Tommy rubs his face on the glass and other objects in the tank - unrelated to shed.

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matt0101

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This is another odd behaviour I've been noticing in my gecko as of late. He'll rub the side of his face against the wall and his hides and such while kind of "slithering" around on his belly and wagging his tail in odd directions.

He will see a vet on the 9th of July, but in the meantime, does anyone know what this behavior means?

It is not related to shedding.
 

Superleo98

New member
I saw Maiyer and Emma (see signature) doing the same thing last night! But all of my Leo's do it often, and they are simply rubbing their scent on everything. Maiyer would rub himself on his dry hide, and then Emma would smell it and also rub herself in the same spot.
 

cricket4u

New member
It's good to hear that it may just be normal behavior. :)

The face rubbing has nothing to do with scent marking. Are you 100% sure there was no left over shed around his mouth? I don't want to give you a heart attack and then come to find out, you found a piece of shed days later.

Plant is plastic right?
Did you clean the enclosure with any harsh or new chemicals?
Any other symptoms or anything new in general?
First day you noticed him scratching the face? Just once?
 
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matt0101

New member
I check him over after every shed and there was no stuck shed that I could see, but the rubbing started before I even moved him into his new tank. He's been doing it for a few weeks as far as I've noticed.

The plant is plastic, yes. I rinsed it out well before introducing it.

I don't use any harsh chemicals to clean his tiles, just a small drop of dish soap and a good rinse. When I got his new tank I used alcohol wipes before wiping the tank out with baby wipes. It sat empty de-fuming for over a week after that.

This isn't the first time I've seen him do it. I have seen him do it several times in both his old tank and his new tank.
 
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matt0101

New member
No new symptoms that I can see aside from struggle pooping and yellow urates that you already know about. I'm getting him to a vet on the 9th.
 

cricket4u

New member
I check him over after every shed and there was no stuck shed that I could see, but the rubbing started before I even moved him into his new tank. He's been doing it for a few weeks as far as I've noticed.

The plant is plastic, yes. I rinsed it out well before introducing it.

I don't use any harsh chemicals to clean his tiles, just a small drop of dish soap and a good rinse. When I got his new tank I used alcohol wipes before wiping the tank out with baby wipes. It sat empty de-fuming for over a week after that.

This isn't the first time I've seen him do it. I have seen him do it several times in both his old tank and his new tank.

So you wipe with baby wipes and do not rinse? If you don't, I suggest that you begin to. I'm really trying not to cross the line here, so what I would suggest is to call his vet in the AM. Tell the receptionist to inform the vet that you have a concern. Explain that you have noticed Tommy scratching his face, mention frequency,ask if he/she believes it's a cause for concern and if he should be seen sooner.
 
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matt0101

New member
How can I rinse out a whole tank? You mean like with a hose outside? Because I don't have a sink that big.

I have a hearing disability and cannot make phone calls. Moreover, I do not have a ride available to get to the vet sooner than that. It is over an hour away and I can't drive, nor do I have a vehicle. The 9th is the best I can do.

I had Tommy out today and he is alert and active. He has been moving between hides tonight and he seems to be energetic. I will try feeding him again tomorrow to see if will eat.
 
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cricket4u

New member
How can I rinse out a whole tank? You mean like with a hose outside? Because I don't have a sink that big.

I have a hearing disability and cannot make phone calls. Moreover, I do not have a ride available to get to the vet sooner than that. It is over an hour away and I can't drive, nor do I have a vehicle. The 9th is the best I can do.

I had Tommy out today and he is alert and active. He has been moving between hides tonight and he seems to be energetic. I will try feeding him again tomorrow to see if will eat.

How can I rinse out a whole tank? You mean like with a hose outside?
That would be the best way. I don't see a point in using baby wipes, to be honest. You can use the alcohol, but make sure to rinse it well.

struggle pooping and yellow urates that you already know about
This is concerning, although at least this is good to hear:

I had Tommy out today and he is alert and active. He has been moving between hides tonight and he seems to be energetic.

Where is the last questionnaire you filled out buried? I need to refresh my memory.
 
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Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Matt ~

How about rinsing Tommy's enclosure with a washcloth rung out in water, wipe, then repeat a couple times? Another way to rinse is to spray down the sides.
 

matt0101

New member
Okay I wiped down the entire glass of the tank 4 times with 4 separate washcloths (just water), then I rinsed off all his tiles in the sink, and replaced all the paper towel in his tank with new paper towel.

Can we say this eliminates chemical contaminants?
 
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Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Okay I wiped down the entire glass of the tank 4 times with 4 separate washcloths (just water), then I rinsed off all his tiles in the sink, and replaced all the paper towel in his tank with new paper towel.

Can we say this eliminates chemical contaminants?

Your thorough rinsing should eliminate any scent/chemical contaminants from the baby wipes that may have been left behind.

How's Tommy doing?

PS: Curious about the brand of your dish soap. I use DAWN which is used on birds to remove oil from their feathers after spills, etc.
 
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Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Here goes: :)

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):
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 aquarium 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:
Regurgitation:

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?
 

matt0101

New member
How's Tommy doing?

PS: Curious about the brand of your dish soap. I use DAWN which is used on birds to remove oil from their feathers after spills, etc.
Tommy seems normal. He is alert and very energetic. He ate 4 mealworms today, which is the first time he has eaten since I introduced him to his new tank. He wasn't interested in crickets, unfortunately.

The dish soap is Palmolive. Maybe that brand isn't okay?


General Information

Species of lizard:
Leopard Gecko

Gecko's name:
Tommy

Morph:
SHTCTB

Gender:
Male

Age:
14 months (rough estimate)

Weight:
111g (checked less than 5 minutes ago)

Total length:
10 inches, maybe more.

Length of your reptile when you first acquired it:
Don't remember. He was a small juvenile, 2 months old or so.


Source (pet store, breeder, previous owner):
Pet store

Captive bred or wild caught:
Captive bred

Vivarium
Enclosure dimensions (length x width x heighth):
36"x18"x12"

Cage (type, size):
Exo-terra large-low.

Substrate provided:
2/3 slate tile toward the warm end and 1/3 paper towel toward the cool end.

Types of hiding places provided:
4 hides. Warm-dry above UTH, warm-dry off UTH but still below CHE, warm-humid above UTH, cool-dry on cool end.

Is there a humidity hide? location?
Yes, in the warm end above UTH.

Please describe any other furnishings:
Shallow water dish, plastic decor plant, piece of wood, platform above humid hide, half an egg carton, food dish for worms and jump-less crickets.

List recent changes in the environment, if any:
Moved him into larger tank from a 24"x18"x12".

Lighting
Artificial lighting
Incandescent (“screw-in” bulbs): wattage(s): None
Fluorescent (tube bulbs): None
Access to ambient daylight from a distant window: Yes



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 aquarium type, other):
3 x Exo-terra digital with probe.

What is the ground temperature right on the substrate under the warm dry hide:
Fluctuates between 88-92 or so.

What is the air temperature on the warm end about 4 inches up from the ground:
83

What is the air temperature on the cool end about 4 inches up from the ground:
76.5 (it is a warm summer day out.)

What device(s) are used to maintain the temperature (Under Tank Heater, heat light, ceramic heat emitter, Flexwatt heat tape, hot rock, other):
UTH and CHE.

Ventilation space for your UTH by elevating the tank above the shelf (some UTHs come with sticky feet for the tank corners):
Yes

Are you using a thermostat(s)?
Yes

Which hide does she/he spend most of her time?
Warm-dry

Is the temperature decreased at night? by how much?
I think so, but I'm not sure how much. I usually leave the CHE on overnight now. Maybe that's not a great idea?

Humidity
Is the humidity measured?
Yes

Humidity range:
30-60%


Diet
Insects and worms, list type:
mealworms mostly, crickets when he's in the mood. he won't eat anything else anymore.

Regular diet fed to the insects and worms:
Carrots. Will be changing cricket feed to adult bearded dragon food soon.

Are the insects and worms formally “gutloaded” 1-2 days prior to feeding off to your gecko? If so with?
Not anymore.

How often do you feed your gecko?
I try to feed him three times a week. Lately he has been refusing food, so I attempt to feed him every day.

Please list any supplements (with brand names) used. How are they given and how often?
Zoo-med reptivite with D3. Lately I have only been dusting 3-4 mealworms a week and no crickets.

What calcium brand are you using? with D3, without or both?
I use zoo-med reptivite with d3, which contains calcium, multivitamin and d3.

Is the calcium in the tank with D3 or without?
No calcium in the tank.

Multivitamins (include brand name)?
See above.

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:
- Yellow urates

- Trouble defacating

- Drags himself along the ground/walks very close to the ground. Only does this sometimes, he more often walks normally.

- Rubs his face on things, not for shedding purposes.

- Biting at his legs?

He has been showing these signs for a few weeks.



Is your gecko’s general activity level normal, decreased, or increased?
I would say it is the same.

Is your gecko’s appetite normal, decreased, or increased?
Decreased since introduction to new tank.

Have you noticed any of the following?
Weight (loss or gain):
Neither

Discharge from the eyes or nose:
No.

Increased breathing rate or effort:
Have not noticed.

Change in the droppings:
Urates
---white or yellowish:
Yellowish

---size of urates as compared to size of feces:
1/2 to 1/3 the length, but smaller in circumference.

Abnormal skin color or shedding:
no

Parasites on the skin or in the feces:
None that I am aware of.

Weakness:
Not sure.

Regurgitation:
Not for a few weeks now, but he regurgitated some hornworms and butterworms a while back.
 
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