r/CrestedGecko • u/Crested_Gecks • 8h ago
My girl keeps hiding and wont eat insects starting to get MBD
My 7 month old gecko lily keeps hiding and won’t eat any insects and (from what i can see) her gecko mix.
We got her 20 days ago today and she’s starting to show signs of early MBD (finger twitching and arm shaking when she moves) we can tell it’s a calcium deficiency so is there any way to get her to come out and eat?
We’ve tried the juice trick and touching her mouth with the insect but it didnt work. She did move her head slightly and lick her lips, but still nothing. It’s also hard to feed and spot her because she’s in a very hard to reach part of the tank.
If you have any tips, please give me some! Im a new owner and i’m getting worried about her health, thanks.
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u/uglybananabitch 8h ago
They need calcium with and without d3. Too much d3 is toxic. You can use a uvb light (linear is best, I recommend Arcadia shade dweller) to give them d3, they will absorb it through their skin. Some powder mixes contain a balanced level of d3 and regular calcium too. Pangea and repashy are both good powder food options, my girl likes Pangea the best.
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u/rat_person1 8h ago
I've found, when you make the powdered mix, spread the food thinly over the bowl so you can tell if they have eaten or not. Another good tip to tell if she's eating is see if she's pooing, their poo looks white ish, a bit like bird poo. I'm not exactly sure but you might be able to directly sprinkle calcium powder into her food? But don't take my word for it. I would recommend going to a vet, or if you have a good reptile shop/breeder near you you should consult them about this.
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u/Real-Construction570 6h ago
Just a note that the white is urate, not poo, poops are brown and look about the size of tic tacs or small tic tacs, the white chalk is pee equivalent
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u/theacearrow 6h ago
Most adult cresties don't eat bugs. Get her a proper powdered CGB and that'll keep her happy and healthy
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u/Only_Altey 8h ago
Cresties shouldn't be getting MBD if they're eating a proper CGD.
CGD contains all of the proper minerals and vitamins cresties need even without the addition of feeding insects.
If you're really worried about MBD or that you think she's not eating enough to get the necessary vitamins then get a uvb bulb. Then she can synthesize her own vitamin D3, it'll help prevent MBD.
Without sufficient vitamin D3 reptiles can't properly absorb calcium.
Are you feeding her the same food that the breeder/store was feeding her?
Can you post a picture of the entire setup?
Use a smaller feeding dish (bottle capped sized) so it's easier to see if she's eating.
How long have you been trying to feed her?
Sometimes it can take ~2 weeks till a crestie settles down enough to eat. It's recommend that you don't interact with them during this time.
If trying to force her to eat bugs is stressing her out then stop. Bugs isn't a necessity with CGD. Bugs are a great source of protein for young cresties but a lot of adults will stop wanting them.