AFT geckos (ADVICE NEEDED)

[bradleymarky]

i bought my son 2 aft geckos on saturday, i`m pretty sure they have regrown tails but that doesnt bother me.

problem is they havent ate a thing, ive tried crix, waxies and mealworms, one doesnt come out of the moss box and the other one just sits on the heat mat all the time

i`m hoping they are just settling in and might take a few days before eating but i am seriously thinking about force feeding them on saturday if nothing has changed.

i need advice

 

[Olimpia]

Well, they could be settling in still. It's not atypical for a gecko to take a week or two to start eating. Check that their temperatures are warm enough, because that can also be a factor.

If they still don't eat, try giving them a warm bath for 20 minutes or so, and then return them to their cages. Sometimes the extra heat really inspires them to eat. I'd try that before I force feed them, since that's more stressful.

But don't be alarmed if your fatties don't do anything, they are ultra laid back, way more so that leopard geckos. Mine sleep absolutely all day and just kind of drag themselves around at night lol like it's too much effort to do anything but sleep. And that's totally how they are.

 

[mc9423]

One week without eating - especially when they were just rehomed - is nothing to worry about for any reptile. I say if you need to resort to force feeding, give them at least 2.5 weeks.

 

[bradleymarky]

my son found the smaller one this morning dead, he was quite upset and he has exams today.
i tried feeding the other one baby food this morning and it was licking it quite a bit but lost interest very quickly

ive just found out the guy who i got them from is not a breeder but imports them from africa so they must have come with a disease, i cannot afford to get a autopsy done or to take the other one to the vets at the minute due to vets bills on other pets we have.

if the other one dies i will be gutted. i have contacted the guy that sold me them but he doesnt want to know,i feel like ripping his head off

 

[ChaoticNightsReptile]

That sucks. Wild Caught Reptiles have high mortality rates due to all the stress, poor care from the process of caught and shipped and illnesses they have.

Good luck with the remaining AFT.

 

[Olimpia]

Oh no! So sorry to hear that. It might be parasites conbined with stress, I'm 90% an autopsy would tell you just that.

Did you try the warm bath? I really would try that, to see if it'll stimulate him to eat.
Get a tupperware or something similar with a lid that you can punch a couple holes into, or just not close all the way. Put a papertowel on the bottom and then fill it a little with warm water (the water should be no warmer than what his hot tank temperatures are, so in the mid-80's. And it should reach his tummy, but not be much deeper than that). Then put him in there and let him be for a good half-hour. If there are blockages in his digestive system they will probably get pooped out from the good heat, and at the very least, the heat might get his hunger going.

After that return him to his enclosure and see if he'll eat crickets or something. You can use tweezers to hold a cricket near his face. If he's weak he might not have the energy to go hunting for them, but he might eat if they're easily accessible.

If not, I have no idea what else to suggest I really hope that helps and that the little guy pulls through!

 

[serenitystarlite]

Sorry to hear that you lost one

I just got one yesterday at the reptile show. How do you all have yours setup? Mine is on moss for now, but I've been trying to figure out how to set up his tank

 

[Olimpia]

Depends on the age, but it's older you can use Ecoearth (those bricks of brown coco dirt looking stuff) along with moss. If you're into plants, like I am, you can use african violets and pothos. You can also get large river pebbles from any dollar store in various natural colors and use those too. Just play with stuff you like, and as long as it's safe and non-toxic you can use just about anything you want!

 

[bradleymarky]

ive bathed her for the last 2 nights and no sign of poop or eating, she is licking water of a spoon but not eating anything, when i put crix, mealies or a waxworm near her she seems scared and moves away. i dont know what else to do

 

[bradleymarky]

shes not moving at all and is not taking water and feels very cold, i dont think she will be with us in the morning. im devastated

 

[Olimpia]

Gosh I'm sorry to hear that I wish I could suggest something else but sometimes all it takes is for these wild caught animals to be stressed enough for the parasite load inside them to take over. And there's just not a lot that can be done without a vet, and even then sometimes it's too much.