Leopards Apetite

PaulBar · 03-02-03, 08:16 PM

To Whomever,

I need some advice. I recently purchased a young female Tangerine Gecko born around Sept 2002. (see my Avatar)
She does eat but does not aggressively hunt like my normal coloured brown spotted Geckos. I have only had her for two weeks.

My questions to you are, is she still getting to used to her surroundings and will pick up her apetite soon in the future, or are the Tangerines more finicky about eating than the regular Brown Spotted Leo Gecko varieties, and do not eat as aggressively? I hope she will start hunting crickets more aggressively. She loves live pinkies but I can't feed her those too often. She is in a 20 gall aquarium hot end 88F cool end 80F
during daytime and just a Zoomed Under the Tank Heater at one end at night. Cool end at night 74F. She of course has fresh water, calcium dish and daytime hide and moist hide.

Your advice much appreciated,

Paul

reptilez · 03-02-03, 08:55 PM

i am actually having the same problem, my leo is almost 2yrs old (had her since she was a hatchling) and just recently i put her in with a buddy of mines male LG.. he said he didnt see them do anything and when i got her back she wasn't as aggressive (ive had her back for about 2 weeks) she will eat if i hand feed her, but its not as fun as watching them hunt. first i though she was gravid...but that was 2 weeks ago, now i dont know whats wrong.

can someone help us out?????

ballpython5000 · 03-02-03, 09:00 PM

go to this site, they are very helpful when it comes to geckos:
http://www.geckoisland.com

reptilez · 03-02-03, 09:15 PM

i couldnt find an answer.........could you Paul.

Youkai · 03-02-03, 09:36 PM

Sometimes leos go through periods of fasting. Some leos just eat less then others. I have one who hardly eats compared to my other animals, and has incredible weight.
She could still be getting used to things.
I would suggest to both of you, if the animals are losing weight, get fecals done. Paul, you got a new animal. Reptilez, yours was in with another animal you do not own. So, like I said, if the animals are losing weight, get fecals done ASAP. You don't know what they could have been exposed to.

snakeman92 · 03-02-03, 10:22 PM

what have u been feeding them maybe it is just something they dont like

PaulBar · 03-02-03, 11:06 PM

Thanks all for your advice. Much appreciated.

Youkai, I don't know if fecals are necessary right now, however your advice on that she is still settling in and that some Gecko's just seem to eat less than others, I think this is right on.

I have come to the conclusion that the more exotic/selective bred the strain of Gecko, the more they are sensitive. The normal brown spotted Geckos seem to be much more aggressive and display more hunting skills than the more inbred super hypo tangerine strains.

Reptilez, I dont have the answer either.

Most issues solve themselves if given enough time. Ya just havta keep the hot end 88F and in the long run, there should be no health issues.

Paul

Pixie · 03-02-03, 11:15 PM

Another good gecko site I've found is www.drgecko.com

Found loads of information there

jason h · 03-02-03, 11:37 PM

try feeding at night before you go to bed geckos are nocturnal and i find ours eat better and more at night

paul_le_snake · 03-03-03, 12:05 AM

find out what it was eating b4 u got it, live pinks are ok but only in small numbers. otherwise try wax worms, silks or something a bit slower than a cricket
cheers
paul

Linds · 03-03-03, 03:37 PM

I wouldn't be inclined to think that her morph has anything to do with her behaviour. There are many factors that can come into play, as forementioned by Youkai. Sometimes its just the gecko, I have some very lazy normals myself. This species has been bred to death in captivity, hence even the normals are not that close their wild counterparts.