problem with geckos mouth

carol23 · #1 03-14-2010, 11:14 AM

hi every1,
my gecko is about 1yr, i havent had any problems with feeding up untill 6 days ago, when she stopped eating completely, she used to eat 7 crickets every day then it started slowing down to about 4/5 now she wont eat any,
I have noticed something wrong with her upper lip but dont think its mouth rot, it looks as though its turned under in towards her mouth, i was told it may be dead skin but it dosent look like it to me, she ate a waxworm today although it didnt look very comfortable for her. Temps and viv are all fine.

I also wanted some tips on her viv i want to change the floor from paper towels but i dnt want to use sand any other ideas, i was thinking about slate pieces or would tiles be better, and want to add more things to stimulate her a bit more, her viv is height; 14 inches, width;34 1/2 inches, depth;15 inches.

Any comments or suggestions will be greatly appreciated

chipkali · #2 03-14-2010, 11:53 AM

If you are able to post pictures I'm sure it would help with ideas, but mouth/jaw deformities can be a sign of MBD.

carol23 · #3 03-14-2010, 01:13 PM

I will try to get some photos later when she comes out, but she can b quite camera shy...but i will try anyway !!! Do u have any ideas for viv?

Allee Toler · #4 03-14-2010, 08:19 PM

Your word on "temps are fine" can possibly not be fine. Some people have posted that before with temps being revealed around 85F max. I'm not accusing you of being ignorant, but I would like to be filled in on your exact set up. It can help me, and others, help you out more.

What I'm really interested in besides the temps is your dusting regime. What do you dust with? Name anything and everything you use. And is there a calcium dish in the tank? With what kind of calcium?

carol23 · #5 03-15-2010, 04:47 PM

i managed to get her to eat a wax worm and she is still active. The temps are around 90 day, 70 night, she has 2 hides, 1 moist, 1 dry and i use paper towels for the floor, as i didnt want to use sand -impaction- and didnt really know what else to use every1 recommeds something different.
This thing on her mouth looks like a tooth, i tried to get a photo but the camera dosen't pick it up as its so small.

I dont surpose u have any ideas for her viv as i want to give her things to climb, and explore but i have changed it a number of times and she explores for a night then dosent really bother unless she is hunting. What would u recommed for substrate?

Allee Toler · #6 03-15-2010, 06:03 PM

Slate tile is what I'd recommend for the floor. Put some log/branches in it, and some fake plants. It'll give her lots of places to explore and hide.

So on her mouth, does it look like a few teeth and a piece of the gum was pulled out? I had one, Liam my old super snow, chewed on his water bowl (milk cap) and sliced his gum, making his gum stick out and his teeth that were attached to the gum stick out. It was clearly painful.

carol23 · #7 03-16-2010, 05:18 AM

no, it just looks like 1 tooth no gum at all, she seems to be eating more comfortably at the minute thanx for advice on viv.

chipkali · #8 03-16-2010, 06:45 AM

Sorry Carol I've been off the scene for a bit. I second putting in some slate and logs/plants for climbing and hiding. I had put in a fake rock wall and a reptile hammock in early November and Chip pretty much ignored it up until now. Now within the last week she has been exploring and climbing like crazy! Must be spring fever

Good luck!

carol23 · #9 03-16-2010, 04:53 PM

thanx chip, i know what u mean i have tried so many different things and she will use them for a night and then not bother its the same with her hides. I even built her a climbingthing with hides from polystirene and tile grout she used it 1 week then nevr went back on it, but when shes out of a night b4 i goto bed she trys to climb the walls of her viv, and id like to change her substrate but dont want, sand, sawdust, wood the list goes on. What set up do u have? I just want to see her explore more and make her viv look better.

chipkali · #10 03-16-2010, 10:09 PM

I've got tile as a substrate and a polystyrene background which she has recently started climbing like crazy.In the back left corner is a half log hide. The front left corner has a repti-shelter 3 in one cave. There is a log with a fork that rests over the entry to the cave. On the right side I have a coconut hide in the back and one of those magnetic peekaboo caves in the front. This doubles as her moist hide. Over the top of this cave is her hammock which she has also started enjoying more. I would post pics but I'm not sure I know how!