Missing fingers - Need some advice

[Bali8888]

Hi Everyone! I need some help. I bought a day gecko one week ago (phelsuma lineata). After i bought i noticed her fingers injured on both front legs. It was an expo with so many vendors and i thinked i buyed her from a breeder, and after i realized it was a dealer. I think the animal injured when she was captured, or other geckos bited her. She cant climbing on the glass too well, front legs always sliding. Otherwise she is ok. I mean she eating well, and she can climbing on wood. Not too hyperactive but walking up and down in daytime. What do you think what should i do with her? Can she regenerate herself? I cant take her for vet bcause its too far and only one vet treat with exotic pets in my country.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited!

Gecko fingers don't regrow. Tails frequently regenerate totally. If only 1-2 fingers are missing, she still should be able to climb.

Please share a brighter image of your gecko. I'm looking at her spine. There may be something else going on.

• Leave a dish of fresh water out at ground level 24/7 so she can drink!
• Mist the enclosure 1x per day.
• Be sure to have lots of hiding places like bamboo tubes (or pvc tubes), artificial foliage, a hide at ground level right now.

Maybe she is stressed from her new home? That, and stuck shed on her fingers, could be preventing her ability to climb.

1. How many fingers are injured or missing on each foot?
2. Please post some more photos.
3. To make her feel more at home, please cover 3 sides of her enclosure with brown paper from grocery bags or some other covering.

 

[Bali8888]

I made some pictures. As you can see only two finger is fine. I dont know what they did with her but it always make me angry. On the back legs everything ok. I'am sad about her. She is very funny animal. Still she is a little bit shy but become more brave day by day. I thinking about i should bring back to seller but i think she would be doomed to death. My situation is a good example for other gecko keepers too. Always check the animals before you buy.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

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I made some pictures. As you can see only two finger is fine. I dont know what they did with her but it always make me angry. On the back legs everything ok. I'am sad about her. She is very funny animal. Still she is a little bit shy but become more brave day by day. I thinking about i should bring back to seller but i think she would be doomed to death. My situation is a good example for other gecko keepers too. Always check the animals before you buy.

I'm sorry for my delay. Your enclosure looks very nice! You were prepared for a nice healthy Phelsuma!

How has she been doing?

If she can climb, add diagonal bamboo (or pvc until you find bamboo) or Exo Terra Jungle Vines.

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Thanks for the pictures.

1. I see your Phelsuma lineata's right front foot. It only has 2 uninjured fingers.
2. Is the left front foot injured too? How many original and uninjured fingers does it have? Picture?
3. One finger on the back right foot is injured too.
4. Her spine looks alright.
5. Is your gecko climbing at all?
6. If she can't climb, consider returning her. Otherwise she will probably not live all that long. At least show the dealer how she is.
7. Get a new Phelsuma lineata somewhere else. Wild caught geckos are sometimes dehydrated and often have mites.
8. Put her food on a small lid.

 

[GeckoLeen]

I think if she can climb wood, and has enough places to hide and can access her food easily, she will do ok without the missing fingers. Make sure she has the correct lighting. Your tank is beautiful! She should be very happy there!

If you can contact the dealer or breeder, you should make them aware of what happened, although returning her would probably spell doom for her, as you said.

She can make a very nice pet if she is otherwise healthy. Good luck with her, and please keep us posted!

 

[Bali8888]

Thank you all. Nothing fingers on the left foot. Missing every fingers. I built a little bridge for her yesterday but she dindt want to come out from coconut. My tank that i bought was a full of fail. The ventilation grille is on top of the bacground and i missed some gap for air. This is her favourite place. (after i made a grille on font side too, and i need make another one on the top side for uvb rays -.-).So i built a bride for her bcause i noticed she cant climb too well she always want climb up under the grill ( i think is it a safe area for her. she can watch everthing and her color is also better) Today she came out and she climbed up but didnt use my bridge She tried climb down on my bridge but she don't dare go closer than halfway. I'm afraid She will fall off sooner or later and she will broke her spine. I dicided i will return the seller. The first day I brought her home i noticed a little red dot on her leg. I read it and my fear was confirmed. Its probably a mite. Later I saw two others. I dont want catch any infect or my family. What if she have worms? The best thing to worry about is to put in a new animal? I should take a part my terrarium and i should be sterilized all. I spent too much time and money for this tank.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thank you all. Nothing fingers on the left foot. Missing every fingers. I built a little bridge for her yesterday but she dindt want to come out from coconut. My tank that i bought was a full of fail. The ventilation grille is on top of the bacground and i missed some gap for air. This is her favourite place. (after i made a grille on font side too, and i need make another one on the top side for uvb rays -.-).So i built a bride for her bcause i noticed she cant climb too well she always want climb up under the grill ( i think is it a safe area for her. she can watch everthing and her color is also better) Today she came out and she climbed up but didnt use my bridge She tried climb down on my bridge but she don't dare go closer than halfway. I'm afraid She will fall off sooner or later and she will broke her spine. I dicided i will return the seller. The first day I brought her home i noticed a little red dot on her leg. I read it and my fear was confirmed. Its probably a mite. Later I saw two others. I dont want catch any infect or my family. What if she have worms? The best thing to worry about is to put in a new animal? I should take a part my terrarium and i should be sterilized all. I spent too much time and money for this tank.

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You're welcome. Thanks for sharing everything.

I'm really impressed that she climbed to the top with all her missing fingers! You are resourceful!!

In case it is easier to reply by numbers, I've numbered these replies.

1. Returning your Phelsuma lineata to the seller is the BEST idea. Go for it!
2. Unfortunately your current enclosure and all it's parts will need to be thoroughly sterilized. F10 disinfectant is a product vets use. In the USA we can get it on Amazon.
3. Who knows where other mites may have traveled??? I know that's extremely disappointing.
4. Exo Terra's Jungle Vines are rough like sandpaper. They are not "slippery" like bamboo. That would be ideal for climbing.
5. Ideal ventilation is LOW on the cooler places and HIGH on the warmer places like the TOP.
6. If you start over, please let Geckos Unlimited know. UVB is a fairly exact "science". Have you access to Zoo Med's Reptisun T8 or T5 fluorescent tubes where you live? Mesh tops reduce UVB transmission up to 50%.

 

[Bali8888]

I decided I return the seller. I got her into a small box, and after she was very scared. As i saw her my heart almost broken. Finally i put back into the tank. So i decided i will keep her. I like this animal. She is so clumsy but this is why i like. I would like to ask for your help. I think she has mites. How can i exterminate them? Here is a liquid: https://bugs-world.com/termek/ms-reptilien-atka-elleni-folyadek/ I should rub on her skin. How can i do that? I cant catch her. Can you advice some method?

 

[Bali8888]

Can be a mite red color? I see three litte red spot. Its smaller tha half mm.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I decided I return the seller. I got her into a small box, and after she was very scared. As i saw her my heart almost broken. Finally i put back into the tank. So i decided i will keep her. I like this animal. She is so clumsy but this is why i like. I would like to ask for your help. I think she has mites. How can i exterminate them? Here is a liquid: https://bugs-world.com/termek/ms-reptilien-atka-elleni-folyadek/ I should rub on her skin. How can i do that? I cant catch her. Can you advice some method?

Guide your gecko into a small plastic container to catch her. Hold her very gently.

• Any mites could have spread!
• While your gecko is out of the enclosure, remove everything including the plants that you've carefully added.
  [*]Thoroughly disinfect.
  [*]Then air out, before replacing the gecko.

When I found mites on a wild caught "gliding" gecko I bought years ago at a reptile show, I applied vegetable oil by hand. Those mites were a red-orange color. That gecko lived for 13 years.

1. Take a dry "cotton bud"/q-tip.
2. Moisten cotton bud with vegetable oil. (Olive oil works too.)
3. (Vegetable oil is used for making cakes and salad dressings.)
4. 1-by-1 cover each mite with vegetable oil.
5. That smothers the mite.
6. Then use a dry cotton bud to brush off the mite.
7. Use 2 fresh/new cotton buds for each mite treatment.

Can be a mite red color? I see three litte red spot. Its smaller tha half mm.

Yes, a mite can be red. Do those red spots move?

 

[GeckoLeen]

Elizabeth, would the tank need to be cleaned out and disinfected as well? It might be a rather big job, but would make it safe again for your gecko (who, by the way, is probably going to be very glad you decided to keep her).

Trying to pick up a squirmy gecko can be a little intimidating. Take a deep breath, and tell yourself that you can do it. Once you have her securely in your hand, you will do fine with the oil and q-tip.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Elizabeth, would the tank need to be cleaned out and disinfected as well? It might be a rather big job, but would make it safe again for your gecko (who, by the way, is probably going to be very glad you decided to keep her).

Trying to pick up a squiry gecko can be a little intimidating. Take a deep breath, and tell yourself that you can do it. Once you have her securely in your hand, you will do fine with the oil and q-tip.

Definitely!

I'll add that to my last message.

 

[Bali8888]

Ok. Thank You. I will try it. These red spots dont moving. i will try make a photo with these.

 

[GeckoLeen]

That would be awesome if it was just her coloration! No need to do all the extra work! The oil wouldn't hurt, in any case, if you can try it.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Ok. Thank You. I will try it. These red spots dont moving. i will try make a photo with these.

The mites may be firmly attached to your gecko.

Smothering the mites with vegetable oil loosens their grip.

 

[Bali8888]

What do you think about this trick: Mite treatments for reptiles ... that work!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

What do you think about this trick: Mite treatments for reptiles ... that work!

I'm sorry for my huge delay getting back with you.

I really don't think pest strips are safe for very small geckos -- even larger geckos. I definitely would NOT use any insecticides to kill mites in your awesome enclosure! That's because insecticides leave behind troublesome residue.

On the 28 May 2019 I saw on facebook's Reptile and Amphibian Bioactive Setups (RABS) a thread regarding dry ice treatment for exterminating insects inside enclosures. Jess Johnson, who used to frequently post on Geckos Unlimited, has some noteworthy advice.

If anyone has feedback that dry ice is not safe (or ineffective for mite eggs), please share here.

Jess recommends using dry ice in the enclosure. BUT first remove your gecko!!!

1. "Dry ice will kill all the bugs in the enclosure (including mites + any mite eggs)."
2. "But the gecko needs to be removed because dry ice will consume all oxygen in the tank."
3. "Dry ice won't kill the plants, just the bugs."
4. Jess says that your Phelsuma/day gecko should be removed from the enclosure BEFORE the dry ice treatment. Don't replace your gecko back into the enclosure until "a few days" after the dry ice treatment.
5. In order for the enclosure to be mite-free, any mites need to be removed from the gecko too. For that I recommend vegetable oil treatment to smother the mites as mentioned above.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Jess says that your Phelsuma/day gecko should be removed from the enclosure BEFORE the dry ice treatment. Don't replace your gecko back into the enclosure until "a few days" after the dry ice treatment.

 

[Bali8888]

Sorry for long time answer. I was thinking a lot about the ideas and i decided i will waiting what happen because i didint want to hurt her bcause she is very small and fast i didnt want squeeze with my fingers. One day she begin dropped her skin, and after she eaten very fast and the mites number has begin reduced. I ordered calcium with d3 (bcause i cant mount uv lamp) and i bought multivitamine. Now she is very happy. All day jumping on the walls, no mites all mites dissapeared, and the lost fingers on the front left leg has begin grow dont slide on the glass anymore. If you check her neck on the picstures she have calcium reserve. It was my aim. I think she is very healthy yet. I did my best for her.

 

[GeckoLeen]

Your gecko (& enclosure) looks beautiful! And nice and healthy. Good work on treating her!