Leopard Gecko Emergency.Need Help Please.

[pilotx]

Hi:

My Leopard Gecko has stopped eating, then it went through a shed so I left it alone, now it can't shed its head and its really, really skinny, won't move around and when I tried to handle it, it tired out really quickly. It looks like its dying.......what to do, what can I do, do I force feed it?.....Do I wait...??????
Please Help.....Thank You

 

[Gymcie]

you need to make sure its enclosure is up to standard... make sure temps are okay, the hides and humidity are okay and you should put some veggie oil on the skin, (NOT ON/IN THE EYES OR MOUTH) and take some tweezers and try to pull the rest off. and yes, you should look up force feeding. BUT maybe you should switch up your food? what are you feeding it? and go to the caresheet in this forum.. you can give your leo some organic chicken baby food. but yes you need to act quickly. how long have you had your leo? and where did you get it from??

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi:

My Leopard Gecko has stopped eating, then it went through a shed so I left it alone, now it can't shed its head and its really, really skinny, won't move around and when I tried to handle it, it tired out really quickly. It looks like its dying.......what to do, what can I do, do I force feed it?.....Do I wait...??????
Please Help.....Thank You

Please post a picture of your leo and his setup.

Compare your husbandry with the leo guidelines linked in my signature and then get back with us. Truly those guidelines are one-stop shopping.

Fluker's Repta+Boost is very good for leos off food, much better than any baby food. My local Petco carries this.

Scroll beyond the caresheet for many other informative posts including shedding assistance.

 

[SamanthaLovely]

Hi:

My Leopard Gecko has stopped eating, then it went through a shed so I left it alone, now it can't shed its head and its really, really skinny, won't move around and when I tried to handle it, it tired out really quickly. It looks like its dying.......what to do, what can I do, do I force feed it?.....Do I wait...??????
Please Help.....Thank You

You need to get it to a vet. If it's that bad then there is nothing you can do at home. If you force feed it you could drown it.
Where are you in Canada?
Do you have a reptile vet?

 

[pilotx]

I live in a small town, reptile vet is about 4 hours away.....

 

[pilotx]

you need to make sure its enclosure is up to standard... make sure temps are okay, the hides and humidity are okay and you should put some veggie oil on the skin, (NOT ON/IN THE EYES OR MOUTH) and take some tweezers and try to pull the rest off. and yes, you should look up force feeding. BUT maybe you should switch up your food? what are you feeding it? and go to the caresheet in this forum.. you can give your leo some organic chicken baby food. but yes you need to act quickly. how long have you had your leo? and where did you get it from??

I've had the GEcko for about 4 years, bought it from a small pet store. Its in a small enclosure (10 Gallon) as my bigger tank broke.

 

[Gymcie]

Wow. Thats really unusual! Hes been fine since then? Post pictures please! Do you have it in or around other geckos? Is there bullying? Pregnancy? Maybe you should really change what you are feeding it?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I've had the GEcko for about 4 years, bought it from a small pet store. Its in a small enclosure (10 Gallon) as my bigger tank broke.

Were you able to read my post #3? Your temperatures might be too cool?

To give him a fighting chance, please get some Repta+Boost. He may lick that off his nose. It is a well-balanced powder you mix with water.

 

[pilotx]

Please post a picture of your leo and his setup.

Compare your husbandry with the leo guidelines linked in my signature and then get back with us. Truly those guidelines are one-stop shopping.

Fluker's Repta+Boost is very good for leos off food, much better than any baby food. My local Petco carries this.

Scroll beyond the caresheet for many other informative posts including shedding assistance.

Thank You....read it all and I have a plan. It says that turkey baby food is better so thats what I will try. How do I give it to the Geck, syringe???

 

[pilotx]

Wow. Thats really unusual! Hes been fine since then? Post pictures please! Do you have it in or around other geckos? Is there bullying? Pregnancy? Maybe you should really change what you are feeding it?

No other Geckos, but you may be right with the food. The nearest pet store is two hours away and I dont have wheels so he mostly eats mealworms, but I will try turkey baby food, and then this weeken will have to get some crickets. Thx.

 

[cricket4u]

Thank You....read it all and I have a plan. It says that turkey baby food is better so thats what I will try. How do I give it to the Geck, syringe???

Hi,

No, the baby food is not better. In order for us to help you the best way we can, we need details and photos. It will help us determine if he is dehydrated. Before attempting to feed what substrate was he housed on? has he been passing feces? What calcium, d3, supplements were you providing and how often?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thank You....read it all and I have a plan. It says that turkey baby food is better so thats what I will try. How do I give it to the Geck, syringe???

Hopefully your gecko will lick the food if you just place it on his nose.

Turkey baby food is NOT better than Repta+Boost! Repta+Boost is balanced with vital nutrients while turkey baby food is not. If your pet store does not carry that, please order some online immediately!

Believe that, I wrote those leo guidelines. Scroll down to attached posts right under the leo guidelines for more info on assist feeding. Be sure to give your leo fluids first. A rubber tip to a syringe might be needed to facilitate feeding.

From what you have described, your leo is in a critical situation.

Temps should be ~90 F for floor highs and about 75ish on the cool end. However, with a 10 gallon it is impossible to get this range :-(. Since he is ailing, I'd keep the lows no lower than 80 F, but the highs should reach 90 F.

If the temps are too cool, it will be impossible for him to digest any food.

 

[pilotx]

Were you able to read my post #3? Your temperatures might be too cool?

To give him a fighting chance, please get some Repta+Boost. He may lick that off his nose. It is a well-balanced powder you mix with water.

I have read it but am far away from a pet store. I will try turkey baby food plus rehydration and then get some Repta+Boost on Saturday. How do I give it to him, dropper, syringe????Thx

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I have read it but am far away from a pet store. I will try turkey baby food plus rehydration and then get some Repta+Boost on Saturday. Thx

That is very good news! Hydration of a couple days comes first. That prevents kidney stress. Maybe you can order a rubber tip online or somehow through a regular vet's office?

Please answer the ?s which have been asked in order for us to help best.

 

[pilotx]

Hi,

No, the baby food is not better. In order for us to help you the best way we can, we need details and photos. It will help us determine if he is dehydrated. Before attempting to feed what substrate was he housed on? has he been passing feces? What calcium, d3, supplements were you providing and how often?

Sorry, I meant the turkey is better then the chicken baby food. I will pickup the Repto+Boost on Saturday, thats when I will be in the city ( I live in a shit hole) untill then I have to do what I can with what I can get. The substrate are just plaine round, inch or so rocks. My bottom heat mat broke so I have been using a heat rock which the Gecko enjoyed untill now. I did not see any new feces..........he has not have any supplements for a month now as I couldn't go out of town and ran out. I will send pics when I get home. Yesterday I pulled most of the shedding off of him. And another thing is I am forced to use a regular light bulb for heating and his eyes are alwyas closed, possibly becouse of the stress from the lightbulb. Hope this is more detailed. I'm waiting for your response. Thank You.

 

[Gymcie]

No other Geckos, but you may be right with the food. The nearest pet store is two hours away and I dont have wheels so he mostly eats mealworms, but I will try turkey baby food, and then this weeken will have to get some crickets. Thx.

Yes definitely start giving him crickets. I brought mine home from a petstore and fed it 3i different kinds of mealworms (including what they left inside their tank at all times) and she wouldn't digest them they came out whole. Are your geckos poops normal? I switched to crickets and shes gaining weight like crazy. Shes doing much better since.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Sorry, I meant the turkey is better then the chicken baby food. I will pickup the Repto+Boost on Saturday, thats when I will be in the city ( I live in a shit hole) untill then I have to do what I can with what I can get. The substrate are just plaine round, inch or so rocks. My bottom heat mat broke so I have been using a heat rock which the Gecko enjoyed untill now. I did not see any new feces..........he has not have any supplements for a month now as I couldn't go out of town and ran out. I will send pics when I get home. Yesterday I pulled most of the shedding off of him. And another thing is I am forced to use a regular light bulb for heating and his eyes are alwyas closed, possibly becouse of the stress from the lightbulb. Hope this is more detailed. I'm waiting for your response. Thank You.

Thanks for sharing. Then we can all learn

Hot rocks are dangerous, because they can overheat and possibly burn your leo. Please get a new heat mat, or even better, a 30 inch x 12 inch x 12 inch tank and heat mat sized for a 30-40 gallon tank. The heat mat should take up 1/3 the length of the bottom.

Definitely a white incandescent bulb IS stressful. How many hides do you have?

Paper towels and/or slate tiles are best for your leo. Feeders can hide in a substrate like you describe.

What kind of vitamins and calcium? How frequently?

Have you a reliable thermometer, not dial type? Best to get a digital min/max with probe. Radio Shack is a good source in the USA.

Pick up some Zoo Med Reptivite with vitamin D3 while you're in town. Also need pure calcium carbonate powder for a small dish inside the tank 24/7. Can get this at a health foods store if your pet store does not carry it.

 

[pilotx]

Thanks for sharing. Then we can all learn

Hot rocks are dangerous, because they can overheat and possibly burn your leo. Please get a new heat mat, or even better, a 30 inch x 12 inch x 12 inch tank and heat mat sized for a 30-40 gallon tank. The heat mat should take up 1/3 the length of the bottom.

Definitely a white incandescent bulb IS stressful. How many hides do you have?

Paper towels and/or slate tiles are best for your leo. Feeders can hide in a substrate like you describe.

What kind of vitamins and calcium? How frequently?

Have you a reliable thermometer, not dial type? Best to get a digital min/max with probe. Radio Shack is a good source in the USA.

Pick up some Zoo Med Reptivite with vitamin D3 while you're in town. Also need pure calcium carbonate powder for a small dish inside the tank 24/7. Can get this at a health foods store if your pet store does not carry it.

OK...some good news. Picked up pedialyte and a plastic syrenge. The gecko lifted its head up and the liquid sort of leaked in his mouth plus he was licking it. It drank about 1 ml. I got some turkey baby food and will make some ratio of 1:1 with the pedialyte. I also dug out some Reptavite and calcium, do I mix it in with the turkey baby food, if so how much......or do I just keep rehydrating the gecko. Thank You.Here's some pics, and I am buying a new tank when I'm in the city and changing the setup completely.

https://picasaweb.google.com/100041...key=Gv1sRgCN6lvvC50NTD7wE#5782281048430397298

https://picasaweb.google.com/100041...key=Gv1sRgCN6lvvC50NTD7wE#5782281056129028658

https://picasaweb.google.com/100041...key=Gv1sRgCN6lvvC50NTD7wE#5782281071505883154

https://picasaweb.google.com/100041...key=Gv1sRgCN6lvvC50NTD7wE#5782281085369247634

https://picasaweb.google.com/100041...key=Gv1sRgCN6lvvC50NTD7wE#5782281105661105234

Thank you All

 

[cricket4u]

Thanks for posting the pictures, it makes a huge difference. I know I ask lots of questions, but each one is very important. I would only provide the pedialyte for at least 2 days. It can change depending on your answers. Do the best to find the repta+boost which is balanced. My concern is when a gecko is in this condition, it is easy for them to suffer hypervitaminosis. The good news is he still has some weight to him. I am just concerned about impaction.

Do you have a human heating pad by any chance?

How long has it been since he has eaten?

Last bowels movement approximate?

Do you think there is a chance he could have swallowed a rock?

When did you notice something was wrong?

 

[pilotx]

Thanks for posting the pictures, it makes a huge difference. I know I ask lots of questions, but each one is very important. I would only provide the pedialyte for at least 2 days. It can change depending on your answers. Do the best to find the repta+boost which is balanced. My concern is when a gecko is in this condition, it is easy for them to suffer hypervitaminosis. The good news is he still has some weight to him. I am just concerned about impaction.

Do you have a human heating pad by any chance?

How long has it been since he has eaten?

Last bowels movement approximate?

Do you think there is a chance he could have swallowed a rock?

When did you notice something was wrong?

I don't have a human heating pad but will look for one at least until Saturday.

I think its been over a week since he has eaten.

I don't think he swallowed a rock because whenever he ate he just when to the dish, he didn't have to hunt and/or struggle.

I started to notice his activity slowed down about two weeks ago, but started to get worried within 5 days or so. He won't open his eyes, and I keep finding him in the water bowl, cold....thx.