Help! new gecko owner really needs some advice...

[bubbles1505]

Hi there, I really hope someone out there can give me some advice. 4 months ago I bought 2 male leopard geckos from my local pet shop. I made the mistake of not going to a specialist reptile shop because I've since discovered that you can't house adult males together. Anyway, my 2 new geckos were fairly young and were perfectly fine at first. But 4 months later, one gecko has thrived, doubled in size, shedding skin regularly and is fit & healthy but the other gecko is very poorly. He's only shed once, he is very thin, hasn't eaten for the past 4-5 weeks, and now his eyes have completely closed up. I've now spent out on a brand new tank for my poorly gecko so they are no longer living together. Hoping that this will improve his condition. I've offered crickets, mealworms & waxworms but he doesn't eat at all. He only ever leaves his hide to do a poo. I have a hot/cool side with monitored temps.

When I visited the pet shop where I bought them and said that one gecko was so much smaller, they just told me that some geckos are big and some small, just like humans! I'm desperately disappointed that my first venture into keeping lizards has turned out like this. I really don't know if there is much hope left for my poorly gecko and whether it's worth searching to find a reptile vet to take him to.

I would so appreciate any advice than can be given.

Huge thanks in advance

[mrkeda]

To me 4-5 weeks with out eating and not doing anything about it now is pretty slack. You can crush the crickets into a paste and put some on the end of his nose so he lick it off.

[bubbles1505]

Originally Posted by mrkeda

To me 4-5 weeks with out eating and not doing anything about it now is pretty slack. You can crush the crickets into a paste and put some on the end of his nose so he lick it off.

Thanks for your very judgmental comment!!

[mrkeda]

Originally Posted by bubbles1505

Thanks for your very helpful comment!!

You're welcome.

[bubbles1505]

Originally Posted by mrkeda

You're welcome.

Ok fine, whatever, if this forum is full of such unhelpful people like that then I clearly won't bother with it. So you can post your sarcastic replies till you're hearts content, because I shan't be returning to check this website anymore. Feel free to contact the admin and get my thread deleted too if you fancy... ta very much

[mrkeda]

Just repost in the lizards forums on here, plenty of people will help. theres a post similar to yours going on at the moment. See what they say.

[vgorst]

Originally Posted by bubbles1505

Hi there, I really hope someone out there can give me some advice. 4 months ago I bought 2 male leopard geckos from my local pet shop. I made the mistake of not going to a specialist reptile shop because I've since discovered that you can't house adult males together. Anyway, my 2 new geckos were fairly young and were perfectly fine at first. But 4 months later, one gecko has thrived, doubled in size, shedding skin regularly and is fit & healthy but the other gecko is very poorly. He's only shed once, he is very thin, hasn't eaten for the past 4-5 weeks, and now his eyes have completely closed up. I've now spent out on a brand new tank for my poorly gecko so they are no longer living together. Hoping that this will improve his condition. I've offered crickets, mealworms & waxworms but he doesn't eat at all. He only ever leaves his hide to do a poo. I have a hot/cool side with monitored temps.

When I visited the pet shop where I bought them and said that one gecko was so much smaller, they just told me that some geckos are big and some small, just like humans! I'm desperately disappointed that my first venture into keeping lizards has turned out like this. I really don't know if there is much hope left for my poorly gecko and whether it's worth searching to find a reptile vet to take him to.

I would so appreciate any advice than can be given.

Huge thanks in advance

Some people just like to stir.

Temperatures and setup is a good place to start - explain your setup, details on temperatures, supplements etc.

Unfortunately normal pet shops often have very little knowledge on reptiles (then again some reptile shops aren't that great either).

Ok, you say his eyes have completely closed up, is that because of shed or is there something in his eyes? Without the use of his eyes it'll make it very difficult for him to hunt. If he's pooing, that's a good sign - weird question but what does it look like? Normal or not? Also remember that after moving tanks they tend to go off their food anyway, how long has he been in the new tank?

You can also try critical care formula, syringe feeding him may give him that boost to encourage him to start hunting again.

Well done for separating them but it sounds like time for a vet visit.

[geckorob]

i think a vet will be a good idea to im new to geckos to hope it all goes well for your little leo

[Mikroberts]

yo bubbles i private messaged you with all the helpful types i can provide please read it.

[bubbles1505]

Originally Posted by vgorst

Some people just like to stir.

Temperatures and setup is a good place to start - explain your setup, details on temperatures, supplements etc.

Unfortunately normal pet shops often have very little knowledge on reptiles (then again some reptile shops aren't that great either).

Ok, you say his eyes have completely closed up, is that because of shed or is there something in his eyes? Without the use of his eyes it'll make it very difficult for him to hunt. If he's pooing, that's a good sign - weird question but what does it look like? Normal or not? Also remember that after moving tanks they tend to go off their food anyway, how long has he been in the new tank?

You can also try critical care formula, syringe feeding him may give him that boost to encourage him to start hunting again.

Well done for separating them but it sounds like time for a vet visit.

My new tank with my poorly gecko is Exo Terra 30x30x45 cm, substrate is sand, thermostat heat pad which is 85F hot and cool side 75F, water bowl, food is always dusted in calcium/vitamin powder. I do at the moment only have 1 hide. My larger tank that my healthy gecko is in has both cool hide & humid hide (with moss).

He's now turned very white, so I'm assuming he's going to shed again soon. He is literally just incredibly thin, especially the tail. His eyes are just shut, there is no mucus around them. There is no signs of injury on him either.

The shop that I purchased them both from, told me they only sold males and they had 1 tank with about 8 geckos in. I'm wondering if he was a weaker gecko to start with anyway.

I know in the long term, keeping them in separate tanks in the best thing, but I feel that I've probably made my poorly gecko's condition worse in the short term by introducing him to a new environment.

Also, I do now have the name of a local reptile vet.

Thank you,
from a very despondent new gecko owner