loss of appetite

Question
it is my friend she has a fat tailed gecko and it is that it has lossed it's appetite and it is lossing weight and is shedding wot can she do to help it

Answer
Hi Lizzy,

Unfortunately, loss of appetite is not specific to any particular condition. Aside from ensuring the husbandry condtions are correct then a vet visit may be the best other option.
Shedding will inhibit appetite but usually not to the point of obvious weight loss. If the shedding process is really going badly with a lot of retained skin, especially on the feet and around the head and eyes then the resulting stress can put an animal off eating. Fat tails are visual hunters. Retained skin on the feet can cause discomfort and even circulation problems and tissue death. This is often humidity related. Have your friend give her gecko a 20 minute soak in a bit of tepid water. Animals that are not eating are often dehydrated as well. Soaking will give him an opportunity to drink and will soften any retained skin that can then be gently rolled off. A moistend cotton-tipped swab can help with areas around the head and eyes if needed.
Reptile appetites are also very temperature dependent. A portion of the enclosure will need to be warmed to the 85 -90 F range to trigger appetite and allow proper digestion. If there has been a change (like air conditioning starting) then the temperature may have changed.
Stress is another factor that can affect appetite. Excessive handling or lack of suitable hiding spots can contribute to this. Has your friend been supplementing the diet with calcium and minerals? Calcium deficiencies are very common with captive reptiles and lead to skeletal weakness in the legs and jaw which in turn affects their ability to move and hunt.
The other various factors are really something that a vet will have to investigate. Even captive bred geckos (and fat tails are frequently still wild caught) can have intestinal parasites and this is a very common cause of appetite and weight loss. If it has been housed on a loose particle substrate like sand then intestinal impaction is always a possibility as well.