[mcnulty5]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Freer

Does the calcium powder you are using have D3 in it? Besides having a small bowl of it in her tank, you should also dust her crickets with this once in awhile. I like Rep Cal's phosphorous-free calcium with D3.

How are her eyes? Early on you mention that they were crusty.

Crickets are a better food source than mealworms. Mealworms could lead to impaction.

Hi Again,

I don't have any calcium powder but will get some. You see, I have inherited Esteban from my 15 year old son who has lost interest in her. I am hoping to get her healthy so that I can find a suitable long term home for her. I am pretty sure that she is blind in one eye as it is all dried up. She had an infection in it many months ago and not sure it ever cleared. I took her to the vet at the time and it cost me over $250 in all. That was quite a shock. Anyway, I don't know if my son followed through as well as he should have with the drops. The other eye looks good much of the time but I am still not convinced that she can see. I am not giving her mealworms at all anymore, just the crickets for now. We had another gecko who also enjoyed an occasional pinkie mouse. What do you think about that? Deb

[Riverside Reptiles]

I don't usually recommend feeding pinkies as they are almost all fat. But in a case like this, where an animal has lost an extreme amount of weight, it might not be a bad idea. Keep in mind that this should only be a very occasional thing and only until Esteban is back up to a normal weight.

After all of this hard work that you've put into him, it seems a shame to rehome him. Perhaps you might reconsider keeping him? Once you get him back to good health and on track, he will be a breeze to care for. In any case, I commend you on taking the time and effort to do what's right for the animal. Many people would have simply let him die or shoved him off on some poor unsuspecting new owner.

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi Deb ~

Nice to have your name! Always feel a bit awkward replying to the GU "name".

Glad that Ethan chimed in, because I have no experience feeding pinkies to leopard geckos. What I was going to say was that pinkies are high in fat.

In your area, Rep Cal's Phosphorous-free Calcium with D3 should be easy to find. Calcium with D3 is a huge necessity in a gecko diet. Without the proper calcium levels Metabolic Bone Disease will develop...somewhere Esteban does not want to go. The D3 helps metabolize the calcium, whereas any phosphorous subtracts from your efforts to maintain the proper calcium versus phosphorous level of the crickets.

Maybe Esteban still has some vision out of one eye? Hopefully, yes! (I know how steep vet bills can feel.)

[mcnulty5]

Originally Posted by mcnulty5

Hi Again,

I don't have any calcium powder but will get some. You see, I have inherited Esteban from my 15 year old son who has lost interest in her. I am hoping to get her healthy so that I can find a suitable long term home for her. I am pretty sure that she is blind in one eye as it is all dried up. She had an infection in it many months ago and not sure it ever cleared. I took her to the vet at the time and it cost me over $250 in all. That was quite a shock. Anyway, I don't know if my son followed through as well as he should have with the drops. The other eye looks good much of the time but I am still not convinced that she can see. I am not giving her mealworms at all anymore, just the crickets for now. We had another gecko who also enjoyed an occasional pinkie mouse. What do you think about that? Deb

Hi Elizabeth, I haven't been online for awhile. Sorry for the delayed reply. Still trying to figure out how to navigate this site. Not sure I know the difference between a post and a tread. I guess I am showing my age now. Anyway, Esteban is doing well and eating regularly now. Her vision still seems limited so I have continued to handicap the crickets before putting them in with her to insure that she gets them. She seems to have the urge to hunt, but is either not that smart or really can't see them. One eye is open wide now but the other is still closed. My guess is that the left eye is shot. I can see her trying to focus with the other one.. I got the calcium with D3 and dip the crickets before feeding them to her. She seems to be growing stronger. Thanks for all of the good advice.
Deb

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi Deb ~

Thanks for your update on Esteban. I'm glad that she is getting stronger with your good care.

A thread is the whole collection of individual posts on one topic.

You are welcome about the advice.