them at a reptile store or petsmart/petco. Ive had no problems with the zoomed and cobra mats. You will pay a lot more at a store than online ( reptilesupply.com ) I think they will run you like $30 at a store maybe more. Same for the thermostat/rheostat. But you can get a cheap dimmer at home depot.

 

[KaylaGirl14]

Thank you. I'll get a thermometer soon then. And next time my dad goes to St. Cloud I'll have him pick up the heat mat.

 

[Marc118]

Dont forget some sort of heat control, they will get too hot for the gecko.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I agree. An under tank heater (UTH) on one side of the enclosure is preferred over a heat lamp... lamps heat the air. The warm side temperature should be around 90 degrees at the surface (belly level). Without proper heat, the gecko's metabolism, immune system, and digestive system will not function properly. This could explain the regurgitated worms.

Newly acquired leopard geckos do need time to adjust to their new environments! I would like to invite you to take a look at the LEOPARD GECKO CARESHEET on my website, too!

 

[KaylaGirl14]

Thank you. I will try to get those things but my wallet is really pretty empty right now. I'll start a gimme-money-for-my-gecko fund.

 

[Grinning Geckos]

Also, waxworm are very poor when it comes to nutrition. Think of them like twinkies for gecko - they sure do taste good, but aren't good for you. They should be treated as treats. After you get your temps figured out, your little one should be fed on mealworms or crickets. Be sure to gutload them and dust them with supplements.

Where did the grasshoppers come from? Did they come from outside? If so, I have to advise you to not feed any outdoor bugs. The problem with them is that you don't know where they've been. They could have been chewing on a plant covered in pesticide, or have picked up internal parasites from the dirt.

And finally, live is ALWAYS better than dead. In fact, very (VERY) few geckos will eat a dead bug without considerable teasing involved. Avoid those bugs-in-a-can....they're a waste of money. With live bugs you know exactly what they've been eating, and your gecko will be attracted by the movement.

 

[KaylaGirl14]

Are crickets ok? Because that's what she ate before I had her so she may be more used to them.

 

[Grinning Geckos]

Yep, crickets are fine. Like I mentioned earlier, you want to give them a good gutload (grains, etc....you can buy it premade at the store), and give them fresh fruit/veggies, AND dust them with calcium and other supplements.

 

[KaylaGirl14]

Gutload? Calcium? Im so confused?

 

[Grinning Geckos]

Gutload means feeding the bugs good healthy items before you feed them to your gecko. You want the bugs to eat for at least 24 hours before you give them to your gecko. Your gecko can only be as healthy as the bugs you give it. There are mixed grain gutloads you can buy premade at the petstore...they'll usually say gutload or cricket feed. You can also make your own, a number of people here do. They should also be given water (I like to use water crystal the best....crickets can't drown in it), and fresh fruit or veggies.

Beyond that, you gecko need additional supplements to stay healthy and have properly formed bones. Without the supplements, your gecko will most likely develop MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease). MBD is a very painful and debilitating condition, and it's easily prevented.

You need 3 supplements - Calcium (plain, no D3 or phosphorus), Multi-vitamin, and Calcium + D3 (no phosphorus)

The plain calcium should be kept in a little dish in the leo's home 24/7. You should also dust the bugs with it on most days of the week. To dust the bugs, put a small amount in a baggie with the crickets and shake it up. You want a LIGHT coating, not caked on. If there is too much dust, it'll kill the crickets and the gecko will likely spit them out.

The vitamins and Calcium + D3 should be used as a dust once every week or two. Most people do it once a week for young geckos like yours, then back it off to every two weeks for adults (when it's 1 year old).

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Gutload? Calcium? Im so confused?

Once again, I urge to to read my CARE SHEET. It has answers to all of the questions you are asking, and that information is vital for your gecko's health and well-being.

 

[gko reptiles]

Kayla, it sounds like you're new to the gecko world and got the majority of your start-up information from a pet store. Most people that work in pet stores are not very familiar with leos, or any reptile for that matter! Grab some books, look up care sheets online, just really get a handle for leopard gecko care! All of these questions you are asking are very important and can affect your geckos life. Marcia's caresheet is a great start. When setting up a leo's home keep in mind that they need at bare minimum what is on a care sheet. Read read read read read!!! That is the best advice anyone can give you!!! Hope this helped! Best Wishes and Good Luck!!

 

[eyelids]

I'm not trying to be mean, but these are all things you should've researched before purchasing your gecko. Whether it's geckos, snakes, fish or any kind of animal you should really avoid impulse purchases. Luckily leopard geckos are hardy creatures. On a positive note, you found a great resource for help and I'm sure there'll be someone who can answer any questions you may have. Please don't take what I said personally. Furthermore, don't let all of these seemingly dutyful tasks hinder your experience with leos. Once you get a routine down; keeping them will seem rather simple. Good luck!