Is this enigma syndrome???

[Thebmeli]

A few days ago i adopted a leopard gecko from a reptile store and i was ready to pic out a leopard gecko so as i was browsing the store i came across the leos as soon as i started look one stole my eye it was the best looking leopard gecko i have ever seen and it was labeled "Enigma" well i have never heard of anything wrong with this i thought that was just a reg morph like any so i unloaded my wallet of $75 and bought this enigma i also bought some meal worms because he looked skinny and needs to be fattened up! So i paid for this leo and the workers never mention that anything could be wrong with it. After the ride home i cleaned out my cage with my other leo and then added the enigma to it they are both female and they get along just fine but i have realized this enigma acts strange... It usually keeps its head up like its looking at the top of his cage an occasionally throughout the day would start spinning while by the water dish. I realized he also wouldn't eat out of the dish so i fed him 2 of the jumbo meal worms and she gobbled them up but it took a lot of tries for her to grab them she kept missing and hitting my finger. I new something was wrong with its behavior and i really didn't wanna return it because i grew to really like it so i did some research and i think i found out what she has wrong with her....enigma syndrome! Do u agree? And don't worry about me returning it I'm going to keep it, i love her even if shes different. Ill help her through it as if she is kid with autism it don't matter everything is Gods creation thanks and here are some pics of her:

 

[AnthonyRenna]

Yes its enigma syndrome. HUGE mistake you made never add a leo right away there should be a quarentine period of minimun 30-60 days though 90 is better. if the enigma is skinny due to parasites your other gecko probably has the same parasites now. bring stool samples from each to a vet to be sure they are healthy. also ditch the mealworms. crickets roaches silkworms butterworms phoenix worms are all good feeders mealworms are not

 

[Thebmeli]

Yes its enigma syndrome. HUGE mistake you made never add a leo right away there should be a quarentine period of minimun 30-60 days though 90 is better. if the enigma is skinny due to parasites your other gecko probably has the same parasites now. bring stool samples from each to a vet to be sure they are healthy. also ditch the mealworms. crickets roaches silkworms butterworms phoenix worms are all good feeders mealworms are not

They store i bought it from had his stools checked and the gecko has NO parasites thank God! And also he around the same size as my other leo they lay next to each other and also they never fight so im not worried about having them both together but thank you for your concern. So now since i know he has enigma syndrome im giving them a red light. So do they still live a full life span with this dosorder?

 

[AnthonyRenna]

They usually die earlier as they go blind and cant hunt, can hand feed for a while but eventually you will need to forcefeed

 

[Thebmeli]

Omg i did not expect that i paid 75 bucks for a gecko that is going to become blind and needs to be force fed and the store does not refund its gecko... I took on a big journey without expecting this.... If only i new about that enigma syndrome i would never of bought her. But ive only had her for a few days and grown to like her so ill help her through any struggles! About when do they become blind? Boy oh boy i was not prepared to here that last thing i wanted to here that it will be totally depended on me to eat his foods.

 

[AnthonyRenna]

Omg i did not expect that i paid 75 bucks for a gecko that is going to become blind and needs to be force fed and the store does not refund its gecko... I took on a big journey without expecting this.... If only i new about that enigma syndrome i would never of bought her. But ive only had her for a few days and grown to like her so ill help her through any struggles! About when do they become blind? Boy oh boy i was not prepared to here that last thing i wanted to here that it will be totally depended on me to eat his foods.

No way to tell when it will happen as every gecko is different, sorry for your struggle but even so it is still worth it. It bothers me that breeders breed geckos with the syndrome and allow it to continue on

 

[Mardy]

One of the worst things breeders & sellers can do is to sell an enigma and not warn buyers of the enigma syndrome. They pulled a no no by not telling you what to expect from enigmas. I don't care if people want to breed them and sell them, but they need to fully disclose all the potential issues of enigmas.

Unfortunately with you buying that gecko, you have just paid for their poor practice so they can now do more of the same. The only way these breeders/sellers will stop selling enigmas without disclosing their issues is by people not buying them.

If you do decide to keep the gecko, you want to keep the gecko's stress level low. Small things like stress, bright light, breeding, ovulating, being gravid, etc.. all can trigger enigma syndrome. It can be mild syndromes like star gazing, walking in circles, bad aiming... to more harsh syndromes like their inability to shed, laying upside down (which is bad for their breathing), refusal to eat, sudden death, etc.. So if you have the gecko in with another gecko, it's best to separate them to reduce stress levels.

 

[Jonnyinga]

They usually die earlier as they go blind and cant hunt, can hand feed for a while but eventually you will need to forcefeed

That's not right... not all enigmas have such severe problems as you're making out. Some hunt and live just fine with the occasional stargazing or spinning. Others, on the other hand, do need help to eat and drink etc.
I don't like enigmas much either, but spreading rumours and misinformation doesn't help anyone.

To the OP: Your new gecko does look skinny. If the pet store you bought it from said it was parasite free, and said they had it's fecals tested, there's a big chance they lied to you just to make a sale. Any store that lets one get down to such a skinny tail and sells it has no idea what they're doing and is only in it for the money.
My advice would be to separate your new gecko from any others, in it's own tank. This way you can observe and get to know how bad the enigma syndrome is in it, without risking the health of your other gecko. And you can fatten the enigma up while keeping track of what she eats.

 

[Thebmeli]

That's not right... not all enigmas have such severe problems as you're making out. Some hunt and live just fine with the occasional stargazing or spinning. Others, on the other hand, do need help to eat and drink etc.
I don't like enigmas much either, but spreading rumours and misinformation doesn't help anyone.

To the OP: Your new gecko does look skinny. If the pet store you bought it from said it was parasite free, and said they had it's fecals tested, there's a big chance they lied to you just to make a sale. Any store that lets one get down to such a skinny tail and sells it has no idea what they're doing and is only in it for the money.
My advice would be to separate your new gecko from any others, in it's own tank. This way you can observe and get to know how bad the enigma syndrome is in it, without risking the health of your other gecko. And you can fatten the enigma up while keeping track of what she eats.
Ehh what a headache i'm screwed! Do they sell anything that can help parasites if worse comes to worse... And by now my other one will no doubt have it too because they have been together what a mistake i have made. That pic i put up is my original gecko he has a fat tail and is doing great i really hope this new enigma didn't ruin him:'(
I do no everything in this planet i all about money but i mean this place i bought it from is called exotic reptiles and they have good rating and i think that they would of have got in some trouble if there animals got parasites because dont they get inspections and one parasite can ruin a whole store! So thank you for ur advice but i really wanna think positive because i worked hard for that money to buy the gecko my parents made me pay for all expenses for my pets and i don't even have a job yet I've been doing work for neighbors just to make money. Id really hate to now that i screwed my perfectly healthy geckos life and just brought parasites into the house. I regret so much! I shouldn't of bought her i wish i new then what i know now! Thank you for giving me a reality check. :/

 

[AnthonyRenna]

View attachment 13650
That's not right... not all enigmas have such severe problems as you're making out. Some hunt and live just fine with the occasional stargazing or spinning. Others, on the other hand, do need help to eat and drink etc.
I don't like enigmas much either, but spreading rumours and misinformation doesn't help anyone.

To the OP: Your new gecko does look skinny. If the pet store you bought it from said it was parasite free, and said they had it's fecals tested, there's a big chance they lied to you just to make a sale. Any store that lets one get down to such a skinny tail and sells it has no idea what they're doing and is only in it for the money.
My advice would be to separate your new gecko from any others, in it's own tank. This way you can observe and get to know how bad the enigma syndrome is in it, without risking the health of your other gecko. And you can fatten the enigma up while keeping track of what she eats.

Ehh what a headache i'm screwed! Do they sell anything that can help parasites if worse comes to worse... And by now my other one will no doubt have it too because they have been together what a mistake i have made. That pic i put up is my original gecko he has a fat tail and is doing great i really hope this new enigma didn't ruin him:'(
I do no everything in this planet i all about money but i mean this place i bought it from is called exotic reptiles and they have good rating and i think that they would of have got in some trouble if there animals got parasites because dont they get inspections and one parasite can ruin a whole store! So thank you for ur advice but i really wanna think positive because i worked hard for that money to buy the gecko my parents made me pay for all expenses for my pets and i don't even have a job yet I've been doing work for neighbors just to make money. Id really hate to now that i screwed my perfectly healthy geckos life and just brought parasites into the house. I regret so much! I shouldn't of bought her i wish i new then what i know now! Thank you for giving me a reality check. :/

Don't beat yourself up we all make mistakes its how we learn. A good idea would be to seperate them if possible, take a poop from each of them and bring it to a vet. Fecal tests wont run you much money and can let you know whats going on. Are you sure you don't have any return policy at that store? Seems very weird they wouldn't have one. Can always talk to a manager let them know they sold a sick gecko without telling you. I personally wouldn't return it but thats me, caring for sick animals isn't easy if your not up to it I'd suggest finding someone who is and rehoming it

 

[Thebmeli]

Don't beat yourself up we all make mistakes its how we learn. A good idea would be to seperate them if possible, take a poop from each of them and bring it to a vet. Fecal tests wont run you much money and can let you know whats going on. Are you sure you don't have any return policy at that store? Seems very weird they wouldn't have one. Can always talk to a manager let them know they sold a sick gecko without telling you. I personally wouldn't return it but thats me, caring for sick animals isn't easy if your not up to it I'd suggest finding someone who is and rehoming it

Ill get a the poop checked and its still the best looking leo i have seen in my eyes. But yah i called the store they said no refunds and they said all of there animals are vet checked i personally think he is just skinny because o how he is an enigma with enigma syndrome i have hand fed him and he is very off aim when trying to eat its pray i literally had to put it right infront of her mouth for her to catch it so... she aint the best at catching pray, so that could be a reason why she didnt eat much and is very skinny because not everyone is as patient wen feedin and also she wasnt alone so se had competition to eat so that equals even lesss. so is this a possible reason for her tail being skinny??? i really wanna think positive and that she has no parasites

 

[AnthonyRenna]

think positive but get the poop tested then youll know for sure

 

[Teddy]

Ill get a the poop checked and its still the best looking leo i have seen in my eyes. But yah i called the store they said no refunds and they said all of there animals are vet checked i personally think he is just skinny because o how he is an enigma with enigma syndrome i have hand fed him and he is very off aim when trying to eat its pray i literally had to put it right infront of her mouth for her to catch it so... she aint the best at catching pray, so that could be a reason why she didnt eat much and is very skinny because not everyone is as patient wen feedin and also she wasnt alone so se had competition to eat so that equals even lesss. so is this a possible reason for her tail being skinny??? i really wanna think positive and that she has no parasites

We own a enigma Gecko and have no real problems we have also had her thoroughly check out with an exotic specialist vet. There has been no reports of the syndrome getting worse what you have is how it will stay, they are known for having defective eye sight which can also mean they see in 2D they are not aware of steps or drops and will walk straight forward. They are affectionate pets and yes they do have eating problems but with care will gain weight but slowly they can become unbalanced if you try to fatten them up to quickly. If she is happy with your other gecko I see no reason to split them it will probably keep her calmer to separate them now could cause her great distress. The breeder we bought from told us all about the syndrome and said we were not to breed from her but not all enigma's have the syndrome and when they are young it doesn't always show.

 

[RedSandsGecko]

Not all enigmas suffer condition (enigma syndrome), though it is in their genetics and pass on the gene to their offspring, even when they do not display any symptoms. (thought this was worth mentioning.) My Male Sunglow enigma doesn't show any signs of this neurological disorder, but I monitor him closely anyways.
Your enigma probably has a skinny tail b/c of an inability to hunt, and can't feed itself. You will need to hand-feed for the remainder of it's life. I'd reccomend adding a multivitamin spray to King worms (3 times a week) to ensure proper dietary needs.King Worms are higher in calcium and nutrients than most other worms, and they are larger than mealworms, making them easier to hand feed. Crickets are best, but more difficult to handle! To help her shed, spraying her lightly during shedding with a very gentle misting bottle with room temp. water can help a lot!
Proper nutrition and stress management is your best bet to keeping your enigma happy longer.
Good luck with her, it is a difficult thing to feel so helpless.
Oh, also, buying from pet stores and such is never a good idea, especially when there is no guarantee on the animal. There are many small scale breeders who will guarantee their animals and know the genetic history of each one. It is easy to get caught up in buying a gecko you see at the store (I'm guilty of this too, my first one was purchased this way.) Better to be patient and find a breeder who guarantee's their animals.
Again, good luck! I think it is worth trying to give her a chance.

 

[Teddy]

No-one can say exactly how long they live as they are a relatively new morph ours has site problems too but with patience copes very well. We don't tend to change her tank around too much but she does like to explore. We have found her to love being handled and company but then we only have the one. We knew everything about our gecko before buying her but still decided to get her, like you we fell in love with her she looked so good. Only thing we have found is they don't digest food as quickly as others so be careful she doesn't get compacted, watch that she regularly goes for a poo. You could do as we do and get carnivore care food from a vet and syringe feed her to supplement her diet and get her weight up a bit. She is likely to always have a slimmer body than your other gecko but still be healthy, but go by her tail as long as it isn't too skinny. I glad your not going to return her as I have heard that they just kill them as they can't make money out of them. Good luck.

 

[SamTheGecko]

is it still alive?