Not opening eyes and absess in mouth.

[Fruligecko]

Hey All,

I was recently visiting my brother who has my old leopard gecko. I always make it a point to check on him when I'm there. I noticed he wasn't opening his eyes. After picking him up I noticed he has some "poop" stuck on his cloaca and some I'm assume shed from a bad shed. I've been giving him daily baths for about 2 days to try and get this to let loose but no luck. Back to the eyes upon further inspection his mouth seems to have some sort of absess, I managed to take a Qtip to clean it. I dont have pictures of the mouth, but it's only on the inside it looks like puss when I can get discharge out. His eyes I've been using sterile saline to try and help him clean them.

I've booked an appointment to bring him to the vet but they can't get me in till Friday. Has anyone else had anything similar to this, and tips or tricks. I've managed to make him eat a wax worm yesterday coated in vitamins and calcium. He passed this last night, so this morning I again made him eat a wax worm with vitamins.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited! About how old is your leo?

1. Have you something else like a mealworm or cricket that you can dust with calcium and multivitamins? Waxworms aren't very nutritious.
2. Which brand multivitamins do you have?
3. Which brand plain calcium carbonate do you have?
4. Don't overdue the multivitamins. Usually multivitamins @ 1 feeding per week is ideal. If your multivitamin contains vitamin D3, lightly dust with plain calcium carbonate @ a 2nd feeding per week.

Do your best to clean him up prior to his vet visit this coming Friday.

It looks as if he has the beginnings of mouth rot (infectious stomatitis).

 

[Fruligecko]

I want to say he is around 4 or 5 years old. We haven't had any problems before this. I have the zoo meds multi and have to go get new straight calcium. I'm going to pick this up tomorrow.

I'm working on cleaning him up, he decided he was shedding just now so I will try my best to get any left over shed off after this.

That's what I was worried about. I'm hoping we caught it soon enough that some antibiotics help him out.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I want to say he is around 4 or 5 years old. We haven't had any problems before this. I have the zoo meds multi and have to go get new straight calcium. I'm going to pick this up tomorrow.

I'm working on cleaning him up, he decided he was shedding just now so I will try my best to get any left over shed off after this.

That's what I was worried about. I'm hoping we caught it soon enough that some antibiotics help him out.

Thanks.

Do you have Zoo Med's Reptivite multivitamins with or withOUT vitamin D3?

 

[Fruligecko]

I'm unsure to be honest we transferred what was left into a tupperware container. I have bought new stuff the other day so we will be using Repashy here soon. I'm not sure it mentions anything about D3.

Would you recommend mashing up mealworms and syringe feeding him until I can have his mouth checked out. I'm hoping someone cancels an appointment so I dont have to wait so long. I don't want him to be in pain.

 

[Fruligecko]

Also if you have any tips for cleaning his bottom that would be greatly appreciated. I know you aren't suppose to be forceful but whatever he has down there has stuck it through 3 baths now. And I've taken a qtip trying to dislodge it.

I'm also worried I don't want to bath him too much. I'm unsure of how much I should try to do. And what I should just leave to the professionals.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I'm unsure to be honest we transferred what was left into a tupperware container. I have bought new stuff the other day so we will be using Repashy here soon. I'm not sure it mentions anything about D3.

Would you recommend mashing up mealworms and syringe feeding him until I can have his mouth checked out. I'm hoping someone cancels an appointment so I dont have to wait so long. I don't want him to be in pain.

Also if you have any tips for cleaning his bottom that would be greatly appreciated. I know you aren't suppose to be forceful but whatever he has down there has stuck it through 3 baths now. And I've taken a qtip trying to dislodge it.

I'm also worried I don't want to bath him too much. I'm unsure of how much I should try to do. And what I should just leave to the professionals.

Try softening the problematic vent area with olive oil or vegetable oil.

Try mashing up mealworms and syringe feeding him.

Did you buy the standard Repashy's Calcium Plus -- not LoD or HyD? Please post an image. That does contain vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol).

Follow directions #3 for an ADULT leopard gecko right here. \/ \/

Schedule(s) 144: Repashy's Calcium Plus (all-in-one) multivitamins for Leopard Geckos​

(withOUT UVB)​

Metabolic bone disease (MBD) symptoms include uneven (lopsided) gait, walking on one or both "elbows", bowed limbs, belly dragging, and an underbite. Difficulty chewing should be closely monitored.

1. Feeding & Supplementing HATCHLING leopard geckos - 0-2 months old & any slow-growing leopard geckos under ~6 grams ~ Feed 3x per week.

• Feed Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays
• Dust prey with Repashy's Calcium Plus (all-in-one) multivitamins at every other feeding
• ALSO: Keep a bottle cap of plain calcium in the cage 24/7.
• [See dusting chart below]

2. Feeding & Supplementing JUVENILE leopard geckos ~ Feed 3x per week.

• Feed Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays
• Dust prey with Repashy's Calcium Plus (all-in-one) multivitamins at every other feeding
• [See dusting chart below]

3. Feeding & Supplementing ADULT leopard geckos ~ Feed 2x per week.

• Mondays ~ feed (no dusting)
• Thursdays ~ feed & dust prey with Repashy's Calcium Plus (all-in-one) multivitamins

\/ \/ \/


R = Repashy's Calcium Plus, Cc = pure precipitated calcium carbonate (withOUT vitamin D3)

Week 1 Repashy dusting (for HATCHLINGS & JUVENILES):
M-------T-------W------Th-------F-------Sat-------Sun
............R...........................................R...................

Week 2 Repashy dusting (for HATCHLINGS & JUVENILES):
M-------T-------W------Th-------F-------Sat-------Sun
..................................R..........................................​

-----> For hatchlings 0-2 months old & any slow-growing leopard geckos under ~6 grams: Aliza also places a bottle cap of pure precipitated calcium carbonate (withOUT vitamin D3) in the cage 24/7.


For link 144 click: Schedule(s) 144: Repashy's Calcium Plus (all-in-one) multivitamins for Leopard Geckos

 

[Fruligecko]

Took a peek at his mouth today. It's looking better, no pussy looking discharge in there. His one eye he'll open more often but the other he is still hesitant.

I'm trying not to stress him out too much so just kept it a short sweet check over. I've taken your advice and tried to used some olive oil on the vent. We increased the temperature of the one side of the tank so fingers crossed it helps him out.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Took a peek at his mouth today. It's looking better, no pussy looking discharge in there. His one eye he'll open more often but the other he is still hesitant.

I'm trying not to stress him out too much so just kept it a short sweet check over. I've taken your advice and tried to used some olive oil on the vent. We increased the temperature of the one side of the tank so fingers crossed it helps him out.

Thanks for your update! Increasing warm end temps is a great idea!

All the time there should be a temperature range from 88-92*F (31.1-33.3*C) on the ground underneath the warm DRY hide to 70ish-75*F (21.1-23.9*C) ground temperature on the cool end of your leopard gecko's enclosure.

It's possible to achieve those temperatures in all but the shortest enclosures.

 

[Fruligecko]

Yeah, we are going to remove all the sand once he gets better because I've read it can cause impaction slowly. But we don't want to stress him out changing the environment too much right now. I just removed a food dish and have to put in a background again since I threw out the Styrofoam one we had. Mealworms had eaten into it. I've also learned we should have a cool hide as well. So I'll slowly integrate these into his environment.

We inherited him so we had no idea all these things mattered.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Yeah, we are going to remove all the sand once he gets better because I've read it can cause impaction slowly. But we don't want to stress him out changing the environment too much right now. I just removed a food dish and have to put in a background again since I threw out the Styrofoam one we had. Mealworms had eaten into it. I've also learned we should have a cool hide as well. So I'll slowly integrate these into his environment.

We inherited him so we had no idea all these things mattered.

Is the white sand on the right calci-sand?

Zoo Med makes a yellow digital thermometer with a probe that costs about $10 USDs. It's probably more accurate than the circle (analog) thermometer I see on the left. Place the probe on the floor of the warm dry hide.

Perhaps these OMEM terra cotta hides are available from Amazon where you live in size large. They make an AWESOME warm humid hide! Terra cotta "breathes". Keeping the bowl on the top filled with water is easy!

Method #6 -- Proactive Method
Here's an excellent proactive approach! A large OMEM terra cotta cave with a basin on top will keep ANY gecko's humidity higher 24/7. Since this cave is made from clay, colors vary some. Use this cave + an 8 ounce water dish for your leopard gecko.

July 2020: My leopard gecko loves her new large OMEM terra cotta humid hide with the basin on top! Place that hide on top of a textured ceramic tile or on a piece of slate on the enclosure's warm end right next to the warm dry hide. Use sphagnum moss inside as a bedding. Fill the basin on top with water daily.

My leo uses this terra cotta hide all the time! She alternates between her warm dry hide and this warm humid hide. This terra cotta humid hide retains a constant humidity level without any effort on my part. My leo's former humid hide was often dry, quite dry, in fact.

Terra cotta is porous. It's the only type hide that actually "breathes".

Click: https://www.amazon.com/OMEM-Reptiles-Hideout-Humidification-Lizard/dp/B01M1NTI44

(click to enlarge)​

Sizes
Small: 3.54'' x 2.76'' x 2.36''
Medium: 4.72'' x 3.35'' x 2.95'' (Good size for Oedura castelnaui - Northern Velvet Geckos)
Large OMEM hide (for ALL leopard geckos up to maybe 80ish grams): 5.9'' x 4.72'' x 3.74''
X-Large: At this time OMEM does not make an XL version of their terra cotta hide.

The entrance of the large OMEM terra cotta hide measures 2 inches wide x 1.5 inches high.

 

[Fruligecko]

I dont remember. I think it's just a fine white sand. We always hand feel him so he doesn't digest it when eatting. I've heard over time little bits can clog them up though so it will be removed.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll order one of those and try it out.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I dont remember. I think it's just a fine white sand. We always hand feel him so he doesn't digest it when eatting. I've heard over time little bits can clog them up though so it will be removed.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll order one of those and try it out.

You ARE welcome!