My leopard gecko is thin. Can baby food help it gain weight?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is likely that you will be able to help him. However, I would recommend you consider taking him to your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment first. They can at least assess the situation and recommend therapy accordingly which you may then continue at home. Best of luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

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.

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

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.

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.

Have him examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet. Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites. This will all give you a better idea of his health status. Barring any major illness or injury, he could be rehabbed and live a "normal" life. Set him up in an appropriate enclosure with correct parameters. Offer appropriately sized and gut loaded prey as well as some Fluker's Repti-Boost. Soak in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte daily for 20-30 minutes to maintain hydration. It may take time, but with a healthy diet, proper environment and some care, he could recover.

She looks a bit thin, but if she is a juvenile then that's fine. As she matures, she will bulk up. The best way to confirm good health would be to have her examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp veterinarian.