# Leopard Gecko Hasnt Ate For A Month



## Elsiegecko2015 (Jul 5, 2015)

Hi there everyone ! 

I'm a *new *leopard gecko owner, although he himself isn't so new. He's about* 7 years old* I believe, and I have *adopted him* from a previous owner who could no longer have him. 

Basically since I got him, *he hasn't ate*. I've tried him on *crickets (His original feeder)*, meal worms and wax worms. The wax worms were a last resort as he wouldn't eat A THING. He did eat the *wax worms* however that was now about a *month ago* and he will not eat anything else. 

He seems very active and lively in himself, and he has been shedding fine. 
So I haven't yet taken him to a vet. I thought he could possibly be impacted (although he lives on repti carpet) so I have given him warm baths and olive oil, but still nothing. 

I have taken images of his eyes, body, and stomach. I'm worried his tail is now far too thin, and can't tell if the darkness on his stomach is anything to worry about either. 

*Please help me*? is it stress ? Is it because he'll never settle in a new environment? Does he look ill ? 

The cloudy water is because I added a little calcium to his warm bath as he licked some. 

All your help would be so much appreciated. THE LINK IS TO TUMBLR WHERE THE IMAGES ARE. Untitled

Thank you. : victory:


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## Artisan (Mar 27, 2011)

Elsiegecko2015 said:


> Hi there everyone !
> 
> I'm a *new *leopard gecko owner, although he himself isn't so new. He's about* 7 years old* I believe, and I have *adopted him* from a previous owner who could no longer have him.
> 
> ...


How long have you had him for
Have you left him to settle in with no handling
What is your current set up - housing/heating type/temps/do you have a stat controlling the temps/what type of thermometer are you using to read temps/what is his set up inside like - hides/places to hide so he feels secure etc
What supplements are you using and how often ?

Maybe a simple husbandry error in here that's easily fixed, so lets eliminate them first.


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## Artisan (Mar 27, 2011)

Just looked at you pictures and although he looks a little underweight on the body.... but not alarmingly so as he still has some fat stored in his tail. Do you know how many grams he weighs?

He may have a heavy parasite burden so possibly need worming by the vet or it could be something else internally that we can't see because reptiles do suffer things like tumours/cancer/liver/heart issues like people and dogs/cats : victory:


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## Elsiegecko2015 (Jul 5, 2015)

*Set up.*

Hi there. 

I've added some more images to the blog to show his set up. Untitled He has two hides, one cold, one hot. He has a under tank heater and a overhead light. The above light mainly because that's how he had been living before I got him. Ive had him possibly around 2 months now. I left him for about 2 weeks with no handling initially but then needed to handle him as I needed to remove a little shed on his toes. I use a calcium and vit supplement but obviously as he hasn't been eating he hasn't consumed much of this. 

The set up is really the same as when I had him, except he's now in a larger tank and I put in an extra item for him to climb over. The rest is the same, in fact when I got him, he only had the one hide. So I tried to improve his initial set up. 

Do you think its probably a parasite issue ? Thanks so much for all your help.


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## GavinMc (Jan 9, 2013)

A vet trip would be a good idea. Get it out of the way and then start from scratch.

There seem to be a few things I would change or alter.

First being the vivarium - wooden vivarium really are the best. They will retain heat much better and more importantly leave the inhabitant feeling more secure. I personally think glass and clear plastic vivariums are too 'open' and can stress out the lizards inside. I would advise covering the sides and back with something - towels, cardboard, books - it doesn't matter what.

You also need a reliable thermometer. These analogue/dial thermometers are crap. Get yourself a digital, infra-red gun or even better both. These will give much more accurate temperatures. You should be looking for a hot end of around 32-34C and a cool end lower than 24/25C

There are plenty other things you can offer, food wise, including Locust, Roaches, Silkworms and many others. Feed them on plenty of fresh veg, the insects that is, and this will give added nutrition. I can't see if you offer water but it should be available at all times and a light spray down every other morning just incase it doesn't use it's bowl.

UV lighting would also be beneficial especially for a gecko that isn't eating and getting all the D3 it needs.

I would also avoid any handling, unless you go to the vet, and don't bathe it. If your husbandry is up to scratch it shouldn't( bathing that is ) be needed.

If I have missed anything I will get back to you.



Gavin.


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## Artisan (Mar 27, 2011)

Elsiegecko2015 said:


> Hi there.
> 
> I've added some more images to the blog to show his set up. Untitled He has two hides, one cold, one hot. He has a under tank heater and a overhead light. The above light mainly because that's how he had been living before I got him. Ive had him possibly around 2 months now. I left him for about 2 weeks with no handling initially but then needed to handle him as I needed to remove a little shed on his toes. I use a calcium and vit supplement but obviously as he hasn't been eating he hasn't consumed much of this.
> 
> ...


Hiya,

The set up looks very bare and exposed and those glass exos aren't the best for leos. They do prefer to be more secure so a 2 or 3 foot wooden viv would be a better option. Maybe he feels insecure with the new surroundings and now gone off his food because he's stressed out.

Tbh the overhead light isn't needed. Leos prefer belly heat anyway and are active very early morning and dusk mostly (though i see mine in and out all day long as they have very enriching enclosures - which i will put a few pics of up for you to maybe take ideas from. Despite what people think.... leos DO like to climb so i put fixed shelves in all my vivs, i also make my own removable platforms for them to create more floor space and it gives them exercise, tones them up with all the climbing about instead of having all their muscle turn to fat with them sitting about all day.
Create a secure, interesting, enriching environment for them as they really are very curious nosey geckos s get bored easily if kept in a plain boring enclosure.

I think if you pimp his pad out he may well feel more confident and safe and probably start eating again. leos can go months without food so don't worry just yet until you've added plants/bits of cork bark/large rocks etc.

You didn't mention a damp hide.... do you have one of these? also do you leave a bowl of pure calcium in his home?

I'm going to link you to 2 threads on here. 1 is my caresheet and the other is an enrichment thread with lots of ideas and how to make things. It's a massive thread but the first 5-10 pages should give you enough ideas.

See what happens when you've done this and if there is no change in his eating habits then that will be the time to think about going to the vets for fecal tests and treatment.

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/lizard-care-sheets/968842-leopard-gecko-care-sheet.html


http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/foru...pard-gecko-enrichment-shelving-platforms.html

If you need any help regarding making platforms or anything else you aren't sure about. Feel free to PM me : victory:


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## Artisan (Mar 27, 2011)

Or do what Gavgav said and get vets out of the way first and do it the other way round... :2thumb:


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## Elsiegecko2015 (Jul 5, 2015)

*Thanks.*

Thanks for all your help so far guys. I obviously did some research but online there are SO many contradicting statements out there.... 

Tonight I've made sure that I've covered the sides and back of his viv so that he can't see out, so should feel a little safer. Tomorrow I'm going to purchase some more interesting things for him to climb around etc and add in a shelf (Thanks so much for your guide, deffo following that) 

I've also ordered a proper thermometer so I can make sure the levels are right.... In the mean time ... I'll get him booked into the vet to be on the safe side and continue following your tips ... Thanks again ... Hopefully he'll be feeling more peckish soon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everything Crossed !!!!!!!!!!! :2thumb:


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## Artisan (Mar 27, 2011)

Elsiegecko2015 said:


> Thanks for all your help so far guys. I obviously did some research but online there are SO many contradicting statements out there....
> 
> Tonight I've made sure that I've covered the sides and back of his viv so that he can't see out, so should feel a little safer. Tomorrow I'm going to purchase some more interesting things for him to climb around etc and add in a shelf (Thanks so much for your guide, deffo following that)
> 
> I've also ordered a proper thermometer so I can make sure the levels are right.... In the mean time ... I'll get him booked into the vet to be on the safe side and continue following your tips ... Thanks again ... Hopefully he'll be feeling more peckish soon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everything Crossed !!!!!!!!!!! :2thumb:


Good luck : victory:


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## MrGeckotastic (Jul 3, 2015)

*Not eating try this*

I have bought a few leos recently and all of them didnt eat for thier first week this would be them settling in but i also noticed some of them wouldn't eat out of a bowl they will gladly take food from my fingers and tweezers but not from a bowl so maybe worth trying that you may not have luck that way but was worth mentioning. Thanks Carl


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