My gecko stopped eating and is losing weight. How can I help him?

Have him examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet to diagnose and treat any infection related to the loss of the tail. In the meantime, increase tank temps by about 5-10 degrees F, soak daily in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 20 minutes. Once he warms up and rehydrates, offer appropriately sized prey. Gutload prey for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. Supplement with a product such as Fluker's Repti-Boost to get weight back on him. You can clean the stump with diluted betadine or chlorhexidine. Use paper towels for substrate until the stump is healed.

Bump the temperature up to between 26 and 28 C. It's a small change, but 25C may be a bit to cool for Gargoyle geckos. Low temps can affect appetite and activity. The heat mat should be on one half of the tank. Lights can be turned off at night, but the heat source should stay on if nighttime temps drop. Makes sure the diet contains adequate amounts of vitamin D3. Without it, he is at risk of developing metabolic bone disease (MBD). A recommended diet is Repashy Crested Gecko diet. It is a powdered diet that can be reconstituted as needed. It can be found online or in most pet stores. The locusts fed should be gut loaded 24 hours prior to feeding. If he has a healthy appetite, submit a stool sample to your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose intestinal parasites. An exam with an​ experienced herp veterinarian would be strongly recommended to diagnose metabolic bone disease and to begin treatment. Supportive care may be indicated in light of the recent rapid weight loss.

Have her examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose illness or injury. Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial overgrowth. Confirm proper environmental parameters. Low temps can affect appetite and digestion in reptiles. Be sure to feed appropriately sized prey, nothing bigger than the space between her eyes.

Make sure any prey you feed is appropriately sized, no bigger than the space between his eyes. If he has any stuck shed, a good soak in a warm water bath for 15-20 minutes daily may help. If he is constipated, a gentle abdominal massage, from front to back, during the soak may stimulate defecation.

Give him a good soak (20-30 minutes) in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte. This will provide hydration and warm him up which may stimulate his appetite. An exam with your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet is always recommended for "new" pets or pets that may be ill or injured. Offer food about an hour or 2 after the heat lamp comes on in the morning. This will allow him to warm up and he will be more likely to eat what is offered. Use a variety of prey if possible. This can include crickets, dubia roaches, phoenix worms and the occasional superworm. Superworms are good to feed if you have a skinny gecko that needs to put on weight. Review additional care info here: http://www.anapsid.org/leopardgek.html

Pinky is severely emaciated and weak. She needs to see a reptile veterinarian immediately for any chance to save her. They may be able to help diagnose her underlying disease and offer supportive care or nutritional support. If her disease had progressed too far they can offer humane euthanasia to prevent her from suffering further.

Submit a stool sample to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites. Offer fresh crested gecko diet daily. Repashy or Pangea are brands I recommend. You can also offer appropriately sized prey (crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, etc). Be sure to gut load them for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. Confirm proper environmental parameters. Low temps can affect appetite and digestion in reptiles.