Weight & Morph question

[serpentor]

I purchased this leo late spring last year as a baby. It has always been a good eater & grew fast but it never seemed to put weight on it's tail? It has a fat belly but doesn't get the "fat" tail like my other Leos (Females). I have seen it eat 3 Pinkies and it still doesn't pack on weight in it's tail. I don't think it is parasites because I house him with my 4 other females and they all have fat Tails.

[Tim and Julie B]

Leos are kind of like people, they gain and retain weight differently. Males are prone to thinner tails than females, due to the fact that females are the egg producers, which genetically makes them retain more weight. If he is eating well I wouldn't worry that his tail isn't as big as the females. However, just because the females are fat and robust, you can't rule out a parasite. One in a group of many could have them without the others being affected. You may, for curiosities sake, want to get fecals done to be sure that all is in order with them. Can't hurt:)

Julie

[serpentor]

The local petstore has a product called Para-Zap and the owner who also breeds leopard geckos says it works. Has anybody tried this stuff it is $14. I also had him and the females deparasited about 4 months ago I think it wa scalled Panicure? I was told that Crix can give them Parasites? The petstore owner told me that since he switched his leo's to Mealworms he has eliminated parasites. I tried to post a pic of him but couldn't get it small enough. :(

[Slannesh]

It's possible for pretty much any feeder insect to house parasites. Crickets are just the most commonly heard about because they're the most commonly used.

I'd STRONGLY suggest against treating for something you don't know you have. Many parasite treatments are pretty hard on your herp's system and to unnecessarily treat them is just a bad idea. If you suspect unwelcome guests get a fecal done and you'll know for sure what you're dealing with.

[serpentor]

If I had him treated for parasites about 4 months ago, he should be Ok? and this is just the way he is? He is a real good eater I just hand fed him 9 superworms, maybe he just has a High Metabolism?

[serpentor]

Here is a pic of him does his tail look to thin, also what morph is he? He was supposed to be a Jungle. I got him as a Baby and the guy said he would became a Jungle?http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=39236

[serpentor]

I can provide better pic, But I can't make them small enough and still being clear to post here :(

[Tim and Julie B]

He's very healthy. You don't need to worry about him at all. He has a very typical tail for a male:)

Parazap is a great product, it is all natural, you can use it with any animal and it's VERY hard to overdose. It is benficial in removing many kinds of parasites and increasing the appetite of picky eaters and breeding females and I would reccommend it over any chemical based medication. I've used it successfully for 3 years now, and never had even one problem.

Julie

[clint545]

That my friend is an Albino. As far as his tail, it looks alright esp if he's under a yr old.

[Tim and Julie B]

I missed the morph question, oops. He is a beautiful "jungle" albino! Congrats.:)

Julie

[serpentor]

Thanks, I new it was an albino, but Didn't know if it was really a Jungle because I have been told it was an Aberrant? I was told on another Forum that it was an aberrant because the Bands on the Tail where not broken up? And yeah he is under a year old about 10 or 11 months.

[Tim and Julie B]

Hmm....I thought he did have some broken lines on the tail. If not, it's abberant. Guess I'll have to check that photo again, lol.

Julie

[Tim and Julie B]

Oooopppsss, he's an abberant. Oh, and it's a rainwater albino. I forgot to mention that before:)

Julie

[serpentor]

RainWater?? I think the Guy told me Tremper? Dang I've been buying Tremper Females. I have 3 Trempers Females and I RW. I'll try to post another Pic.

[serpentor]

The Pic of the Male is the Very Last one.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=39130

[Gregg M]

Your leo looks fine..... Like Julie said, males can look thinner than femals do...... Also reptiles do not have fast metabolisms..... They do not maintain a constant body temp...... Their metabolism is based on thermoregulation......

[serpentor]

I was just joking about the metabolism:)

[DragnDrop]

Originally posted by serpentor
He was supposed to be a Jungle. I got him as a Baby and the guy said he would became a Jungle

Leopards don't 'become jungles' later on. They either are, or are not jungles from conception, but they don't grow into being jungles later on. Jungle is genetic, visible immediately if they're homozygous for the trait.
He also looks like a Rainwater to me, but to be honest, a few (very few) Trempers do look a bit like Rainwater albinos. There's a small chance he is a Tremper but I'd be willing to bet he's pure Rainwater.

His weight looks good for a male, you don't want obese males since they tend not to breed very well. Slim and fit males do much better than fat ones. Females tend to pack on the weight easily since they need fat for egg production as well as fat to rely on while they're too gravid to eat. Males don't have those problems, so they don't usually get tails like females do.

[Topaz]

I may be wrong, but on the bearded dragon forum they advise against pinkies as food as the developing bones mya cause impaction?

[serpentor]

Originally posted by Topaz
I may be wrong, but on the bearded dragon forum they advise against pinkies as food as the developing bones mya cause impaction?

I never heard that, But I just fed him some pinkies because I thought he needed to put weight on his tail. I feed all my leopard geckos Crickets,mealworms,waxworms,and superworms. It might be different for Beardies but I thought it was ok to feed pinkies as Treats or To breeding females?

[DragnDrop]

Pinkies in moderation are okay, specially for breeding females. Males generally don't have a need for them, they don't need to replace a lot of nutrients that were used in egg production. I give a pinky to my females after they've laid a clutch of eggs, but not as a regular food item the rest of they year.
There's no problem with causing impaction from the 'bones' since pinkies don't have any much in the line of a skeleton, their bones are still relatively soft.

[Manitoban Herps]

Thats an awesome male you have there, very nice! :D

[serpentor]

Originally posted by Manitoban Herps
Thats an awesome male you have there, very nice! :D Thanks


I'm just trying to figure out if it's a tremper or a LV/RW. So I contacted the guy I got it from and I am waiting for the answer.
I went and talked to alocal breeder today and he said it looked like a LV/RW but it could just be a well breed Tremper? He said some people try to breed out the Darker pigment in the trempers, and he said LV are more Pink than mine is?

[Tim and Julie B]

That would have to be the most spectacular tremper ever:)

Julie

[serpentor]

I'm still waiting for a reply from the breeder, But I am thinking that it is a tremper, because it was a replacement for the Tremper Jungle Male I bought from him. I figure he would have gave me another tremper unless he didn't have anymore.

[DirtyDuck]

I was told by the breeder that it is a Tremper Albino, because he has never sold a RW/LV male (Stripe)? before so he is positive it is a Tremper. I think he is referring it to a stripe from it's baby picture I sent him but I can't make it small & Clear enough to post on here. It's me serpentor................. long story on The different name.

[Tarzet]

I am curious....Does this look Tremper or Rainwater?

http://www.tarzet.net/aires_body.jpg

[Tarzet]

Oh....nice gecko Serpentor :) I love pictures of them looking up....you can really see thier smile!

[TLH_Wär§cöötmän]

Nice gecko Tarzet

[Tarzet]

thanks TLH :) He is a Tremper Albino Possible Het Patternless. He hatched here in 2003, from my DH Patternless Albino Group....that were also all hatched here ....lol :)