Sickly Leopard Gecko! ):

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its_uhleeeen

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Today, my boyfriend and i picked up a Leopard Gecko. We were told that it couldnt see because it has some stuck shed on his eyes, but he was still eating, doing his own thing, and acting normally.

Upon getting him, we realized his eyes were actually open with i assume shed and sand just caked on there, maybe, two to three layers of stuck shed on his appendages, his toes seem to be a little disfigured or gone, and his tail fell off maybe an inch down.

Once we got him home, we made a little humid hide for him and he went in it for a little while and he's been going in and out of it since. We took our feeding tongs and just gently pulled some of the shed off of his toes, but that was all.

His eyes are what we're worried about that absolute most though- poor thing!
Any ideas how to make this better for him at home before we have to take him to a vet?

leo1.jpgleo2.jpgleo3.jpgleo4.jpgleo5.jpgleo6.jpg
 

samantha12

New member
I've never seen anything like those legs... is that sand or something? I would suggest that you get some sort of tupperware and put luke warm warm in it. Only fill it high enough to cover the gecko's legs, it should not reach his head. Put your gecko in there and close the top for a few minutes. This will make it very humid and should help him get the skin loosened and clean him up. He probably won't like it much so I think 5 minutes in the bath 3 times a day would help a lot.
 

Karijaemin

New member
I don't know who will agree with me but my brother said when his snake gets eyecaps or stuck shed he used saline eye drops on her eyes and it helped alot those legs look serious i would just try the baths its easier to try and help them with wet skin they will tell you if they dont like it trust me and if you cant improve it with in a few days see a vet especially with that bulbus of a leg issue

I wish you luck
 

its_uhleeeen

New member
thanks guys!
we made a little humid hide for him, so we'll try doing the little box of water tomorrow! The sand is orange, so that's why his legs look that way, haha.

Any ideas besides the saline solution to getting the eye caps off?
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
I've never seen anything like those legs... is that sand or something? I would suggest that you get some sort of tupperware and put luke warm warm in it. Only fill it high enough to cover the gecko's legs, it should not reach his head. Put your gecko in there and close the top for a few minutes. This will make it very humid and should help him get the skin loosened and clean him up. He probably won't like it much so I think 5 minutes in the bath 3 times a day would help a lot.

Make sure this soaking container ^ is ventilated so your leo can breathe. Mod Thorrshamri suggests adding a chamomilie teabag to the water to help loosen the stuck shed. You can place this container near a low wattage light source to increase the humidity. Keep an eye on the temperature of the water.

Please update once you've done this maybe twice.

Any chance this orange sand is a calcium-based sand? Even if it is not, please replace it with paper towels for now and strongly consider getting porcelain or slate tiles for the substrate.
 
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Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Please complete this questionnaire:

#50---Cricket4u's Gecko Health Questionnaire
GU members: When copying & pasting this questionnaire into your thread, please change only the answers of your reply font to boldface to make your replies easy to read. Don't know whether that is possible. Don't really want the entire reply bold.

General Information
Species of lizard:
Gecko's name:
Morph:
Gender:
Age:
Weight:
Total length:
Length of your reptile when you first acquired it:
Source (pet store, breeder, previous owner):
Captive bred or wild caught:

Vivarium
Enclosure dimensions (length x width x heighth):
Cage (type, size):
Substrate provided:
Types of hiding places provided:
Is there a humidity hide? location?
Please describe any other furnishings:
List recent changes in the environment, if any:

Lighting
Artificial lighting
Incandescent (“screw-in” bulbs): wattage(s):
Fluorescent (tube bulbs):

Natural lighting
Access to ambient daylight from a distant window:

Heating
Do you have a thermometer(s) in the cage?
What type and brand of thermometer (digital with probe, temperature gun, LCD strip, analog (circle), combo digital thermometer/hygrometer, stainless steel aquarim type, other):
What is the ground temperature right on the substrate under the warm dry hide:
What is the air temperature on the warm end about 4 inches up from the ground:
What is the air temperature on the cool end about 4 inches up from the ground:
What device(s) are used to maintain the temperature (Under Tank Heater, heat light, ceramic heat emitter, Flexwatt heat tape, hot rock, other):
Ventilation space for your UTH by elevating the tank above the shelf (some UTHs come with sticky feet for the tank corners):
Are you using a thermostat(s)?
Which hide does she/he spend most of her time?
Is the temperature decreased at night? by how much?

Humidity
Is the humidity measured?
Humidity range:

Diet
Insects and worms, list type:
Regular diet fed to the insects and worms:
Are the insects and worms formally “gutloaded” 1-2 days prior to feeding off to your gecko? If so with?
How often do you feed your gecko?
Please list any supplements (with brand names) used. How are they given and how often?
What calcium brand are you using? with D3, without or both?
Is the calcium in the tank with D3 or without?
Multivitamins (include brand name)?
Please list any recent additions/changes in the diet:

General Health
If your gecko is sick, please describe the signs and how long your gecko has been showing these signs:
Is your gecko’s general activity level normal, decreased, or increased?
Is your gecko’s appetite normal, decreased, or increased?
Have you noticed any of the following?
Weight (loss or gain):
Discharge from the eyes or nose:
Increased breathing rate or effort:
Change in the droppings:
Urates
---white or yellowish:
---size of urates as compared to size of feces:
Abnormal skin color or shedding:
Parasites on the skin or in the feces:
Weakness:

Previous problems and/or illnesses:

Other Critters in Same Cage or in Household
List other animals that are kept in the same cage:
Recent acquisitions (new pets within the past 6 months):
Are any of your other pets ill?

Please include pictures of your gecko, the habitat, and particular issues (eye abcesses ?). If the problem involves gait, a video will be helpful. Many thanks.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
PS:

If the tail is a new wound it is very important to keep it clean and dry. Otherwise it will be more prone to infection.

Another reason to switch to paper towels.

It is still early on the Western USA coast! How about trying the first soak tonight in tepid water for about 10 minutes? Use a tweezers to gently remove some of the leg stuck shed and that toe you picture. Don't pull too hard.
 
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samantha12

New member
Once you get down to the really hard to reach stuff (toes and that eye shed), you could try using a qtip dipped in warm water and just try to gently rub off the shed.
In terms of growing that tail, make sure you offer him plenty of food and you should probably dust every feeding with calcium powder and also leave a little bottle cap of calcium powder in the enclosure. And you should definitely move him to paper towel. Sand in his wound would not be a pleasant experience...
Please keep us updated!
 

its_uhleeeen

New member
I dont know what the substrate is, except that it's orangeish-peach colored sand, the type you would get from Petco. We had planned to get some kind of real sand, but paper towels sounds like a much better idea. The tail definitely isnt a new wound, the owner said that it just 'never grew in,' but it's obvious that it just dropped. Is it common for them to drop tails like other geckos do?


General Information
Species of lizard: Leopard Gecko
Gecko's name: Bender
Morph: N/A
Gender: Unknown
Age: Unknown- I would assume young since he is really tiny.
Weight: 10.8 grams.
Total length: Four inches- give or take.
Length of your reptile when you first acquired it: Same as above.
Source (pet store, breeder, previous owner): A previous owner, he got it from Petco.
Captive bred or wild caught: I would assume Captive Bred.


Vivarium
Enclosure dimensions (length x width x heighth): 20 long aquarium.
Cage (type, size): Glass.
Substrate provided: Peach colored sand.
Types of hiding places provided: Two rock enclosures.
Is there a humidity hide? location? In the middle of the enclosure.
Please describe any other furnishings: There's a tree, haha.
List recent changes in the environment, if any: We moved him from his previous owner to here, and added a humid hide and a little pool.

Lighting
Artificial lighting
Incandescent (“screw-in” bulbs): wattage(s): 40W
Fluorescent (tube bulbs):

Natural lighting
Access to ambient daylight from a distant window: There is.

Heating
Do you have a thermometer(s) in the cage? Yes.
What type and brand of thermometer (digital with probe, temperature gun, LCD strip, analog (circle), combo digital thermometer/hygrometer, stainless steel aquarim type, other): A dual circle hydrometer and thermometer.
What is the ground temperature right on the substrate under the warm dry hide: about 70.
What is the air temperature on the warm end about 4 inches up from the ground: about 70.
What is the air temperature on the cool end about 4 inches up from the ground: about 70.
What device(s) are used to maintain the temperature (Under Tank Heater, heat light, ceramic heat emitter, Flexwatt heat tape, hot rock, other): Heat lamp.
Ventilation space for your UTH by elevating the tank above the shelf (some UTHs come with sticky feet for the tank corners):
Are you using a thermostat(s)? No.
Which hide does she/he spend most of her time? A rock to the left of his container.
Is the temperature decreased at night? by how much? Not really.

Humidity
Is the humidity measured? it says about 10%
Humidity range: 0-100%

Diet
Insects and worms, list type: Mealworms
Regular diet fed to the insects and worms: The stuff they come in from the store.
Are the insects and worms formally “gutloaded” 1-2 days prior to feeding off to your gecko? If so with? No. (what does that mean?)
How often do you feed your gecko? Since yesterday he's had a constant food source.
Please list any supplements (with brand names) used. How are they given and how often? None.
What calcium brand are you using? with D3, without or both? None at the moment.
Is the calcium in the tank with D3 or without? N/A
Multivitamins (include brand name)? N/A
Please list any recent additions/changes in the diet: I think he was eating dried Mealworms, so at this point he's eating live.

General Health
If your gecko is sick, please describe the signs and how long your gecko has been showing these signs: None.
Is your gecko’s general activity level normal, decreased, or increased? He seems to be acting okay.
Is your gecko’s appetite normal, decreased, or increased? Not sure.
Have you noticed any of the following?
Weight (loss or gain): No.
Discharge from the eyes or nose: No.
Increased breathing rate or effort: No.
Change in the droppings: No.
Urates
---white or yellowish: N/A
---size of urates as compared to size of feces: N/A
Abnormal skin color or shedding: about two layers of stuck she d on his legs, some on his eyes as well.
Parasites on the skin or in the feces: None.
Weakness: None.

Previous problems and/or illnesses:

Other Critters in Same Cage or in Household
List other animals that are kept in the same cage: None.
Recent acquisitions (new pets within the past 6 months): All of them? haha. 14 snakes, a Savannah Monitor, two Tokay Geckos, a Halmahera Gecko, and a Crested Gecko.
Are any of your other pets ill? None.


Pictures of him and his enclosure as asked:

bender.JPGbender2.jpgenclosure.jpgenclosure2.jpg
 

Embrace Calamity

New member
1) Remove the sand immediately. Put in paper towels. Sand is something that should only be tried by a very experienced keeper with extremely healthy geckos.
2) Get an accurate thermometer. Pick up a digital one.
3) You say you have a heat lamp, yet you're giving temps that are the same across the entire enclosure. How is that possible? You need temps on the ground of the warm side to be 88-93. 70 is way too cold and will slow down your gecko's metabolic processes.
4) Purchase a UTH and attach it to a thermostat: Amazon.com: Hydrofarm MTPRTC Digital Thermostat For Heat Mats: Patio, Lawn & Garden Put a hide right on top of the UTH and set it about 90-91. This will provide your gecko with the belly heat it needs.
5) Get rid of the red light. This color is disruptive for them. If you need overhead heat, get a regular basking light during the day and a ceramic heat emitter at night or just get a ceramic heat emitter to use 24/7.
6) Your gecko needs supplements. I personally suggest Repashy Calcium Plus, as it contains all the vitamins and minerals geckos need. Another option is Zoo Med's Reptivite. Whichever you get, make sure you read the instructions.

~Maggot
 

samantha12

New member
Thank you for filling out the form. I understand that you just got this little guy and you're probably feeling like you're a little in over your head, especially since you recently took in so many new pets. There appear to be a few huge red flags with your enclosure, and I think that by making some simple changes and following the bath regimen, your gecko will be good as new without needing to visit a vet.
First, your enclosure is very cold. A 40 watt heat lamp is not enough to warm a 20 gallon tank to the extent a leopard gecko needs. For a tank this size I would advise you get a 100watt bulb at least. However, geckos really benefit from having a heat source on their belly for digestion, so I suggest you get a ZooMed under-tank heater (UTH). Size small at petco is like $15. If you get the UTH, you can keep using your 40W lamp and should not need to upgrade (as long as your temp gets up to 85-90 degrees). I also think you could benefit from getting a digital probe thermometer (10 bucks at petco) as it is much more accurate and helpful, but I don't think your current thermometer will be the end of you.
To address your feeding situation, you'll need to invest in some calcium powder without D3. You can use this powder to coat the insects you're going to feed (this is called dusting) as well as put a bottle cap of the powder into the enclosure. I would also advise you switch to crickets as they are easier to digest and dust and are more nutritious in general. Gut-loading is when you feed fruits/veggies to the insects 24 hours before you feed them to your gecko. It passes the nutrients of the fruits/veggies on to your gecko and is very healthy for them.
I think your tank setup in general is okay except for the sand. Although I did notice the lamp is emitting red light, is that a UV bulb or something? It may be better to get one of those purplish black light bulb so the light doesn't bug him. Also make sure that one hide is over the UTH (once you get it). Once you get the temp up and that skin off he will be a whole lot happier :)
 
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its_uhleeeen

New member
I havent had him for more than 24 hours, i didnt want to change everything as soon as i got him home, and it seems to me, you're being really hostile about the way you're responding to my post.

The thermometer is in the middle of the tank, it read 70. i dont know what the temp is four inches from the sand, or under it, considering it says 70 no matter where i put it. The thermometer that is in his tank is the one he came with.

Like i said, everything that i listed is everything that he came with, he was a rescue. i havent had a chance to get him anything since i got him when everything was closed, and i dont keep basking lights on tap.

The ambient room temperature at any given point in the day is 80-85 degrees, the window had been open which probably caused a drop in temperature.

I'll pick up Repashy for him when i go out today, same with a heat lamp. Thanks for the advice.

I don't need the sass, i asked for advice about what to do about his shed, that's all.
 

its_uhleeeen

New member
Thanks for the help Samantha! That's all i really needed.

I have a UTH, and a digital probe thermometer than i can put under him now. I have Calcium powder, but it has D-3 in it. Is the D-3 bad for them compared to the way other geckos take it down?

I really appreciate your feedback!
 

Embrace Calamity

New member
I havent had him for more than 24 hours, i didnt want to change everything as soon as i got him home...
When it comes to sand, yes, you need to make that change immediately. Some things can be left until he settles in, but other things need to be addressed ASAP.
and it seems to me, you're being really hostile about the way you're responding to my post.
No, I'm not. I feel no hostility toward you. Not sure where you're getting that - unless numbers offend you somehow.
The thermometer is in the middle of the tank, it read 70. i dont know what the temp is four inches from the sand, or under it, considering it says 70 no matter where i put it. The thermometer that is in his tank is the one he came with.
The questionnaire asks what the temps are in different areas, and you gave 70 for all of the different areas. Even in the middle of the tank, 70 means that the warm end is way too cold.
Like i said, everything that i listed is everything that he came with, he was a rescue. i havent had a chance to get him anything since i got him when everything was closed, and i dont keep basking lights on tap.
Okay? That's why I'm making suggestions about what to get.
The ambient room temperature at any given point in the day is 80-85 degrees, the window had been open which probably caused a drop in temperature.
That doesn't sound right - unless you live in a very, very hot area or keep your room ungodly hot. Plus you couldn't have temps at 70 in the enclosure if the room is 80-85, even if there was a bit of a temp drop due to the windows being open.
I don't need the sass, i asked for advice about what to do about his shed, that's all.
No one's giving you sass. Calm down. I gave you organised suggestions about how to get the gecko as healthy as possible with 0% attitude. If that's sass, then I don't know why you're even here.
I have a UTH, and a digital probe thermometer than i can put under him now. I have Calcium powder, but it has D-3 in it. Is the D-3 bad for them compared to the way other geckos take it down?
D3 is necessary for them. It allows them to use calcium. Of course, too much is bad (as with anything else in the world, including calcium), but they do need it. What brand is it?

~Maggot
 

its_uhleeeen

New member
I have all of my reptiles in my room, so i have about six heat lamps going, along with a heater that goes throughout the house. Ive had to keep my window open the past few nights because we're sweating. Indeed, it is ungodly hot. haha.

We had the window open all night, to cool the room down. And he is also near a door with an underdraft coming through the bottom of it. I shit you not, it is incredibly hot in here.

The calcium i have is ZooMed Repti Calcium- if i need to get a different kind for him i can. No matter where i put that thermometer in the enclosure, it read 70- so that's what i put as an answer. Once i get a proper reading from the probe and the UTH i can update what his temps are in his tank.

I didnt want to stress him even more when i got home, so i had planned to change everything over today once he got somewhat acclimated.
 

Embrace Calamity

New member
The ZooMed should work. My personal preference is Repashy; I think it works better based on others' accounts. However, some others prefer ZooMed. What you decide to use is up to you.

I'm curious how you fit the sav in your room along with all the other reptiles though. I mean, that's a huge enclosure. How do you manage?

~Maggot
 

its_uhleeeen

New member
she's just a baby right now, not more than six months old. we have her in a ten long, and she has tons of room, still. she's a fatty and literally just sleeps all day under her log.

it's literally a reptile room, haha. there's tanks everywhere around our bed. haha!
 

Embrace Calamity

New member
she's just a baby right now, not more than six months old. we have her in a ten long, and she has tons of room, still. she's a fatty and literally just sleeps all day under her log.

it's literally a reptile room, haha. there's tanks everywhere around our bed. haha!
Oh dear. A healthy 6 month old sav should be much too large for a 10 gallon (though there's no such thing as a 10 "long"). Fish tanks are not a good way to keep savs. Please give this site a good read:
Correct Savannah Monitor Care
Savannah Monitors
This sav is nine-ten months old at the time of this pic: http://www.varanid.us/LF/dot.jpg

~Maggot
 

its_uhleeeen

New member
We got her from someone who wasn't taking care of her. He wasn't feeding her right, and he had broken her tail and wasn't giving her the correct things to help her shed. Shes a fatty though. We plan on putting her in a 20 long.

After looking at that picture there is NO way she's six months old. She must be a couple months old. This is her when we first got her, and now she's plumped up a lot. image.jpgimage.jpg
 

Embrace Calamity

New member
It's very possible she's six months old. Savs are very commonly much smaller than they're supposed to be because they aren't being given the care they need. That sav is that size because she is getting excellent care - proper basking temps, proper humidity, and proper food. She is about three feet now and only a year and a few months, but many adults don't reach that size because they're not being given proper care (and die within a few years). Again, I suggest you read over that website very thoroughly. An aquarium of any size isn't appropriate for a savannah monitor, and especially not one that small.

~Maggot
 
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