Issues with rescued gecko

[Sirikta89]

Hi all! We've had our new gecko for about a week now...and he seemed to be settling in okay, especially after spending the last 6 months housed in a very small tank with a bearded dragon.

He's definitely on the thin side, but I've gotten him to eat a few mealworms a couple of times so far...I really don't think he's ever had to "hunt" for live food, so we've been feeding him at the entrance to his warm hide.

My big problem is he came with several layers of stuck shed on his legs, feet, tail and face....an issue I've shockingly never had with any of my other reptiles. I've managed to soak/rub off a good portion of it...but his toes and one leg just aren't budging. I'm starting to get pretty concerned because a couple of his toes are becoming discolored. He spends a lot of time in his moist hide and I think I was hoping that would help too...but it doesn't seem to be making much difference

The other thing I noticed while handling today is black spots on his abdomen. He's acting normal...active, skittish, pooping...so I don't think he's impacted. He has a UTH that sits ~90° and moves around from warm to cool to moist plenty, so I really don't think it's a burn. Am I crazy Is? Is his belly just really translucent?

Pics of "Glizzy" and tank setup:

 

[acpart]

I'm not sure what the belly spot is. Keep an eye on it and see if it changes. I'm surprised this guy didn't end up as bearded dragon dinner! As you know, the shed does have to come off and I guess you'll just have to keep at it. Judicious use of fingernails and tweezers is recommended.

Aliza

 

[Sirikta89]

I'm not sure what the belly spot is. Keep an eye on it and see if it changes. I'm surprised this guy didn't end up as bearded dragon dinner! As you know, the shed does have to come off and I guess you'll just have to keep at it. Judicious use of fingernails and tweezers is recommended.

Aliza

I just spent 2 hours with vegetable oil, water, tweezers and one very exasperated gecko. I think I may have saved the dying toe...got the whole "glove" off (I swear it was like 3 layers) and found a very hard, stuck, thick piece of shed over his entire cloaca.

I do actually think the black is just his organs and I hadn't noticed until now...belly is nice and soft and doesn't seem tender.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I just spent 2 hours with vegetable oil, water, tweezers and one very exasperated gecko. I think I may have saved the dying toe...got the whole "glove" off (I swear it was like 3 layers) and found a very hard, stuck, thick piece of shed over his entire cloaca.

I do actually think the black is just his organs and I hadn't noticed until now...belly is nice and soft and doesn't seem tender.

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What a great job helping Glizzy! Please feed Glizzy all he'll eat every single day. His little tail needs help.

How are you doing for supplements?
What are you feeding the mealworms before you feed them to Glizzy?
What are the dimensions of the enclosure?

Please provide 3 discreet hides:

• warm dry
• warm moist
• cool dry

Temperatures - A temperature gradient from warm to cool maintains your leo's health. Here's a temperature guide for all leopard geckos as measured with the probe of a digital thermometer or a temp gun. Set your thermostat at 91*F/32.8*C.

Tape the thermostat's probe and a digital thermometer's probe together, but offset a little. Place them right on top of the substrate underneath the warm dry hide. If you use a UTH + a CHE you'll need 2 separate thermostats, because ground and air temperatures are substantially different.

• Warm dry hide ground temperature: 88-92 F (31.1-33.3 C) inside a leo's warm dry hide.
• Warm humid/moist hide: Place the humid hide 100% on top of the heat mat. Keep temperatures similar to the warm dry hide.
• Cool dry hide ground temperature: 70ish-75 F (21.1-23.9 C) Usually the cool end ground temperature matches the room temperature where the enclosure sits.
• no greater than 82ish F (27.8ish C) surface temperature - 4 inches (10 cm) above ground on the warm end
• no greater than 75 F (23.9 C) surface temperature - 4 inches (10 cm) above ground on the cool end

Leave your heat mat on 24/7 IF ambient room temperatures drop lower than 67ish*F (19.4*C). If NOT, during the night turn off overhead lighting/heating (~12 hours on and ~12 hours off)