My leopard gecko isn't eating and his tail is too skinny. What to do?

Check the temperature in the enclosure. Low temps can affect appetite and digestion in reptiles. Soak her in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte to provide warmth and hydration. Confirm appropriately sized prey, no bigger than the space between the eyes. You can offer crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms and phoenix worms. Gut load all prey for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. Submit a stool sample to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites. If she will allow, look in and around her mouth for any signs of injury or infection. This may include redness, swelling, discharge or bleeding. If you see anything suspicious, have her physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose and treat any underlying causes.

Make sure any prey is appropriately sized, no bigger than the space between his eyes. They should be gut loaded for at least 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. Consider adding LaFeber’s Emeraid for Carnivores, Oxbow’s Carnivore Critical Care or Fluker's Repti-Boost to get weight on him. Submit a stool sample to your herp veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites. If there are cryptosporidium in his stool, they may be responsible for his condition.

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

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.

The bump could be local infection or irritation. Monitor it for change or growth. Symptoms to look for are redness, increased swelling, bruising or sensitivity on that side. Make sure you don't have two males as this could lead to stress or bullying which can affect appetite. If you do have two males, provide a larger enclosure with multiple hides for them to use. Feed them separately if you can and use a kitchen scale to monitor the weight of the skinnier gecko. See your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles if there is no weight gain or weight loss. Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites.

He may have a retained eye cap which could be the cause of those symptoms. Check temps in the cage. Low temps may affect appetite and activity in reptiles. Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 15-20 minutes. This will provide warmth and may treat or prevent minor dehydration. It may also help is he has any residual shed. You can also massage his abdomen, front to back, during the soak to stimulate defecation. I see you use sand as a substrate, so an impaction is always a concern. Pick up some Fluker's Repta Boost or Oxbow Carnivore Care from the local pet store. This is a better option than baby food. If he doesn't start eating in the next few days or if the eye does not improve, have him seen by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles.