Questions as a new leopard gecko owner

[reptilesunleashed]

Ok, so the previous owner fed him/ her Dubia roaches until he/her was full, every day and dusted every 2 days with Miner All indoor. I feed him/her 3 dubia roaches and sometimes 5 mealworms every 2 days, dust every 3 days with Miner All indoor. As said earlier, my leopard gecko has very light pores and bulges. So I’m not sure whether or not it’s a male or female. I think she is a female.

It appears that the whole belly is white but there is a streak of blue? in the middle.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Ok, so the previous owner fed him/ her Dubia roaches until he/her was full, every day and dusted every 2 days with Miner All indoor. I feed him/her 3 dubia roaches and sometimes 5 mealworms every 2 days, dust every 3 days with Miner All indoor. As said earlier, my leopard gecko has very light pores and bulges. So I’m not sure whether or not it’s a male or female. I think she is a female.
View attachment 46531

It appears that the whole belly is white but there is a streak of blue? in the middle.

What is your gecko's name? The blue streak is probably a vein or an artery.

I can't tell the gender from your photo. Please take a close up photo of her vent with good lighting. (That's the place poops come from.)

In this photo there does seem to be a white mass on the left side. (?)

A 4 year old leo only really needs to eat 2x per week, like on Monday and Thursday. Lightly dust with Miner-All Indoor at both those feedings. Cut back her food to 2 dubia and 3-4 mealworms at those feedings. Make sure she always has fresh water available.

I'll reply to your other thread later today.

 

[reptilesunleashed]

Her name is Rio. So 2 dubia nymphs or ? There’s a brownish thing in her cloaca, is it supposed to be there or is it leftover feces?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Her name is Rio. So 2 dubia nymphs or ? There’s a brownish thing in her cloaca, is it supposed to be there or is it leftover feces?

Thanks for sharing Rio's name! There should be no brownish leftover feces on her cloaca. Usually that does not happen if she has fresh water to drink.

Does someone at your house have a better cell phone? We need to see a clear photo of her belly. Your last photo is blurry and seems to show an egg. ???

Since Rio is overweight she only needs to eat 2x per week, like on Monday and Thursday.

1. Feed her only 2 dubia and 3-4 mealworms at those feedings. NO MORE.
2. Lightly dust with Miner-All Indoor at both those feedings.
3. Make sure she has fresh water.

 

[reptilesunleashed]

Ok thanks, I will try to get a clearer photo. I found this in the tank. I’m kind of scared:shock:

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Ok thanks, I will try to get a clearer photo. I found this in the tank. I’m kind of scared:shock:
View attachment 46543

Amended:
Normal feces are dark brown.

Green feces could indicate a serious problem! I would collect the feces and take it to a vet within 24 hours.

#2---Fecal Sample Collection Procedure
Bring a fresh fecal sample to the vet's right away. A vet will let you know if what you see is an issue. In my experience, the gecko (patient) needs to be seen before a fecal will be performed.

Sometimes if you massage a gecko's belly while he's on some piece of plastic, poop will happen quickly!

Here's how my exotics vet recommends collecting a stool sample:

1. Place a piece of clean plastic where your gecko usually poops. If your gecko poops somewhere else, take the poop to the vet anyway. Some poop is better than no poop!
2. As soon as your gecko has passed some poop and urates, but without physically touching the sample, place the feces and urates directly onto a clean plastic bottle cap. (Vet has fecal sample containers if you can stop by first.)
3. Then place the bottle cap with fecal sample directly into a plastic ziploc bag. (Do NOT use paper towels or newspaper because those will absorb some of the feces necessary for a proper culture.)
4. Refrigerate this sample...unless you are taking the sample to your vet immediately. Do NOT freeze it.
5. Keep the sample cool enroute to the vet.
6. Take this fecal sample to your vet within 24 hours of collecting...the sooner the better!

[There are two types of fecals: fecal float and direct smear tests. For geckos, ask the vet whether both tests should be run.]

 

[reptilesunleashed]

No I don’t think it’s a worm, it’s sort of greenish-yellowish. Here’s the pic.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

No I don’t think it’s a worm, it’s sort of greenish-yellowish. Here’s the pic.
View attachment 46544

Please re-read my last post. I was editing while you were posting.

Rio's probably female.

 

[reptilesunleashed]

I haven’t fed Rio in a while( at LEAST 2 weeks) since it’s the winter and she’s in a dormant state and all, so why is she pooping? What is the cause of the green poop?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I haven’t fed Rio in a while( at LEAST 2 weeks) since it’s the winter and she’s in a dormant state and all, so why is she pooping? What is the cause of the green poop?

I really don't know what could cause green poop.

It's time for Rio's wellness check-up with the greenish yellow feces sample.

 

[Sg612]

Has she been refusing food? Have you continued to provide appropriate temperatures? Temps? Thermostat? Sorry if I missed it.

 

[reptilesunleashed]

I did some research about the green poop. They can poop green after they ate their shed and it's normal. My gecko just shed. One green poop is fine, but if they continue to do poop green it is bad. Is there a definite wat I can know that my gecko is egg bound? Can I lightly dust with Miner- All Indoor every 3rd feeding because thats what the can says to do for adults ? Leopard Geckos will not eat that much during winter right? Don't they go into a dormant state?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I did some research about the green poop. They can poop green after they ate their shed and it's normal. My gecko just shed. One green poop is fine, but if they continue to do poop green it is bad. Is there a definite wat I can know that my gecko is egg bound? Can I lightly dust with Miner- All Indoor every 3rd feeding because thats what the can says to do for adults ? Leopard Geckos will not eat that much during winter right? Don't they go into a dormant state?

Some leos go into a somewhat "dormant" state during the winter. My 13 year old female leo eats throughout the winter. She does not take a break.

Since Rio is BIG, don't worry about her not eating for a while. Provide fresh water daily! Just like us, when a leo is heavy it's hard on her health.

Please read Aliza's Gecko Time article on poop.

• The Scoop on Poop - Gecko Time - Gecko Time

Is there a definite wat I can know that my gecko is egg bound?
Not unless you can see eggs. Treat her as if she IS egg-bound. If Rio has egg(s) and needs to lay them, this might work!

• Take a plastic Gladware container large enough for a layer of Eco Earth's coco fiber and for Rio to move around and DIG.
• Poke some holes in it so Rio can breath.
• Cut a larger entry hole in the lid.
• Then place moist Eco Earth's coco fiber inside on the floor of the container.
• Place that container on top of Rio's heat mat.
• Keep the coco fiber damp, not wet!

Can I lightly dust with Miner- All Indoor every 3rd feeding because thats what the can says to do for adults ?

• That's confusing. What does "every 3rd feeding" mean to you?
• How many times per week is better! Right now you're telling us Rio hasn't eaten in 2 weeks.
• Will you cut back the amount of food she gets per feeding?
• If she doesn't lose weight now, she won't live a very long life.

 

[Sg612]

I did some research about the green poop. They can poop green after they ate their shed and it's normal. My gecko just shed. One green poop is fine, but if they continue to do poop green it is bad. Is there a definite wat I can know that my gecko is egg bound? Can I lightly dust with Miner- All Indoor every 3rd feeding because thats what the can says to do for adults ? Leopard Geckos will not eat that much during winter right? Don't they go into a dormant state?

May I ask who told you that green poop after a shed is normal? I’ve cleaned years of poop and never seen green after shedding.:scratchhead:

 

[Sg612]

My intentions are not to scare you, but to show you an example of why it’s never a good idea to go by what people say”females just stopped eating because of eggs”.

Infection. Better safe than sorry. https://youtu.be/ZXZcMFP6GQg

 

[reptilesunleashed]

Honestly I don't think it's an infection or anything. The room that she's in is like 60 degrees F, so my mom says that she doesn't have enough heat to digest( I just put a radiator in the room so it's a lot warmer). Her last checkup was sometime this year and she turned out healthy. Also Elizabeth Freer, what I mean is after 2 feeds( monday and thurday) the 3rd feeding would be monday again, and then it would the 3rd feeding would switch between monday and thursday.
I am going to list out some questions.
1.Can I just put the humidity hide on the heat mat?
2.Can you tell if she's egg bound from the last photo I sent you? She was eating perfectly fine before winter, so I'm still not quite sure if she's pregnant. They lose their appetite during pregnancy. I also can't see any white masses so I'm pretty sure she's obese.
You should watch this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlzfFRcOdNc
I don't think she is doing any of the things in the video.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Honestly I don't think it's an infection or anything. The room that she's in is like 60 degrees F, so my mom says that she doesn't have enough heat to digest( I just put a radiator in the room so it's a lot warmer). Her last checkup was sometime this year and she turned out healthy. Also Elizabeth Freer, what I mean is after 2 feeds( monday and thurday) the 3rd feeding would be monday again, and then it would the 3rd feeding would switch between monday and thursday.
I am going to list out some questions.
1.Can I just put the humidity hide on the heat mat?
2.Can you tell if she's egg bound from the last photo I sent you? She was eating perfectly fine before winter, so I'm still not quite sure if she's pregnant. They lose their appetite during pregnancy. I also can't see any white masses so I'm pretty sure she's obese.
You should watch this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlzfFRcOdNc
I don't think she is doing any of the things in the video.

Thank you. I'm very uncomfortable using Miner-All Indoor once every 1.5 weeks. It only contains 4,400 IU/kg of D3. I feel that Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3 (~23,000 IU/kg of D3) once a week is much better.

WOW, 60*F! Do you understand how low that is? Why did your research not point you in a better direction??? Green poop is definitely abnormal!

Temperatures - A temperature gradient from warm to cool maintains your leo's health. Here's a temperature guide for all leopard geckos as measured with the probe of a digital thermometer or a temp gun (and controlled by a thermostat set at 91*F/32.8*C):

• 88-92 F (31.1-33.3 C) ground temperature right underneath a leo's warm dry hide
• no greater than 82ish F (27.8ish C) air temperature - 4 inches above ground on the warm end
• no greater than 75 F (23.9 C) air temperature - 4 inches above ground on the cool end

Leave the heat mat/UTH on 24/7. At night turn off overhead lighting/heating (~12 hours on and ~12 hours off) unless ambient room temperatures drop lower than 67ish*F (19.4*C).

Rio is your first leo! Sometimes you brush off knowledgable leo advice from people who've been in the hobby and have kept leos for decades! Instead you're relying on Google. Google does not always have correct answers.

Use GU's search option too. In addition to the comprehensive leo care sheet linked below in my signature, you'll find other info. At least GU has checks and balances in place that don't allow poor suggestions!

It's fine to research, but you also need an experience base.

Please make an appointment for Rio to be seen soon. With palpitation and x-rays a vet can confirm whether Rio has any form of Follicular Stasis. If she does, and it's untreated, she will probably die.

A vet will have those answers. I'm not a vet. Most of us on GU aren't vets. Many of us share valuable advice based upon our experience with geckos.

Did you watch the video that Sg612 shared on post 55?


1.Can I just put the humidity hide on the heat mat?
Is Rio's humid hide large enough to add Earth's coco fiber? Is it enclosed? Rio needs to dig in order to lay any eggs.

2.Can you tell if she's egg bound from the last photo I sent you? She was eating perfectly fine before winter, so I'm still not quite sure if she's pregnant. They lose their appetite during pregnancy. I also can't see any white masses so I'm pretty sure she's obese.
I saw the last photo. I can't see any eggs. A vet needs to feel her belly.

 

[Sg612]

Just to clarify, when I wrote infection, I was referring to what she wrote in the description area in her video. Just incase anyone was wondering. She wrote 4 infected egg follicles were removed.

 

[reptilesunleashed]

So do you think that the temperature caused green poop? She probably did not have the temperature she needed to digest, and she pooped green. What will be the total cost of the x rays and treatment? May I ask what Follicular Stasis is ? I really think she's not egg bound. Not to say it in a wrong way, but she would already be dead. I can't see white masses, and she's not doing anything in the video that I copied. Did you watch it? So, I feed her 2x week, dust lightly with Miner- All indoor every time I feed her? Since she has calcium bubbles, should I not give her any supplements for 2 weeks, but keep the calcium without d3 in her tank, or what should I do to get rid of them? If she was egg bound, would it cost money for the vet to check if she is egg bound?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

View attachment 46435

So do you think that the temperature caused green poop? She probably did not have the temperature she needed to digest, and she pooped green. What will be the total cost of the x rays and treatment? May I ask what Follicular Stasis is ? I really think she's not egg bound. Not to say it in a wrong way, but she would already be dead. I can't see white masses, and she's not doing anything in the video that I copied. Did you watch it? So, I feed her 2x week, dust lightly with Miner- All indoor every time I feed her? Since she has calcium bubbles, should I not give her any supplements for 2 weeks, but keep the calcium without d3 in her tank, or what should I do to get rid of them? If she was egg bound, would it cost money for the vet to check if she is egg bound?

I only have time to answer a few questions tonight. Low temperatures could cause an infection that might give Rio green poop.

Yes, I watched the video you posted. That video shows a leopard gecko digging and digging. Please watch the video about Follicular Stasis Sg612 shared in post 55 on this thread with your mom.

I'm giving you excellent recommendations to see whether Rio might lay any eggs she might have. Please don't ignore those recommendations or give me excuses why you can't try that! Right now neither one of us knows why Rio looks like she does. If the heat mat is too small, move the brown hide out of the way and put her new Gladware hide over the mat instead. Please buy some Eco Earth's coco fiber THIS week! Let us know that she has a Gladware hide with a diggable substrate this week. Rio neeeeeeeeds to be given the choice to dig. It's cheap.

If the brown hide (the second hide in from the left side of your enclosure picture) is her humid hide, make a Gladware-type hide instead just like this. Rio needs to be able to dig just like your video shows.

Is there a definite wat I can know that my gecko is egg bound?
Not unless you can see eggs. Treat her as if she IS egg-bound. If Rio has egg(s) and needs to lay them, this might work!

• Take a plastic Gladware container large enough for a layer of Eco Earth's coco fiber and for Rio to move around and DIG.
• Poke some holes in it so Rio can breath.
• Cut a larger entry hole in the lid.
• Then place moist Eco Earth's coco fiber inside on the floor of the container.
• Place that container on top of Rio's heat mat.
• Keep the coco fiber damp, not wet!

I've been to a vet several times during these past months. Being a vet is a job. Vets charge for their services. My vet in Portland, Oregon costs $85 for the first visit; an x-ray costs $90. Even though that might seem expensive, it's not if you value Rio.

What is your ground temperature now underneath Rio's warm dry hide? Temperature needs to be measured. For about $10 you can buy a yellow Zoo Med digital thermometer with a probe at PetCo or PetSmart. Get one right now, please.

You are worried about armpit bubbles, when Rio needs a vet and a digital thermometer! (shaking my head back and forth)


PS: I need to see progress from you guys on this thread if I am to continue. I care about Rio's health or we would not have gotten this far. Let us know when

1. You buy a digital thermometer with a probe. Knowing the temps of the warm dry hide is a bottom line to ALL gecko husbandry.
2. Rio has a Gladware-type hide with a coco fiber substrate so she can dig.