Male Leopard Gecko VERY Sick!!!

[Phil72]

A few days ago i adopted a 2.5 year old male leopard gecko from a care giver who decided she couldn't take care of him anymore. He can not see as his eyes are almost closed and the rest is blocked by something brown. There are also big bumps behind his eyes(swelling?).
Next, there is something brown hanging off of his stomach, just under the two bumps that males have but females don't. It is flat and looks almost like a flap of skin.
Also, he refused to eat with the previous care giver and therefore his tail is very skinny. He has force eaten crickets and mealworms though.
The previous care giver said his eyes being closed had already been going on for several months, and that it came from shedding. He also has a bit of shed skin stuck on his toes.
I have given him one bath with pure warm water, and one with 1 tbs sugar and one cup water. i will post more tomorrow

 

[Yuk]

Sounds like it is time to take him to the vet.

 

[Phil72]

Thank you for replying so quickly. For reasons I can not explain online, I can not take him to the vet this week. What can I do at home. Also, I have given him eye lubricating drops. Is there anything else I can do at home to help him? There is also some blood underneath him at the base of his tail. What do I do about that?!?

When I try to upload a picture to here it says I don't have permission to do that... Any help there?

 

[Phil72]

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi Phil72 ~

A warm welcome to Geckos Unlimited. Thanks for sharing pictures! Any chance of better ones?

When can you make a vet visit?

In the meantime what can be done at home is making sure your husbandry is up to par. In the care sheet linked below in my signature you will find much advice. On post #81 there is an abbreviated version.

Please complete:

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?

 

[Completeleopard]

Phil,

Is there any chance of some cleared pictures?

If he's moving around a lot when you are trying to take a picture, place him in a clear see through tub and then take a picture!

 

[Phil72]

When can you make a vet visit? not sure yet

In the meantime what can be done at home is making sure your husbandry is up to par. In the care sheet linked below in my signature you will find much advice. On post #81 there is an abbreviated version.

Please complete:

General Information
Species of lizard: Leopard Gecko
Gecko's name:Echo
Morph:Some kind of snow
Gender: Male
Age:2.5
Weight: 70 grams
Total length: 9 inches
Length of your reptile when you first acquired it: same
Source (pet store, breeder, previous owner)revious owner
Captive bred or wild caught:captive bred
Vivarium
Enclosure dimensions (length x width x height):36 x 18 x 17
Cage (type, size): Aquarium, 40 gallon breeder
Substrate provided: reptile carpet
Types of hiding places provided: cool end: moist hide, rock hide. warm end: rock hide, rock cave
Is there a humidity hide? location? yes- cool end
Please describe any other furnishings: two plastic plants-- exoterra amapollo
List recent changes in the environment, if any: he used to live in a 29 gallon tank. Unknown of everything else... he was fed only mealworms, i think

Lighting
Artificial lighting
Incandescent (“screw-in” bulbs): wattage(s): none
Fluorescent (tube bulbs): one behind cage, attached to wall, has plastic casing on outside
Access to ambient daylight from a distant window: yes

Heating
Do you have a thermometer(s) in the cage? yes- 2
What type and brand of thermometer (digital with probe, temperature gun, LCD strip, analog (circle), combo digital thermometer/hygrometer, stainless steel aquarium type, other): both digital with probe: one yellow, made by zoo med, one black, made by coralife
What is the ground temperature right on the substrate under the warm dry hide: 92 degrees
What is the air temperature on the warm end about 4 inches up from the ground: 85 degrees
What is the air temperature on the cool end about 4 inches up from the ground: 80 degrees
What device(s) are used to maintain the temperature (Under Tank Heater, heat light, ceramic heat emitter, Flexwatt heat tape, hot rock, other): Under tank heater
Ventilation space for your UTH by elevating the tank above the shelf (some UTHs come with sticky feet for the tank corners):none-- it is a uth made for humans
Are you using a thermostat(s)?no
Which hide does she/he spend most of her time? warm
Is the temperature decreased at night? by how much? if any, less than 10 degrees

Humidity
Is the humidity measured? no
Humidity range: 45%

Diet
Insects and worms, list type:crickets, mealworms, mealworm pupae, superworms.
Regular diet fed to the insects and worms: crickets-- cricket chow and water crystals, occasionally a potato. mealworms & superworms- any fresh veggies that i would eat too
Are the insects and worms formally “gutloaded” 1-2 days prior to feeding off to your gecko? If so with? they are always fed ghann's gut loading food and water crystals
How often do you feed your gecko? once every two days
Please list any supplements (with brand names) used. How are they given and how often? zoo med calcium without d3- twice every 3 feedings
What calcium brand are you using? with D3, without or both? zoo med reptile calcium without d3
Is the calcium in the tank with D3 or without? no calcium in tank
Multivitamins (include brand name)?none
Please list any recent additions/changes in the diet: i do not know his previous diet

General Health
If your gecko is sick, please describe the signs and how long your gecko has been showing these signs: eyes almost closed, the rest is blocked by something brown (he can't see). I was told this started when he was shedding, swelling behind eyes, some shed skin stuck on toes, brown flap hanging off is stomach right by the two bumps tat males have-- looks kind of like skin, some bleeding last night by the base of his tail, he has to be force fed
Is your gecko’s general activity level normal, decreased, or increased? decreased
Is your gecko’s appetite normal, decreased, or increased? i don't know what it was like before i got him, he has to be force fed
Have you noticed any of the following?
Weight (loss or gain): weight loss-- pretty severe
Discharge from the eyes or nose:his eyes were already shut when i got him
Increased breathing rate or effort: He breathes a little less frequentl than my females, i think
Change in the droppings: didn't not have access to previous droppings
Urates
---white or yellowish: have not found any droppings yet
---size of urates as compared to size of feces: have not found any droppings yet
Abnormal skin color or shedding: skin looks pale
Parasites on the skin or in the feces: no
Weakness: yes
Regurgitation:no

Previous problems and/or illnesses: not sure

Other Critters in Same Cage or in Household
List other animals that are kept in the same cage: two female adult leopard geckos
Recent acquisitions (new pets within the past 6 months): uromastyx (separate cage), crabs and minnows (separate cage), him
Are any of your other pets ill? no.


please let me know if i missed anything. i will send pictures in a few minutes

 

[Yuk]

I'm going to be blunt here... if you know the gecko is sick and you know you won't be able to take it to the vet, why on earth did you adopt it? By the time you are eventually able to make an appointment, it could be dead, and there isn't a thing an internet forum can do to help. A "care giver" would be someone actually providing it with care. Force feeding and hoping for the best is just prolonging this poor gecko's suffering.

And TWO other female geckos with it? Worst case scenario, you lose all three. That was a seriously misguided thing for you to do.

 

[Phil72]

 

[Phil72]

 

[Completeleopard]

I'm going to be blunt here... if you know the gecko is sick and you know you won't be able to take it to the vet, why on earth did you adopt it? By the time you are eventually able to make an appointment, it could be dead, and there isn't a thing an internet forum can do to help. A "care giver" would be someone actually providing it with care. Force feeding and hoping for the best is just prolonging this poor gecko's suffering.

And TWO other female geckos with it? Worst case scenario, you lose all three. That was a seriously misguided thing for you to do.

Yuk,

Please remember other owners predicaments.

These Gecko's could have been living in awful conditions, no heat, no hides, poor food, unclean cage, no substrate, anything.

If this owner has adopted them trying to help this Gecko, at least this male now has a chance of surviving.

 

[Completeleopard]

Phil,

Did you adopt all three Gecko's? Or have you added the new Gecko to your healthy collection?

If so, seperate him immediately, he needs to be quarentined.

He could be carrying parasites that could make your other Gecko's ill.

I will help you with husbandry soon.

 

[Yuk]

Yuk,

Please remember other owners predicaments.

These Gecko's could have been living in awful conditions, no heat, no hides, poor food, unclean cage, no substrate, anything.

If this owner has adopted them trying to help this Gecko, at least this male now has a chance of surviving.

Absolutely not. It is still living in horrible conditions. If you can't take the pet to the vet, you shouldn't be "rescuing" it in the first place. I don't agree with the practice of rescuing an animal if you don't have the knowledge or resources.

 

[Completeleopard]

Absolutely not. It is still living in horrible conditions. If you can't take the pet to the vet, you shouldn't be "rescuing" it in the first place. I don't agree with the practice of rescuing an animal if you don't have the knowledge or resources.

OK , that is your opinion, let's not derail this Thread!

 

[Completeleopard]

Phil,

Some suggestions :

1. Leo's should have a warm dry hide, for digesting food. A warm moist hide, to aid with shedding and hydration. A cool dry hide, to cool down in.

2. Your tank needs ventilation so that heat does not build up around the UTH and cause a fire risk. Some people use Hockey Puks!

3. I'd cut out the super worms, they are aggressive and can hurt your Leo .

4. He is a good weight; Are your scales accurate? No need to force feed him it will just cause him a lot of stress.

5. I'm not sure what the bloody skin is under his stomach. It is likely there is stuck shed behind his eyes which is why he can't open them, this can be come infected if not dealt with.

6. He needs to see a vet as soon as possible.

 

[Phil72]

Thank you CompleteLeopard- i adopted him separately. I will quarantine him soon! I will move his moist hide to the warm side of the tank as well. Thank you for all your help. I will also stop feeding superworms and try to schedule with a vet.

 

[Completeleopard]

Phil,

You should quarantine him before introducing him to your other leo's ! I would recommend getting all your Leo's checked for parasites now, take a Fecal sample of all three into the vet. Be careful regarding the Leo's fighting as well.

I would recommend removing the stuck shed on his feet as soon as you can. Place a warm, moist paper towel onto his foot , or try to wet his foot, and gently try to remove the skin from his foot. If it doesn't come off, don't try hard to remove it, you will damage his skin. I'm uncomfortable about recommending bathing, as I'm not sure what the flap of skin is underneath him!

 

[Phil72]

Please help me here... Today I gave him a bath and got the rest of the shed skin off his toes. I then noticed that the back part of his stomach is very big and that one of his toes starts to bleed when put in the water. Please help me. He is also quarantined now.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Please help me here... Today I gave him a bath and got the rest of the shed skin off his toes. I then noticed that the back part of his stomach is very big and that one of his toes starts to bleed when put in the water. Please help me. He is also quarantined now.

Phil ~

Best to be very gentle when removing stuck shed via a soak. Sometimes if there is built up stuck shed, removing it will take more than 1 soak. Temp of water should be about 86*F, a leo's preferred body temperature.

Keep him on paper towels or textured tiles at least till his toe heals to prevent infection.

Are you saying there is a black area (spot) on his belly? That "could" be a sign of impaction? Substrate, diet?

I can't tell very much about his eyes, et cetera, from your pictures. :-(

EDIT: Or is his belly swollen?

Please stay with the same thread. All these posts are related to your leo's health.

 

[Phil72]

I'm not sure. The brown flap looks almost like a scab now, and I can't see any black spot. I am not sure if his stomach is swollen or has just gotten really big. I found some poop in his cage today, but it was all white.