Just wondering if this is normal....

[KristenT]

So, I've had a female leo dumped on me. I haven't a clue how to care for one, but I'm trying. She looks and seems healthy enough, crawls about when I handle her, she's really quite sweet. The temperatures here have dropped though darastacally, and I'm not sure if they brumate for the winter or not, but she seems to be slowing. I don't know if it's the weather, or what..
She doesn't seem much interested in food. Since I've had her, she's eaten one small dubia, one waxworm (I know, not the best of food for them, but it's what she came with) and possibly a meal worm or two, unless they escaped and I didn't find them.
I know they don't eat like my beardie does, but she's really not eating at all it seems like.
Just a little unsure here... I'm actually writing this with out being prepared, I'm sorry. I don't have the specs on her temperatures or humidity, but I will get them tomorrow.
I guess my long-winded question is, normal or not normal to not eat like this at winter?

 

[zandi202]

Leopard geckos will slow down, but they never actually brumate.

Leos tend to eat occasionally. One of my girls went two weeks before eating. It's one of their things. Though the temp of the UTH can sometimes play in whether they're eating or not.

 

[Dranya]

Had my leo for 10 years, and yes she slows down her eating in the winter.
I live in the UK so it gets pretty cold here, I have her lamp on full and heat mat in winter.

She's my greedy baby and usually eats 2 or 3 times a week if needed. I usually feed her once a week to keep her weight down as she got fat a few years ago lol. And she usually eats once every week or two in the winter.

 

[dragonlover4774]

When i had a leopard (gave him to a friend, still goin' strong!!), i used a red light and tile, and he really enjoyed shoving his body onto the tile, it kind of works like a UTH, but you can regulate it more easily!!
Hope it helps!!

 

[zandi202]

I'd be careful about red lights, because, from what I understand, red lights are one that leos can see and it bothers their eyes. That's what happened to my girl Ava because I listened to a Petco employee and now she has poor eye/food coordination.

UTH are really easy to use if you buy a dimmer switch and I find to be a lot less of a hassle. Plus, the tile underneath a leo's body will cool down without direct heat and unlike a bearded dragon, they digest from their stomach, not their back temps.

 

[dragonlover4774]

Oh, well, i guess i'll try both, because I'm a bit iffy with heat pads, as my first leopard died (i was 7) from not getting enough heat, maybe a CHE??

 

[zandi202]

That's wierd because UTH give off too much heat. CHE's give off way too much heat.