Help, neglected leo

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Yeah, I can get some.
He said she had calcium, but that's it.
And yeah will do now.
That's what I thought, taking her to the vets as soon as they're open.
Thanks for helping me

You are most welcome. Sometimes there is some recovery from MBD. Depends upon how early it is caught. Quite concerned about those yellow urates!

Have you the appointment with a reptile vet specialist?

Thing is these symptoms MIGHT result from too little or from too much vitamin D3. That's why maybe the breeder might share better info. Hope the rest of his leos are much better off.
 

MushuSpyro

New member
The vets are shut atm as it's sunday and bank holiday tomorrow, I'll be able to get an appointment with the specialist for tuesday.. I've posted this on other forums and everyone thinks she's in the late stages of MBD :l

The breeder just copied and pasted from a care sheet. He was very happy to get rid of her from what I noticed.
I just hope I can make the rest of her life as comfortable as possible.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
I want to report him to the RSPCA, do you think it's the right way to go about it?

Will he refund your money and let you keep this gecko for rehab?

Will he share with you the condition of his other leos?

Will he tell you just exactly what he did and did not do with regards to calcium in order to facilitate Cynder's rehab?

Maybe if he realizes he did something wrong, and has corrected it and not selling other leos in the same condition, there is hope for that breeder. If he is not open, and maybe even if he is, yes I'd report it.

In the USA we have a Board of Inquiry through Fauna Classifieds. Don't know whether that is international.
 

MushuSpyro

New member
Will he refund your money and let you keep this gecko for rehab? No.

Will he share with you the condition of his other leos? He just said 'healthy and the same as this little one'

Will he tell you just exactly what he did and did not do with regards to calcium in order to facilitate Cynder's rehab? He hasn't told me from his words, just copied from the care sheet.

Maybe if he realizes he did something wrong, and has corrected it and not selling other leos in the same condition, there is hope for that breeder. If he is not open, and maybe even if he is, yes I'd report it. He's denying it outright and center, he got angry on the phone with me and hung up.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
The vets are shut atm as it's sunday and bank holiday tomorrow, I'll be able to get an appointment with the specialist for tuesday.. I've posted this on other forums and everyone thinks she's in the late stages of MBD :l

The breeder just copied and pasted from a care sheet. He was very happy to get rid of her from what I noticed.
I just hope I can make the rest of her life as comfortable as possible.

Will he refund your money and let you keep this gecko for rehab? No.

Will he share with you the condition of his other leos? He just said 'healthy and the same as this little one'

Will he tell you just exactly what he did and did not do with regards to calcium in order to facilitate Cynder's rehab? He hasn't told me from his words, just copied from the care sheet.

Maybe if he realizes he did something wrong, and has corrected it and not selling other leos in the same condition, there is hope for that breeder. If he is not open, and maybe even if he is, yes I'd report it. He's denying it outright and center, he got angry on the phone with me and hung up.

When you get the Nutrobal, do not use it till you hear from cricket4u and your vet. Cricket4u's background is medical as well as someone who has rehabbed leos and other lizards.

Reason I say this is because Nutrobal contains vitamin D3 and we must be very careful not to make things worse---yellow urates :-(.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Also in one of the pictures, she has white rough skin on her body, but it doesn't look like shed? Any idea?


Not sure about the white rough skin. Perhaps a soak in lukewarm water for maybe 15 minutes would help?

VetArk Professional sells these products in the UK:
"Nutrobal"
Calcium/Phosphorus ratio of 46:1

Contents per gram:
Calcium 200mg,
Vitamin D3 150 iu, Vitamins A, C, E, K, B1, B2, B6, B12 folic, nicotinic and pantothenic acids, biotin choline niacin and minerals P, Na, Fe, Co, I, Mn, Zn, Se, Cu." (cricket4u -- 27 Feb 2012)
 

MushuSpyro

New member
Okay, thanks. Will give her a bath tonight :)
Once again, thank you so much for helping. I posted on other forums but no one replies.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Okay, thanks. Will give her a bath tonight :)
Once again, thank you so much for helping. I posted on other forums but no one replies.

I understand that your appreciative of my help :D.

Perhaps your vet has Oxbow's Carnivore Care---a powdered all-in-one food? Nice if he also has a flexible rubber tip for your feeding syringe. HOWEVER, a couple days just providing water (hydration) is important prior to beginning ANY food.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Be certain that Cynder's humid hide on the warm end has paper towels that are always squeezed-out wet. Those will also aid in hydration.
 

cricket4u

New member
I'll be surprised if he ever provided any supplements in general. Based on her skin and body condition, chances are he just tossed in a few mealworms and that's it. At least she's in better condition than I had imagined, although seriously nutrient deficient.

How yellow were the urates?
All yellow or partially?
How did her stool appear?
Has she been moving at all?
Drank water?
Any licks of calcium on her own?

One of my concerns is how long has she been deficient in everything? Trying to outweigh the risk either way. Don't want to feed her in such a state of hydration, however we don't want her serum calcium level to drop to the point of no return. 2 days away can make a huge difference in calcium level. This is why it's important to know how active she is presently and if you have noticed any twitches or other odd behavior besides walking like she's drunk.
 
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Saskia

New member
I agree with cricket, I don´t think he suplemented at all, she looks very dehydrated, as if she was housed in a very very dry environment, she doesn´t look THAAAT skinny (I have seen very worse, sadly), and IMHO she is showing some MDB (by the look of her joints and skull), I would start by hydrating her with electrolites before attempting to feed her with anything, but I am not a vet, or an expert, I just have rescued quite a few neglected leos.
 

Saskia

New member
Regarding reporting it I would deffinitely encourage you to do so, make your statement SERIOUS, make it come from your brain and not your heart, collect th best pictures you can, have the vet write a report on her health and condition, and (in his opinion) the possible causes for her being like that, attach the vet bill, and the receipt from the so called "breeder" , and every writen comunication you might have from him (emails), this person in VERY irresponsible! and should´t be selling or even keeping animals
 

MushuSpyro

New member
Her Urate was all yellow :s
Her stool appeared fine, although rather small. It wasn't runny or anything.
She's been moving last night and a little this morning. She's been drinking a lot of water, and licking her calcium on her own too.
I put her in for a luke warm bath last night, and she seemed to love it, she was gulping down some water, and then was trying to walk around.

I phoned the RSPCA y/d after the breeder became very rude with me. I told him she might have MBD and asked if he ever took her or any of them to the vet. He said why should he take them to the vet over some weird bone disorder he's never even heard of. And then he was having a go at me, refusing my money back to go towards the vet bills and treatment.

He said all his gecko's are healthy and the exact same as her physically. SO I called the RSPCA, and they're investigating. They also said they may be able to help me with the funds, or get my money back.

It's not just gecko's he keeps. He keeps all different kinds of reptiles, and other animals for that matter. He was trying to sell me some male leo's originally because he had 5 in the same tank and only just noticed them fighting.

I was seriously fuming y/d after the way he treated and spoke to me.

She looks like she struggles to walk, her legs just give way. She kind of just drags herself around.. It's so sad to see.
 

vgorst

New member
That's awful. I'd agree with the others that it's MBD/supplementation issue.

I would be very tempted to get a low % UVB bulb in there and make sure that there's a tub of calci-dust in there 24/7 until you can get to the vets. Nutrabol is a bit rubbish, Repashy calcium plus (that you can purchase through Lilly Exotics in the UK) is much better.

Could you PM me the name of the breeder and/or their 'company' name please as I'm also in the UK? It's shocking that this person calls themselves a 'breeder' and sells animals in that state.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
That's awful. I'd agree with the others that it's MBD/supplementation issue.

I would be very tempted to get a low % UVB bulb in there and make sure that there's a tub of calci-dust in there 24/7 until you can get to the vets. Nutrabol is a bit rubbish, Repashy calcium plus (that you can purchase through Lilly Exotics in the UK) is much better.

Could you PM me the name of the breeder and/or their 'company' name please as I'm also in the UK? It's shocking that this person calls themselves a 'breeder' and sells animals in that state.

This is the first criticism I've seen about Nutrobal. Can you be more specific why you say it is a bit "rubbish"?

http://www.vetark.co.uk/pages/Nutrobal-for-reptiles.aspx
 
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