Just got a Leopard Gecko from Petsmart. Health Qs?

Hello, I just bought a baby leopard gecko from petsmart about 16 days ago... It was the biggest gecko out of the tank at about 4.5 inches long... I have the perfect cage set up for her, with water, crickets, mealworms etc... everything the internet said a gecko should have. The problem is, she isn't really eating, and her tail is very thin. I read about this and the book says a thin tale shows that the gecko is malnourished. How can I get her to eat more? Is she sick?





Here is a pic of her... I went back to petsmart to see their new batch of geckos and they all have FAT tails.

Hey
Welcome to the forum!
There's a few things we need to know to determine why she isn't eating..?

do you give her calcium? and calcium + vitamin D3? what supplements are you giving her?

what temperature is your hot side and what heat source are you using?

what substrate are you using on the bottom of her tank?

Was her tail skinny when you got her?

If you could take a minute to fill out our care questionaire that would help greatly. You can find a link at the bottom of this thread or by checking the health section stickys. Just copy/paste it ino the thread and answer as best you can. This way were not asking a million questions and have everything we need.

Unfortunately this is a common problem with leos from petco/petsmart, as they have alot of hatchlings in a small enclosure and they don't all get the proper care that they require. With that said, by no means all hope is not lost. Do as the others have suggested and fill out the questionnaire, and if all else fails try using a feeding enclosure once or twice a day, in the times that you have seen your leo eat before. Usually twilight hours such as early morning or early evening. Vy feeding enclosure, I mean a small bin or tank that is full of crickets and meal worms to allow the gecko to choose what he or she will eat. You do not want so many crickets and mealies that they are crawling all over the gecko, but enough to where it is obvious they will grab the geckos attention no matter where he or she is in the enclosure. If possible know the amount of crickets and mealies in the enclosure, and come back to it after about half an hour and see if he or she has eaten any by counting the remaining feeders. There are many, many reasons why your leo wouldn't be eating, as some as been mentioned above, and some other common ones can be poor eyesight or sickness. In most cases of common sickness, that I've come across in my leo ownerships, the leo will actually eat, or at least make an attempt to do so, but will regurgitate the food shortly after, therefore never absorbing the nutrients. While there is no way I could possibly know whether your leo is sick or not, that is my experience, and if you are not noticing that it can only be considered good news. Again, as other have stated, check the temps of your tank (ground level/substrate temperature is MOST important) as if they are off that is probably the most common reason a leo is not eating properly. Keep us updated.

Welcome to the forum! I hope you enjoy your time here and I hope we are able to answer your questions!

If you can answer these questions, we will be able to help you better:

Care Questionaire:

About your leo:
- Sex
- Age & Weight
- Morph (if you know)
- How long have you owned your leo
- Where was he/she obtained (Pet store, breeder, wild caught, etc.)
- Is your leo wild caught or captive bred

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo
- Is your leo acting any different today? If so how
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe.
B) Fecals
- Describe-Do they look any different than normal
- When was the last time he/she went
C) Problem
- Please briefly describe the problem/issue you are experiencing and how long it has been going on

Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size
- Type (ex. glass tank, screen enclosure, tub kept)
- Type of substrate (sand, vinyl tiles, ceramic/stone tiles, etc.)
- Hides (how many, location and type (hothide, humid hide, regular hide etc.)
B) Heating
- What is your main heat source (heat bulbs, under tank heat mat etc) **Please include the brand and size of your UTH if you use one**
- What are your cage temps (hot side and cool side)
- Method of regulating your heat source (thermostat, rheostat, light dimmer etc.)
- What are you using to measure your temps (probe thermometer, infrared lazer tempo gun, stick on temp gauge, etc)
- Do you have any lights (describe type (red,blue, basking etc) and cycle duration)
C) Cage mates
- How many (males, females)
- Describe health, or previous problems of cage mates

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What are you feeding
- How often are you feeding your gecko and how much per feeding?
- How are you feeding (hand fed, tongs/tweezers, left in dish, ect)
B) Supplements
- What calcium suppliment are you using (please include brand)
- What multi vitimin are you using (please include brand)
-How are you implimenting your suppliment program (how often do you dust with each suppliment, do you leave calcium in the tank 24/7 etc.)
- What are you gutloading your feeder insects with

Thanks Kathryn