Newborn gecko advice

hi one of my gecko eggs hatched earlie hours this morning … I’m after advice on what temperature and humidity the hatchling should be kept at please as don’t want to do it all wrong… I’m new to this (new borns ) Any advice will be greatly appreciated

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Cute! Put your little one in at least a 10 gallon tank with reptile carpet or paper towels. Once the other one hatches you can house them together, but keep an eye out for bullying (you may have to separate if they bully each other). There should be a warm and cool side to the tank. The warm side should be about 90F (slight nighttime temperature drop okay). The cool side should be about 70F. You must provide a humid hide on the warm side! I like Zoo Med’s reptishelter with moistened spagnumn moss and I mist the moss daily. I’d recommend providing a non-humid hide on the cool side as well. Offer a water dish at all times and you can mist sparingly as well (some of my leopard geckos prefer to drink droplets off glass and cafe decor).

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When would a hatchling become interested in food?

I was just about to ask in regards to feeding… mine is now 4days old today… he’s shed skin and has a green poo at 01.10am 20th aug I tryed feeding crickets and meal worms but hatchling isn’t intrested and thankyou for advice it’s greatly appreciated

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Hatchlings won’t be interested in food until after their first shed, but I’ve noticed some won’t have interest even longer than this. Most of my hatchlings don’t accept food until they are a week old. After their first shed, I make sure I give them the opportunity to eat at least once a day. If they don’t accept food after they are a week old, I try a little hard to encourage them to eat. You can try offering different prey items and/or tong feeding and/or feeding them in a separate container with no distractions or removing all distractions from their tank during feeding. I’ve noticed once they get their first taste for food they don’t have problems eating :slight_smile:

Hi thankyou for reply… he ate yesterday With a bit of patience he was sceptical at first but after a little while he ate which is good as I’ve never had a new hatchling before so I’m pretty new to all this as is the hatchling but he seems to be quiet content and chilled out :blush:

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image my other two eggs have hatched and my 1st one is doing great thought I’d update

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this is my 1st one what he’s like today 2weeks 2days old

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Hi,… sorry to be a pain… I had 2gecko eggs hatch in 4th aug,… they are very active they’ve shed poop a few times but they will point blank not eat I try every day but they just won’t should I be concert given they are nearly 2weeks now?

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I’m not a super experienced breeder, but I would say that now you are at the point where it’s imperative you get them to eat ASAP.

It can be very difficult to get little geckos to eat. Try offering a variety of food. Make sure all foods are small- they cannot eat all the same things adults can because they are so much smaller. I feed mine small silkworms, extra small hornworms (must be extra small), black soldier fly larvae, and occasionally very small mealworms. Do not leave uneaten crickets in the enclosure, they are likely to eat your gecko. It is safe to leave uneaten caterpillar larvae (silkworms, hornworms), and to leave black soldier fly larvae in a dish. Make sure any dishes you use are shallow, so the hatchlings will be able to easily discover the prey & get access easily.

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Also make sure they have plenty of hides, they might not eat if they’re stressed.

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Hi yes they do ,… update one has now eaten but the other one will not it will lick the juices but it just won’t eat it

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If it’s licking the juices you could always put the juice on it’s nose and it will lick it off. It’s one way to get nutrients in the body until it will eat. What are you currently feeding?

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I agree with @erie-herps , we need to know what food you have offered. If this isn’t figured out quickly you should probably go see a reptile vet who can talk you through these basics in person. They have to eat soon or they’re likely to die. The vet can send you home with a food you can mix into a slurry and give via oral syringe until you have resolved the current issue.

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Hi I’ve small crickets and small meal worms I also have small black soldier things the one that won’t eat is licking the juices but won’t take the full thing in I’m trying again today I try everyday

Have you tried feeding all 3 of those?

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Hi yes I’ve tried all 3 of these if will only lock and not eat

You need to go to a reptile vet or experienced hobbyist in person and have them talk you through this in person as we don’t seem able to resolve this just by trying to get help online, and a baby will die if it doesn’t eat. The veterinarian can examine your baby that won’t eat to see if it has any birth defects that might be inhibiting it’s ability to eat. I have never once had a baby gecko of mine turn down small silkworms, so I think either something is very wrong with the gecko or that we are having a communication issue.

I recently made a post with directions on how to find a reptile veterinarian, I will try and find it & link to it in a moment.

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HERE is the post I made with directions to find a reptile vet.

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Thankyou, just to update both now eat fine thankgod bit delayed but I’ll keep the link much appreciated for your help thankyou

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