My first Leopard gecko
- Thread starter Pokeefe88
- Start date
Pokeefe88
New member
I think there's two reasons for them to ask for an initial exam before the fecal test. 1) to make sure I know what a healthy Leo looks like and 2) to make some money.
I will probably take her in just so I have a vet I know I can trust/go to and have the fecal done.
Found out that she doesnt like phoenix worms anymore
. I will try again but she really likes mealworms. I havent tried my crickets yet. I tried moving her to a small critter keeper to get her used to eating in there. All I did was stress her out and piss her off when she rolled off my hand because I hadnt expected that. I was able to pick her up today
Hopefully she won't hold this against me. Im going to try to feed her in there tmw w/ crickets with some modifications.
I uploaded all of my photos of her to photobucket. http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f358/Trish07/ I'm hoping that leads you too it. There are two vids of her eating and a few pictures of me mixed in. I can figure out how to make just an album for her w/o my pics in it
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Mardy
New member
Personally, if she eats, poops, and gains weight, I think that's good enough. If you don't have a gram scale yet, get one so you can monitor her weight. Parasites are known to make leopard geckos lose weight, so that's a sure sign (along with other things such as your gecko stops eating for an example) that there may be parasites. If you are doing all you can, which you are since you have done your homework, then your leopard gecko should do well.
I'm not against a fecal exam or a vet visit, just that it's a tad overkill unless you actually suspect something. I'm totally for a fecal exam if your leopard gecko starts losing weight, or stops eating, stops pooping, starts to become inactive, etc.. Or a vet visit for sure if anything major or something noticeable goes wrong. But if you got their environment setup right, you dust your feeders, you gut-load your feeders, chances are you'll have a healthy gecko.
I can't recommend weight monitoring enough, it's like one of the best ways to check to see if something is wrong with your leopard gecko. I had a female that stopped eating for 3 full weeks. It freaked me out a bit, wasn't sure if she was ovulating (no obvious signs) or not. Then I started monitoring her weight, she didn't lose any weight so I was able to stop worrying. And sure enough, on the 4th week, she pigged out. She has been eating every single day, getting a big fat juicy dubia roach every single day.
So in my opinion, as long as your leopard gecko eats, poops, and gains weight, chances are your gecko is healthy. Save the money for raining day, in my opinion
I'm not against a fecal exam or a vet visit, just that it's a tad overkill unless you actually suspect something. I'm totally for a fecal exam if your leopard gecko starts losing weight, or stops eating, stops pooping, starts to become inactive, etc.. Or a vet visit for sure if anything major or something noticeable goes wrong. But if you got their environment setup right, you dust your feeders, you gut-load your feeders, chances are you'll have a healthy gecko.
I can't recommend weight monitoring enough, it's like one of the best ways to check to see if something is wrong with your leopard gecko. I had a female that stopped eating for 3 full weeks. It freaked me out a bit, wasn't sure if she was ovulating (no obvious signs) or not. Then I started monitoring her weight, she didn't lose any weight so I was able to stop worrying. And sure enough, on the 4th week, she pigged out. She has been eating every single day, getting a big fat juicy dubia roach every single day.
So in my opinion, as long as your leopard gecko eats, poops, and gains weight, chances are your gecko is healthy. Save the money for raining day, in my opinion
Lenewen
New member
I'm not against a fecal exam or a vet visit, just that it's a tad overkill unless you actually suspect something. I'm totally for a fecal exam if your leopard gecko starts losing weight, or stops eating, stops pooping, starts to become inactive, etc.. Or a vet visit for sure if anything major or something noticeable goes wrong. But if you got their environment setup right, you dust your feeders, you gut-load your feeders, chances are you'll have a healthy gecko.
So in my opinion, as long as your leopard gecko eats, poops, and gains weight, chances are your gecko is healthy. Save the money for raining day, in my opinion
I couldn't agree more, Mardy
Trish, you'll be hard pressed to find a vet that even understands leopard geckos the way breeders do. The best people to have on your side are breeders and professionals. Its not like having a dog, geckos require a new set of expertise that most vets do not have. Your knowledge already probably equates a vet. Some obscure illnesses that occur in leopard geckos may be better understood by a vet, but your gecko seems perfectly normal.
Collect a bit of feces and have them do a fecal to check for parasites. That is the only real "invisible" threat to a new gecko that their owner may not be able to detect. The price of that exam isn't worth what you would get out of it, in my opinion,
Pokeefe88
New member
Alright, thanks for the advice. I will see if my vet will check the fecal (its my cat and dog one). What are the two major c-something diseases? Crypto (cycoisis?) and Coccydia? I can also look them up online if you don't know off hand. Also I got to check her out and there was no stuck shed on her toes or tail and her eyes are clear :yahoo:
I will try to get some actual pictures of her later today or tomorrow and post them soon!
I will try to get some actual pictures of her later today or tomorrow and post them soon!
Pokeefe88
New member
Oh thats right the MBD I forgot about that. Alright I finally figured out photobucket x.x lol, I was half asleep when I was posting last night, lol
Here's the album of just her, I still have to figure out a name for her. My Leopard Gecko pictures by Trish07 - Photobucket
I will eventually :coverlaugh:. Let me know if the link doesnt work
Yay! Okay I know how to embed the photos now
Here's the album of just her, I still have to figure out a name for her. My Leopard Gecko pictures by Trish07 - Photobucket
I will eventually :coverlaugh:. Let me know if the link doesnt work
Yay! Okay I know how to embed the photos now
Mardy
New member
Crypto is killer, definitely read up about it:
Crypto - Leopard Gecko Wiki
MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease) can be avoided by giving your leopard geckos proper calcium supplements. There are gecko owners out there that don't dust & gut-load their feeders at all, and their geckos have high chances of getting MBD. Most feeders do not give proper calcium, with very bad Ca/P ratios. Specially grown Phoenix Worms can give good calcium but not all phoenix worms are as rich in calcium as they claim, and not everybody wants to keep fly larvae around. Plus some leopard geckos are intimidated by them since they twist fast and can be mean.
Moral of the story is to dust your feeders properly and you can avoid MBD.
Crypto - Leopard Gecko Wiki
MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease) can be avoided by giving your leopard geckos proper calcium supplements. There are gecko owners out there that don't dust & gut-load their feeders at all, and their geckos have high chances of getting MBD. Most feeders do not give proper calcium, with very bad Ca/P ratios. Specially grown Phoenix Worms can give good calcium but not all phoenix worms are as rich in calcium as they claim, and not everybody wants to keep fly larvae around. Plus some leopard geckos are intimidated by them since they twist fast and can be mean.
Moral of the story is to dust your feeders properly and you can avoid MBD.
Pokeefe88
New member
Thanks for the link, I will read up on it, I've read about it before I just forgot about it. I dust and gutload all my feeders.
However my gecko seems to not like the phoenixworms anymore :/ im guessing its because they somehow make the feed i give them very moist and almost moldy. I gave them less this time, hopefully they wont do that again.
Well im dead tired so thats it for tonight. Oh does your geckos get distracted by the glass tank? Is that her wanting out? I was starting to feed her and she turned to the glass and was staring intensely out of it. and possibly clawed a bit. Any ideas why?
:yawn: Night
However my gecko seems to not like the phoenixworms anymore :/ im guessing its because they somehow make the feed i give them very moist and almost moldy. I gave them less this time, hopefully they wont do that again.
Well im dead tired so thats it for tonight. Oh does your geckos get distracted by the glass tank? Is that her wanting out? I was starting to feed her and she turned to the glass and was staring intensely out of it. and possibly clawed a bit. Any ideas why?
:yawn: Night
Mardy
New member
lol they do that. For one they can see their own reflections. Also they see your reflections, like if you're by one glass, they can see your reflection on the glass in the back. So they get distracted easy. One time I was holding one of my geckos next to the tank of the other one, and she went to the back glass instead because she saw the reflection of the one I'm holding heh.
Funny creatures.
Funny creatures.
Pokeefe88
New member
New Pictures!
I took her out after feeding because I wanted to weigh her and I didnt stress her out all that much (I think, I know I stressed her out though)
She weighs about 13.9 grams is that good? She is almost 2 months old (7/28 she will be)
Picture time!
I should let you know it was just me, my cell and her running around and exploring around my desk while I tried to guide her.
She almost gave me a heart attack when she scrambled up my arm! I was terrified that she was going to jump to the floor or something. However she didn't and I felt her crawling around on my back.
I decided to name her Alera after a character in one of the series I have been reading and re-reading constantly! :biggrin:
And now for pictures of her in actual lighting!:
(Also let me know if you can see the orange on the very beginning of her tail its very faint. When I was bringing her home from the expo it seemed to stand out so much more in the sun.)
I adore her eyes! I they are what drew me to her, I think you can see them best in the 3rd to last and the last ones.
Does she look a healthy weight?
On a side note she ate 30 mealworms tonight!! :yikes: I couldnt believe it she usually stays around ten give or take 3.
Shes been pooping regularly however I think she is messing with me. She keeps pooing just off of the paper towel I lay down for her :evil: Little bugger, oh well I do have to clean the slate tiles anyways. I think I figured out how to out smart her however. She does it under the cool hide so I have the whole hide on a paper towel :nana:
Night!:yawn:
I took her out after feeding because I wanted to weigh her and I didnt stress her out all that much (I think, I know I stressed her out though)
She weighs about 13.9 grams is that good? She is almost 2 months old (7/28 she will be)
Picture time!
I should let you know it was just me, my cell and her running around and exploring around my desk while I tried to guide her.
She almost gave me a heart attack when she scrambled up my arm! I was terrified that she was going to jump to the floor or something. However she didn't and I felt her crawling around on my back.
I decided to name her Alera after a character in one of the series I have been reading and re-reading constantly! :biggrin:
And now for pictures of her in actual lighting!:
(Also let me know if you can see the orange on the very beginning of her tail its very faint. When I was bringing her home from the expo it seemed to stand out so much more in the sun.)
I adore her eyes! I they are what drew me to her, I think you can see them best in the 3rd to last and the last ones.
Does she look a healthy weight?
On a side note she ate 30 mealworms tonight!! :yikes: I couldnt believe it she usually stays around ten give or take 3.
Shes been pooping regularly however I think she is messing with me. She keeps pooing just off of the paper towel I lay down for her :evil: Little bugger, oh well I do have to clean the slate tiles anyways. I think I figured out how to out smart her however.
She does it under the cool hide so I have the whole hide on a paper towel :nana:Night!:yawn:
Pokeefe88
New member
I got mine from a breeder at a animal expo. I would recommend always getting from a good breeder before a petstore. I would say sobe is smaller because he is from petsmart and they dont take the best care of their reptiles. At least mine dont. I shuddered whenever I went to go look at their Leos and felt so bad for them. There was about 5 leos in a tank with only 1 hide, a water bowl, a mealworm dish and a tree/leaf hide (i guess) on sand. They didnt provide calcium and I doubt they really gutload their feeders or dust them.
So as long as he keeps eating he should gain weight and become more healthy. Have you weighted him? I would recommend that. I would recommend you getting a small kitchen scale ( I got mine from amazon for 15 they have 10 or cheaper) if you havent already.
So you can keep track of his weight and then you will have an idea if something is wrong if he drops weight.
Mardy
New member
Good jebuz she ate 30 mealworms?! That's quite amazing, she'll be pooping a big one for sure. 13.9 is pretty good, you can see that her tail isn't thin, so she's healthy. They'll grow very fast during the first 8 months, so it'll be fun for you to track her weight and see how much she grows.
I had one of my lil ones crawl up my arm once, and she went around the back of my neck and wouldn't let me get her as she went from shoulder to shoulder. I had to trick her into jumping onto the bed eventually. Needless to say I've not let her crawl up past my elbow since then heh.
I had one of my lil ones crawl up my arm once, and she went around the back of my neck and wouldn't let me get her as she went from shoulder to shoulder. I had to trick her into jumping onto the bed eventually. Needless to say I've not let her crawl up past my elbow since then heh.
Pokeefe88
New member
I know, as I got to 20 mealworms I was scrambling to find more and dust them in calcium! I was beyond shocked at her eating 30. I have to go buy some more she devoured 100 mealworms in a week! I'm just happy she's eating and i hope she didn't throw up from all that.
Yeah I bet! I would be scared to, actually I was! She had scrambled up my hand and shot up my arm before I could even understand what had happened. Then I didnt want to grab on my shoulder where she had paused because if I grab her suddenly she will freak out and twist around, I managed to keep my grip on her once tonight but I doubted I could at an angle where I wouldnt get a proper grip
So I just froze and wait trying to figure out what to do when I felt her crawling on my mid back. I was able to see her and guide her onto my hand and bring her back to my desktop. I was so relieved she hadn't jumped. :banana:
I'm going to find out if she like crickets tonight, I havent really been using them as I don't want them hiding her tank and she wouldnt eat in the spare container I had her in when I was trying it out.
I'm just happy she's eating and i hope she didn't throw up from all that.Yeah I bet! I would be scared to, actually I was! She had scrambled up my hand and shot up my arm before I could even understand what had happened. Then I didnt want to grab on my shoulder where she had paused because if I grab her suddenly she will freak out and twist around, I managed to keep my grip on her once tonight but I doubted I could at an angle where I wouldnt get a proper grip
So I just froze and wait trying to figure out what to do when I felt her crawling on my mid back. I was able to see her and guide her onto my hand and bring her back to my desktop. I was so relieved she hadn't jumped. :banana:
I'm going to find out if she like crickets tonight, I havent really been using them as I don't want them hiding her tank and she wouldnt eat in the spare container I had her in when I was trying it out.
Lenewen
New member
My poor little Io is from Petsmart (the only one I ever bought from a pet store) and though he is thriving with my care, he is a runt compared to the other six. I think Petsmart underfeeds them, and when they are babies, it is critical they eat, and eat a LOT.
Mardy
New member
Part of their problems is also that they get their new shipment as brand spanking new babies. When I got my 2 from Petco (first 2), they looked like they just got out of their eggs. They had a bunch of them in the small display tank, and I'm sure they don't feed them enough or watch for bullying (bullying causing some to not get any food at all).
The two I have now are doing great, with fat tails. But yeah, they put them up for display way too early, and they probably don't feed them well or dust well.
The two I have now are doing great, with fat tails. But yeah, they put them up for display way too early, and they probably don't feed them well or dust well.
Pokeefe88
New member
When I went to the petco by me I saw a baby leo throw up a cricket thaty was way too big & when I told told the clerk he didn't get worried & just told me that it was too big & the leo realized that. He said it was in there because they had one big leo. Then he threw a bunch of small crickets in there w/o dusting
***
On a side note Alera ate 29 small crickets tonight! She's going to eat me out of house & home. Lol that's okay though, I'm happy shes eating & she got so excited while eating, waving/twitching her tail before she lunged!
***
On a side note Alera ate 29 small crickets tonight! She's going to eat me out of house & home. Lol that's okay though, I'm happy shes eating & she got so excited while eating, waving/twitching her tail before she lunged!
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Pokeefe88
New member
A quick update and a small question. I wanted to say that Alera is still doing great, I also realized I was feeding her too small of mealworms which is why she would eat about 30-40 a night! I feel so bad about that, I should have realized but I think I have the right size I will find out tonight.
Also does her underbelly look okay?
She's not carrying eggs right? Shes too young, right? Those pink circles? Towards her tail? Those were the best I could do but if you need better let me know.
Also changed the album her pictures were in so most of my links to her pictures are broken but I have the new link in my sig. with many more photos added!
Edit: I tried getting my cats and dogs vet to do a fecal for Alera and they pretty much said they couldnt treat her so I should find an exotic vet, x.x oh well guess I will be taking her to the exotic vet then :/ How stressful is a vet visit to a Leo? She still struggles a bit whenever I first pick her up though.
Also does her underbelly look okay?
She's not carrying eggs right? Shes too young, right? Those pink circles? Towards her tail? Those were the best I could do but if you need better let me know.
Also changed the album her pictures were in so most of my links to her pictures are broken but I have the new link in my sig. with many more photos added!
Edit: I tried getting my cats and dogs vet to do a fecal for Alera and they pretty much said they couldnt treat her so I should find an exotic vet, x.x oh well guess I will be taking her to the exotic vet then :/ How stressful is a vet visit to a Leo? She still struggles a bit whenever I first pick her up though.
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