Skinny Leopard Gecko

Question
Hello,

I was reading a post you wrote about a skinny gecko.  We have 2 geckos - one is super fat, and the other is super skinny.  Honey - the skinny one - has always been tiny.  That is why my daughter picked her out.  However, tiny as she was, her tail, though not huge, was certainly bigger than it is now.  We feed them calcium dusted crickets, fed with a combination of gold fish food (what was recommended to us when we got the geckos 5 years ago) and commercial cricket water supplemented with nutrients.  They have proper lighting and the substrate is reptile carpet.  Buttercup (the fat gecko) opens her big mouth and the crickets jump in (okay, not literally - but she is an awesome hunter). Honey - not so much.  She's always had a hard time hunting and, in the past couple of months, it is getting significantly worse.  Her tail is thinner than my pinky finger and I can see her spine and hips.  We've started feeding her wax and butter worms (2-3 a day, though only 2 at a time because she's actually thrown them up when she had 3 - followed by a cricket!).  I haven't noticed a weight gain, but it may be too soon to tell.  She is still active, sheds, likes to be handled, sleeps in her water dish - all the things she's always done, but the hunting skill is decreasing constantly.  She misses even the worms sometimes!  I'm wondering if she has something wrong with her eyes.  Is this common?

And what can we do to help?

Thanks,
Sheryl

Answer
Hi Sheryl
I'm sorry to read that you are having a problem with your Gecko

Are these Leopard geckos that you have?

I am guessing that they are and will proceed with trying to help based on that fact

First I would separate  Honey into her own tank or you can buy a sterlite tub(sweater box or a bit smaller) and melt/poke ventilation holes a couple of inches apart along the sides and keep the cover on it and use it for a temporary home for her

Are using a light for heat or an under the tank heat mat along with a light?

They do best with belly heat which most people provide with an under the tank heat mat(uth) and I would get the second largest size-around an 6 x 8 inch one for a 10 gallon tank or this will also work on a 20 long tank
You can safely use one of these under the sterlite tub too

Are you measuring the temps on the floor of the tank where they lay to warm up and digest their food with a digital thermometer with a probe on the end of it?

This is the best and mot accurate type of thermometer to use to check "spot temps'
The stick on ones are only giving you an ambient air temp in the tank
The digital ones with the probes can be purchased at most large stores as indoor/outdoor thermometers
You do not have to buy a reptile one

As far as Honey losing weight-it could be an internal parasite problem or it could also be a dominance problem with your other female
There does not have to be outright aggression for their to be dominance between Leos

I would like to suggest that you call a reptile vet or one that does work with reptiles and ask if you can bring a fecal(poop) sample in to be examined and checked for internal parasites

Pinworms are very common in Leos and can come from the crickets that they eat and they can easily be eradicated with a medicine
usually Panacur in liquid form is mixed up and you give one or two drops per day per the vets instructions

I would also like to suggest that you get a product called Flukers Rept-A-Aid and mix up the powder with the amount of water in the instructions
Draw it up into the syringe provided and place a drop on Honey's snout/nose
Her reaction should be to lick it off

Feed slowly and only around 1/4 of the contents of a full syringe to start with
They usually really like the taste and will drink it right from the syringe as you slowly push the plunger in
Go slowly with Honey since he has already been regurging food

Feed 2 to three times per day
If she regurgitates it then stop the feedings and she will have to see a vet asap
This formula is very beneficial with hydration and nutrients and can be found at most Pet Shops especially the large chain ones

As for her eyes-If she does not have any swelling or cloudiness or any shed stuck in the corners-then I can only guess that her vision is impaired from her weakened state from the weight loss

Your set up sounds good except for the overhead lighting-which I do not use on any of my nocturnal lizards

Red eyed albino Leos are very sensitive to bright white lighting and it will cause them to stay in their hides more than not having it shining down on them
It can also cause vision problems over time
I find that even with the normal colored Leos that they don't really care much for bright white lighting

I hope that this has helped with some of your questions and please write back if you are not clear about anything that I have written

Good Luck with your Geckos

Sandy aka LadyGecko