Skinny crestie

I have 2 cresties, both the same age and husbandry. one seems to be falling behind, the male, and i wonder if i should put him in a smaller or larger tub? we moved him to a warmer shelf in our reptile room....i am also considering hand-feeding and maybe assist-feeding some bugs to get him used to them. (none of my geckos really care for bugs). any suggestions welcomed - thank you!

Are they housed together?

I'd try a smaller enclosure and also consider trying a different flavor/brand of CGD. Can you tell if he is eating well? Are you seeing poos frequently? I've seen better weight gain since incorporating the pangea growth / breeding formula with my crew (I think it has higher calories).

Warmer temps (in general) tend to help them eat better, at least, that is what I've seen in my collection. I have a gecko as a class pet but also keep others at home in a heated reptile room (no lower than 75f usually around 78-80f in spring / summer) and when the class gecko goes home for summer break or over vacations during the year, she tends to eat more than she does in the cooler classroom..and that's even with a heat lamp on the terrarium in the classroom.

If your room temps stay below ~76f, I'd definitely consider adding a small rhp or spotlight for heating. If you go that route, make sure you have the lamp on a dimmer switch or thermostat so that it can be adjusted and do not sit it over glass.

Good luck! Sometimes you do everything right and still have a slow grower/picky animal.

1. Make sure that the gecko is housed alone in a quiet area, with plenty of hides and foliage.

2. Feed Pangea Gecko Diet with Insects: https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/...h-insects.html. There is also a fig flavored version of this food. Pick the flavor your gecko likes best. I have had great success with this food with a few picky eaters that were on the thin side due to not eating enough.

3. Be careful with the temperatures, especially during the warmer months of the year. Colder temps definitely result in less appetite, but too hot is more dangerous. 75 degrees is perfect (winter temps for adult geckos can be lower). I aim for 78 degrees as the max with cresteds (over 80 and you are in emergency range/risk of death).

4. Monitor poop and weight (with a digital scale if possible).

5. If no improvement in a few week to a month, consider seeing a reptile vet for a fecal exam to rule out internal parasites.

6. A few other notes--males do tend to be smaller. Do not expect a male to grow at the same rate as a female once sub-adult age is reached. If poop is runny, overly smelly, or looks off, visit a vet for a fecal asap. Assist feeding is fine to get a gecko used to a new food or to aid a thin animal, but do not make a habit of it or you risk having a gecko that relies on you to always hand feed it.

Thank you everyone for the responses! All of my geckos get a mix of Pangea with insects or Pangea breeding formula. They are not housed together and temperature is around 80. Appetite is not so great in this one with a lot of food left over. I may try mixing up single flavors and see which 1 they like best.

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