Rescue adopted from Petco, emaciated and not eating. Please help me help him.

[dynaMOna]

Hello, I hope I'm posting in the correct spot. I'm new to this site, and am so grateful to have found y'all here!

I just brought home a leopard gecko from Petco, and he seems close to death. I've been going in there to purchase crickets for my bearded dragon, also a rescue, and for the last 3 weeks, I've watched this little guy steadily decline. I can only assume he was impacted, they house with sand, since when he caught my eye, it was due to his distress in trying to dislodge a poop that was stuck. He was straining over and over, trying to go, and even reached back there. It was painful to see, and I pointed it out to the staff.

A week later, I come in, the poop is still stuck, and he's thinner. I ask for a manager, who tells me they will do something about it. I don't need to go through the whole thing, let's just say he's a tough little guy to make it through. I finally raised enough hell to have them give him to me.

He's been with me 4 days, has tried waxworms and tiny crickets, but won't eat them again. Tried force feeding baby food mixed with some calcium w/D3, and Ensure, however it's very traumatic for him, and I'd rather not put him through that. I've seen a slurry posted in many places that calls for many ingredients including mealworms, that can be fed by allowing him to lick it off the lips or snout. I'm going to be trying that tonight.

He's housed in a 10 gal, glass tank, UTH, warm side stays around 93-95 degrees. Should I keep that temp even at night, since he's weak? 3 hides, moist hide is closer to the warm side, I'm hoping it will help him get his toe shed off. I'm just about to go read the Caresheet to see what I need to fix change.

He's very small, only a few inches long, and looks like a little stick bug. His tail has no fat, and his skin is stretched tight over his bones in his legs. I will upload photos when I get home if it will help. I just want to give this little guy a shot at life. He's my first gecko, so I can't claim any knowledge, all I have are time and intentions.
Thank you,
~Monique

 

[dynaMOna]

Here he is when I first got him home a couple of days ago.







Today after soaking some more shed off and feeding liquified protein.

 

[Completeleopard]

Hello and a warm welcome to GU, well done to trying to save this little Gecko.

1. Is there a blue type spot on his stomach, this will indicate whether he had impaction or not.

2. He needs to be hydrated before feeding him.



LEOPARD GECKOS NOT EATING

In emergency situations during which a leo has been off food for extended periods of time and is losing weight, REHYDRATE FIRST for a couple days!!! A few drops of unflavored Pedialyte on the gecko's snout or in the water could help jumpstart the appetite. Do not attempt feeding a dehydrated gecko till the gecko's hydration status has been confirmed by a vet.

Rehydration Information
To entice any gecko to open his mouth brush a thin dowel, a stainless steel gavage needle (with a rounded tip), or your finger horizontally past his lips. Stroke gecko's lips, gecko opens mouth, then insert water, food, or medicine. Be gentle and never force the mouth open.

How to force feed a Leopard Gecko - YouTube

Recovery Foods
***Fluker's Repta+Boost -- good for leos off food



***Oxbow Carnivore Care (premium recovery food) is even better. Available through a vet -- mainly. Oxbow Animal Health | Carnivore Care



***Lafeber's Emeraid for Carnivors -- quite similar to Oxbow's Carnivore Care

***In a pinch, use Mazuri's Mazuri Shopping Cart - Insectivorous Lizards


VERY TEMPORARY RECOVERY FOODS
***Turkey baby food is better than chicken baby food. Place the baby food directly on the geckos lips/snout. If your assist feeding is more than just very temporary, turkey (or chicken) baby food should be mixed 1:1 with unflavored Pedialyte! Sprinkle a little calcium with D3 into the chicken baby food 2-3x per week. If additional calcium is necessary, use a liquid supplement called Calcium Glubionate.

***Check out the Assist-Feeding posts by Maurice Pudlo and others which follow this Leopard Gecko Caresheet.

 

[Olimpia]

Completeleopard is totally right, one of the biggest causes of impaction/constipation isn't the substrate itself but dehydration. It's very difficult to move things along (even food) without lubrication! So definitely try what you can to get some fluids in him and continue the soakings. He may not want to eat or be able to until he manages to clear his colon of any backed-up fecal matter, so hopefully between fluids, soakings, and gentle tummy massages with a finger he will be able to poop all that out and feel much better.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

 

[Nynecho]

Hi there, glad I found you on here as well as IG.
I recommend giving him warm baths regularly, and maybe add a bit of pedialite to the water. Make sure it's not deep enough for him to drown. He actually looks like he is in pretty good mental health despite his rough treatment. His eyes look clear and as long as his digestive tract gets better, he should have no problem eating. I agree 100% that the dehydration is the problem. Petco rarely give their geckos enough moisture, and little guys like this sometimes have trouble using a water dish. Perhaps for when you're not handling him/feeding him, keep that moist hide stocked with wet paper towels so he can lick up the water. I have several geckos who choose to hydrate that way as opposed to water bowls.

Make sure you get that shed off him at all costs. You have no idea how many times I've seen geckos die because of that stuff getting stuck in the wrong places. If you have to, use your finger nails to help peal off the shed.

Good luck with the little guy, he looks like a survivor.

And in case you were curious about the morph, he looks like a tremper snow.

 

[dynaMOna]

Okay, looks like today is all about rehydration! Go team!!

Thanks so much for your responses, I appreciate the input, and Pedialyte is on the top of my grocery list. Regarding handling, he is NOT cool with being handled at all. I feel terrible about putting him through it, and it seems like a trauma every time I must "catch" him, however I do my best to make each handling as productive as possible.

I do need some help on how to remove that shed from his toes. After soaking for 15-20 minutes in standing, warm water, should I just free one foot at a time and pull it off? I think I'm just apprehensive due to his fragile state, and all the energy he expends fighting me. Nynecho, I will take your words to heart, and make it my goal to get his toes clear today. Thanks for your support :cheer:

 

[dynaMOna]

1. Is there a blue type spot on his stomach, this will indicate whether he had impaction or not.

Yes, he's got a dark belly. I'm trying to take a photo that shows it. Also, when I first saw him at Petco, he had a poop stuck partway out. He stayed that way for over a week! That's what got me bugging the staff there.

I just chased him into his humid hide, he doesn't seem to go in there unless I do, and I just observed him lowering his head to the floor, now raising it and licking a lot. I hope that means he's getting water! I only used bottled water in the hide, and let it warm up before getting him in there. I'll be getting him on Pedialyte today. Handling him is an issue for me, he is very against it, and I just feel terrible about the way he fights.

 

[Completeleopard]

Hello,

1. After soaking your Leo, GENTLY try pulling off the shed using tweezers. If it doesn't come off easy don't pull it off at all, it can damage their skin. You may need vet attention to help get it off.

2. To take a photo of his belly, put him in a clear plastic container and take a picture of his belly.

3. Are you sure it was poop sticking out and not a prolapse? They can go back in on there own.

4. Persevere with the handling for this little one, he will get used to it. You need him to get used to handling in case you need to administor medication. When picking him up pick him up from the side, not above, so he can see your hand coming, slide as many fingers as you can under his belly to support him, then lift him up, using your other hand as a safety net under your hand you have him in, in case he jumps. If he's in your hand but skittish, place your hand gently and slowly over his head just to shade his head for ten minutes, this should calm him.

 

[cricket4u]

Hi DynaMona,

He's been with me 4 days, has tried waxworms and tiny crickets, but won't eat them again.

How about taking him to a vet to have him hydrated properly and safely?

 

[dynaMOna]

Hello,

1. After soaking your Leo, GENTLY try pulling off the shed using tweezers. If it doesn't come off easy don't pull it off at all, it can damage their skin. You may need vet attention to help get it off.

2. To take a photo of his belly, put him in a clear plastic container and take a picture of his belly.

3. Are you sure it was poop sticking out and not a prolapse? They can go back in on there own.

4. Persevere with the handling for this little one, he will get used to it. You need him to get used to handling in case you need to administor medication. When picking him up pick him up from the side, not above, so he can see your hand coming, slide as many fingers as you can under his belly to support him, then lift him up, using your other hand as a safety net under your hand you have him in, in case he jumps. If he's in your hand but skittish, place your hand gently and slowly over his head just to shade his head for ten minutes, this should calm him.

1. Soaked, and was able to remove quite a bit with q-tips. One back foot is being stubborn, I will repeat procedure when I finish my work shift this evening.

2. I'll work on that photo tonight as well.

3. Prolapse? No idea. However, the substance was solid, and white, like the sand he was housed in, so it seemed logical that it was a stuck, sandy poop.

4. He likes nothing about my hand, and I'm good with having nice, long taming sessions with him if and when he survives all of this. I'm being as gentle as I can be when I approach and place my hand by him, then pick him up.

 

[dynaMOna]

Hi DynaMona,



How about taking him to a vet to have him hydrated properly and safely?

Been in touch with the vet hospital, yesterday and today. They are kind enough to be talking to me via email, and I'm waiting for a reply now regarding a rate and appointment time for an assessment. I'm fortunate enough to have a reptile veterinary hospital 6 blocks away from my home!

I was happy to see my little guy taking in some water when he was in his humid hide, and I'm happy I got most of his little toes free of shed.

 

[Completeleopard]

Cricket,

Do you think it may have been a prolapse? Worrying how the OP said it was covered in sand..

 

[Meaningoflife42]

After rehydration, have you tried the nose drop method? Instead of force feeding him inside the mouth, put him in an enclosed area and drip the food on his "lips" and nose. He'll lick it off. A cool trick is to put the syringe next to his tongue while he is licking and he'll keep licking from the syringe if you are lucky. Patience is key. I would recommend carnivore care from oxbow if you can acquire some for liquid food.

 

[dynaMOna]

After rehydration, have you tried the nose drop method? Instead of force feeding him inside the mouth, put him in an enclosed area and drip the food on his "lips" and nose. He'll lick it off. A cool trick is to put the syringe next to his tongue while he is licking and he'll keep licking from the syringe if you are lucky. Patience is key. I would recommend carnivore care from oxbow if you can acquire some for liquid food.

Yes, thanks. I haven't force fed him since that first day. He's taken some in via that licking method, and yes, it's all about patience! He is constantly turning away from me, so getting anything on his face or tongue while he's licking will mean I'm at expert level indeed

That Carnivore Care is in my shopping cart on Amazon, I'm looking at thermostats as well to operate my UTH, and possibly a CHE as well, and Amazon is such a great place to shop.

 

[Meaningoflife42]

Good to hear of your success! It's always hard originally, and keep in mind it is still stressful, just less than having a tube stuck in your mouth.

 

[cricket4u]

After rehydration, have you tried the nose drop method? Instead of force feeding him inside the mouth, put him in an enclosed area and drip the food on his "lips" and nose. He'll lick it off. A cool trick is to put the syringe next to his tongue while he is licking and he'll keep licking from the syringe if you are lucky. Patience is key. I would recommend carnivore care from oxbow if you can acquire some for liquid food.

And how exactly is she going to know when he is fully hydrated??? During dehydration reptiles have cellular depletion. This can not be corrected with soaks. The proper electrolyte solution(do not have at home) must be provided for a period of time. Then comes supportive nutrition.

Dynamona~
Please take him in to the vet as soon as possible. He can always be in pain and this could be the reading for not eating. If he is in pain, the vet must provide pain management. What you were describing does not sound good. Hopefully it's not a necrotic heme-penis. He really needs to be evaluated to see what's going on internally.

Also make sure that the humidity in the enclosure does not drop below 40. 45-50% will be ideal to help prevent further dehydration and will also head with the shed. Buy a good hygrometer, not the pet store type.

 

[cricket4u]

Hello and a warm welcome to GU, well done to trying to save this little Gecko.

1. Is there a blue type spot on his stomach, this will indicate whether he had impaction or not.

2. He needs to be hydrated before feeding him.



LEOPARD GECKOS NOT EATING

In emergency situations during which a leo has been off food for extended periods of time and is losing weight, REHYDRATE FIRST for a couple days!!! A few drops of unflavored Pedialyte on the gecko's snout or in the water could help jumpstart the appetite. Do not attempt feeding a dehydrated gecko till the gecko's hydration status has been confirmed by a vet.

Rehydration Information
To entice any gecko to open his mouth brush a thin dowel, a stainless steel gavage needle (with a rounded tip), or your finger horizontally past his lips. Stroke gecko's lips, gecko opens mouth, then insert water, food, or medicine. Be gentle and never force the mouth open.

How to force feed a Leopard Gecko - YouTube

Recovery Foods
***Fluker's Repta+Boost -- good for leos off food



***Oxbow Carnivore Care (premium recovery food) is even better. Available through a vet -- mainly. Oxbow Animal Health | Carnivore Care



***Lafeber's Emeraid for Carnivors -- quite similar to Oxbow's Carnivore Care

***In a pinch, use Mazuri's Mazuri Shopping Cart - Insectivorous Lizards


VERY TEMPORARY RECOVERY FOODS
***Turkey baby food is better than chicken baby food. Place the baby food directly on the geckos lips/snout. If your assist feeding is more than just very temporary, turkey (or chicken) baby food should be mixed 1:1 with unflavored Pedialyte! Sprinkle a little calcium with D3 into the chicken baby food 2-3x per week. If additional calcium is necessary, use a liquid supplement called Calcium Glubionate.

***Check out the Assist-Feeding posts by Maurice Pudlo and others which follow this Leopard Gecko Caresheet.

A few drops of unflavored Pedialyte on the gecko's snout or in the water could help jumpstart the appetite.

This should be removed from the caresheet. This is not an appropriate fluid solution to use.

a stainless steel gavage needle (with a rounded tip)

And this is dangerous; therefore should not be recommended to anyone. People have often broken and knocked out teeth, The mouth should only be opened by a medical professional in order to avoid injury. When a leo is in poor conditions, it is likely that his mandibles is weak and easy to fracture, very common.

 

[dynaMOna]

This should be removed from the caresheet. This is not an appropriate fluid solution to use.


And this is dangerous; therefore should not be recommended to anyone. People have often broken and knocked out teeth, The mouth should only be opened by a medical professional in order to avoid injury. When a leo is in poor conditions, it is likely that his mandibles is weak and easy to fracture, very common.

Thank you, I appreciate your concern in wanting to get proper information out to those of us wanting to provide care for these sweet creatures!



I was able to get the rest of the shed off his toes after a warm soak. While I was wiping around his tail, I noticed something that at first I thought might have been a poop coming out of him, however was not. I was not using much light, trying to be kind to his eyes, so I can't quite describe what I saw, however there was very little of it, no blood, and it definitely belonged inside of him. It did not appear to be an organ, more tissue like, no blood vessels. I gently replaced him in the warm area of the tank, where he settled down and has gone back to sleep.

I've heard back from the vet hospital, and will be taking their first available appointment, which is Thursday. At this point, I'm trying to make him as comfortable as possible until his vet appointment, by keeping an eye on temperature, and making the humid hide available.

I'm horrified by the thought that I have held him in such a way that I've caused this further injury to him. I am calling the vet hospital in the morning to see if they might have a solution. Perhaps they can refer me to someone else in town, so he can be seen tomorrow. Otherwise, I will take the Thursday appointment and try to make him as comfortable as possible until then.

 

[Completeleopard]

Hello!

I doubt very much that this prolapse (sounds like this is what it is) is due to the handling from you. So don't worry regarding that .

As Cricket has said, get him to the vet ASAP.

- Check hydration levels.
- internal check
- external check (for the stuck shed)

Make sure the cage is kept clean, house him on paper towels.

 

[dynaMOna]

Hello!

I doubt very much that this prolapse (sounds like this is what it is) is due to the handling from you. So don't worry regarding that .

As Cricket has said, get him to the vet ASAP.

- Check hydration levels.
- internal check
- external check (for the stuck shed)

Make sure the cage is kept clean, house him on paper towels.

Thank you, I appreciate your response!

Cage is lined with clean paper towels, and the temp inside the warm hide has been hovering around 90 degrees, give or take a degree or two. Water is available, the humid hide is there, and I see him moving around a fair bit to adjust his resting place.