It is not that unusual for sexually mature leos to slow down and even stop eating for a while in the winter, especially at the age of two years or more when they have completed the bulk of their growth. Do you have a gram scale? If you do, this phenomenon is easier explained with a tracking of their weights by month or by week. If they weigh less than 40gs and lost weight rapidly I'd say you'd need to keep track of it closely and consult with a vet. What kind of substrate are they on? Did you order crypto testing with the fecals? How do the feces look?
From you feeding regimen I'd say you feed them a lot. If you feed them too much then the feeding response will deteriorate, especially this time of year with their metabolic needs the lowest of the seasons. If they see food all the time it will not be a novelty to them. I don't feed my breeders more than 2x weekly in the winter. I also have the same temps and also have a warm room and no belly or incandescent heat. That set-up is a good one for me.
Hope that helps, let us know what happens with the fecals. I hope it is just a case of overmothering (eat, eat!) on your part and not health issues. To be on the safe side: I am not sure what your cage to cage protocol is, however, I would play like everyone is sick now until you get some answers from the vet. Latex on, off when finished with that set-up, and watch contact with items used for everyone like misting bottles or cricket containers. I started using throw-away water dishes from Superior Enterprise, they are cheap and I worry less.
Julie B.
Jon Isaksson wrote:
Sorry, I meant that they stopped eating in the winter time, not heating ;-)
I wonder if it could just be winter cooling down, at the time when I kept leopard geckos always seemed to stop heating during winter or at least less, though all my terrariums where heated and with a thermostats.
With my geckos I always assumed that it was they could see that it got dark earlier, though I didnt switch of my terrarium lights any earlier, but in my case my reptile room had windows.
Just a thought
--------------------------- Jon Isaksson Manchester UK
From: Stacy Foster <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [gecko]was....time to stop the spam Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 12:44:22 -0600
While we're all talking today, I'd like to ask a question for your input.
I've been in reptiles for over 15 years but am new to leopard geckos. I
have a nice colony of about 50 or so and I have recently noticed a slow
down in their eating. I offer mealworms each day Sunday through
Thursday. On Fridays I offer dusted crickets and I don't feed them
anything on Saturday.
It seems they have all slowed down on their eating but a few in
particular have about stopped. I have a big $600 male from Albey's I was
intending to use as my stud horse for my Tang project and he's suffering
the most...really losing weight. I really don't want to lose him. There
are a few others starting to show signs of it as well. I have tried
waxworms and pinkie mice to no avail. I think he is eating a few
mealworms here and there because I did get some droppings from him
Saturday which I took to the vet to test, but he's not eating like he
should.
I keep them in sweater boxes, one gecko per box. So it is not overcrowding. I do not use belly heat, I have a hot room. I keep it 85-90 degrees in the day and drop to about 70 at night. I have not changed anything in the heating or lighting.
Does anyone have any ideas both about the problem and the solution?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
--Stacy
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