Exactly why I already posted a link to this. It's fatal more times than not and easily transmitted.
NOT A CHAM. A LEOPARD GECKO. PLS HELP.
- Thread starter Jmedrano
- Start date
Livingstons Lizards
Established Member
Not sure if this has been mentioned, but I know a common practice with geckos, leos included, to place a dish of calcium for them to lick up.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Oops! I’m at work and didn’t go back and reread.
No problem...some things need to be said more than once.Oops! I’m at work and didn’t go back and reread.
reignthafirst
Member
did you try wax worms or hornworms my Leo stopped eating and when I tried giving hornworms and wax worms he started to eat again and also did you know if she is drinking water?
blondebrowncoat
Member
Hello, I'm sorry if this post comes too late. But I'd rather post it and help than not <3
I have kept leos for going on a decade now. If you can answer these questions it will help. I will respond as soon as I can - I'm in Texas so the power/internet situation is unpredictable right now. Apologies if I ask questions you've already answered - I scrolled through the comments but I wanted to hurry and comment before I lose power.
Questions:
1. What are your temps? Cold side vs warm side? What schedule are your temps on? How are you measuring them? What are you heat sources?
2. Are you dusting with anything?
3. What does the feces look like? Blood? Dehydrated? Smells really bad? Can you see any worms/weird textures?
4. What is her activity like?
5. Are you sure she is female?
6. Do you have a humid hide/laying box?
7. Where did she come from?
Right off the bat, you need to get her to a vet asap. I know with rescues it can take several days to get an appt so hopefully we can help bridge the gap. Get something scheduled and have a questions list ready. Ask all the questions you can when you book the appt - any vet worth their salt will answer them before the actual visit. My vet does this with all my rescues.
The forum I use is Geckos Unlimited. They require you to join to post, but they have a lot of great husbandry info there to get you started - you can read it without being a member.
As many here have already said, leos digest via belly warmth. UTH is really important for them. Leos will vomit food up if they are having problems digesting. Let's cross our fingers this is why she regurgitated meals. The pic you posted of her belly looks like a full belly to me.
If you are force feeding her, you may be feeding her too much. Try feeding in smaller, more frequent meals. I had to hand feed a chameleon and this was the key. I would say a little bit every three hours. If she keeps it down, feed again. If she doesn't, feed her a little less next time. There were points where I was just giving my cham a few ml at a time. Some is better than none. A vet can advise you better. Carnivore care is amazing and good stuff. Just make sure you keep any formula refrigerated between feedings. I mixed mine up with unflavored Pedialyte to keep hydration up.
Stressed/unhealthy leos have trouble hunting. Pull the back legs off of her crickets and put them in a shallow dish to make it easier for her to hunt. When mine were babies (neglected petshop stock) I moved them to a "feeding tub" at mealtimes. It was a tupperware bin where I put delegged crickets to make hunting easier for them. Watch her the whole time to make sure they aren't biting her. Give her a hide. Offer live food to her in the morning and the evening. Your goal is to get her eating on her own asap.
She may be eggbound. The belly pic you posted is hard to tell, but if you shine a light behind her back and look at her belly, you'll see an oval, void-like area if she has eggs. There are pics online you can google to help you know what to look for. Get her a laying box with moist coco fiber if you haven't already. Females are notorious for having bad stomachs during egg laying times. They may instinctively snatch moving food and then regurgitate it if they're ready to lay. Mine has done this before.
I so hope that you are seeing her turn a corner. Regardless, you are a wonderful human for taking her in. Know that the life you've given her is so much better than her other options, no matter how long she makes it. Every chance you've given her is one she wouldn't have had otherwise. Best wishes to both of you.
I have kept leos for going on a decade now. If you can answer these questions it will help. I will respond as soon as I can - I'm in Texas so the power/internet situation is unpredictable right now. Apologies if I ask questions you've already answered - I scrolled through the comments but I wanted to hurry and comment before I lose power.
Questions:
1. What are your temps? Cold side vs warm side? What schedule are your temps on? How are you measuring them? What are you heat sources?
2. Are you dusting with anything?
3. What does the feces look like? Blood? Dehydrated? Smells really bad? Can you see any worms/weird textures?
4. What is her activity like?
5. Are you sure she is female?
6. Do you have a humid hide/laying box?
7. Where did she come from?
Right off the bat, you need to get her to a vet asap. I know with rescues it can take several days to get an appt so hopefully we can help bridge the gap. Get something scheduled and have a questions list ready. Ask all the questions you can when you book the appt - any vet worth their salt will answer them before the actual visit. My vet does this with all my rescues.
The forum I use is Geckos Unlimited. They require you to join to post, but they have a lot of great husbandry info there to get you started - you can read it without being a member.
As many here have already said, leos digest via belly warmth. UTH is really important for them. Leos will vomit food up if they are having problems digesting. Let's cross our fingers this is why she regurgitated meals. The pic you posted of her belly looks like a full belly to me.
If you are force feeding her, you may be feeding her too much. Try feeding in smaller, more frequent meals. I had to hand feed a chameleon and this was the key. I would say a little bit every three hours. If she keeps it down, feed again. If she doesn't, feed her a little less next time. There were points where I was just giving my cham a few ml at a time. Some is better than none. A vet can advise you better. Carnivore care is amazing and good stuff. Just make sure you keep any formula refrigerated between feedings. I mixed mine up with unflavored Pedialyte to keep hydration up.
Stressed/unhealthy leos have trouble hunting. Pull the back legs off of her crickets and put them in a shallow dish to make it easier for her to hunt. When mine were babies (neglected petshop stock) I moved them to a "feeding tub" at mealtimes. It was a tupperware bin where I put delegged crickets to make hunting easier for them. Watch her the whole time to make sure they aren't biting her. Give her a hide. Offer live food to her in the morning and the evening. Your goal is to get her eating on her own asap.
She may be eggbound. The belly pic you posted is hard to tell, but if you shine a light behind her back and look at her belly, you'll see an oval, void-like area if she has eggs. There are pics online you can google to help you know what to look for. Get her a laying box with moist coco fiber if you haven't already. Females are notorious for having bad stomachs during egg laying times. They may instinctively snatch moving food and then regurgitate it if they're ready to lay. Mine has done this before.
I so hope that you are seeing her turn a corner. Regardless, you are a wonderful human for taking her in. Know that the life you've given her is so much better than her other options, no matter how long she makes it. Every chance you've given her is one she wouldn't have had otherwise. Best wishes to both of you.
Jmedrano
Member
Hi. So it’s been a couple days now, it absolutely devastated me but sadly I lost her
I did all that I could she was supposed to see a vet the very next morning but I got up and she had gone. She was outside her hide and she was still warm when I took her out. I do believe she could have had stick tail as no weight was ever gained in her tail and her body was the only thing retaining anything. It broke my heart but ik I did what I could and hopefully she didn’t pass in pain. I felt so guilty and I apologize for not getting back sooner but I now understand and I want to thank you all for all your help! It really helped me out and helped out little miss juniper. Again thank you all i don’t think she would have lasted so long without your help. I hope you guys have a wonderful day <3
ERKleRose
Chameleon Enthusiast
I’m really sorry for your loss, and I hope you try to have a wonderful day, as well!Hi. So it’s been a couple days now, it absolutely devastated me but sadly I lost her
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
I was just thinking about your little girl and wondering how she was. So very sorry that she passed. 
If you have any other leos, hopefully you practiced good hygiene so that they haven’t caught stick tail (assuming Juniper had it).
While Juniper didn’t make it, she isn’t suffering and passed in a home where she was loved.
If you have any other leos, hopefully you practiced good hygiene so that they haven’t caught stick tail (assuming Juniper had it). While Juniper didn’t make it, she isn’t suffering and passed in a home where she was loved.
rango123veiled
Established Member
id go to gecko forums, they are just like chameleon forums but for all geckos (duh) and recently while i've been preparing for the gecko i'm getting next year, i've been looking at some things on there that other people have said. The pangea forums is also a good oneI recently rescued a malnourished, weak leopard gecko thought to be a picky eater. This is her 4th day with me the first day she ate one cricket the second day ate and hunted three and yesterday she ate nothing and just drank half her dish of water and today absolutely nothing that I’ve seen. She stays on her warm side mostly she’s pooped twice and roams around every now and then but mostly stays in her hide. I understand she can be stressed from the abrupt move but she’s already malnourished so .... not sure what to do here. View attachment 289816View attachment 289817View attachment 289818
PLS LET ME KNOW OF ANY QUESTIONS!! I’ve offered crickets, mealworms and even wax worms! But she’s only touched the crickets
rango123veiled
Established Member
oh crap i'm late arent i, i read the latest comments
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