The common list of actual causes includes metabolic involvement, bacterial or fungal infection, parasitism, stress, failure to adapt to a new captive environment, improper diet, improper handling or excessive handling, gastrointestinal disorders or blockages, and improper temperature or humidity levels. A gravid female may also become anorectic while she is developing eggs. This is due to the amount of space available in the abdomen for the eggs.
Anorexia is a very serious symptom and should be treated as such. When this symptom is present it is vital that proper veterinary diagnostics and treatment be sought. Attempting to treat this symptom as a stand-alone illness will most often result in failure if the underlying cause is not properly identified and treated. All too often an owner will attempt to treat this symptom by force feeding the animal. While force feeding has its place and is often required to prevent starvation, it is not a treatment for any of the common underlying causes of anorexia. Force feeding may often lead to additional stress, which may serve to weaken the animal's immune system and will only complicate treatment of the true cause of the anorexia. By taking the time to seek proper diagnostic testing and veterinary treatment the underlying cause of the anorexia may be determined and corrected. This will often result in both a correction to the cause and an elimination of the symptom at the same time.
