Why is my juvenile leopard gecko afraid of crickets and not eating?

The tank may be too cold. If so, Rita will stay on the mat. Low temps can affect appetite and activity in reptiles. Maintain a basking spot temperature in the 90s F. This will produce a gradient of the mid 70s to 80s in the rest of the cage. You can soak her in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte. This will warm her up and treat or prevent mild dehydration. Feed appropriately sized prey. Crickets or dubia roaches are recommended over mealworms for juvenile geckos. They should be no bigger than the space between her eyes. Gut load them for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value.

Check the temperature in the enclosure. Low temps can affect appetite in reptiles. Also, be sure you are feeding appropriately sized prey. Typically, you want them no bigger than the space between the eyes. For a younger gecko of Ben's size, you may need to find 2-3 week old crickets.

Make sure the crickets aren't too big. They should be no bigger than the space between Medusa's eyes. Confirm proper temperature as well. Reptiles need adequate warmth to digest food. Low temps will affect appetite and activity. She should be fed twice daily. Gut load prey for 24 hours prior to feeding. Dust with vitamins/minerals every other day. Vegetables can also be offered every other day.

Check the temperature in his enclosure. Low temps can affect appetite in reptiles. Offer prey about 2 hours after the heat lamp turns on in the morning. Make sure he is well hydrated by soaking or misting him regularly. It may be a preference. If he is eating the Repashy CGD regularly, don't worry too much about him eating crickets or not.

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

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.

Confirm proper temperatures. Low temps can affect activity, appetite and digestion in reptiles. Soak Jax in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte. This will provide heat and may treat or prevent mild dehydration. Be sure prey is appropriately sized, no bigger than the space between the eyes. Look for pinhead crickets or freshly hatched/molted dubia roaches. Gutload them for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. Fluker's Repti-Boost can be used as a supplement. If Jax does not begin eating, have him examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet to diagnose illness or injury.