Leopard gecko with eye issues and hemipenes sores (located in Puerto Rico)

[funone0]

Hello everyone,
This is my first time posting here, I have come across the site several times before.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
I moved bringing Twitch along with us to Puerto Rico in June of 2021.
If anyone has experience with vets in Puerto Rico, please let me know.

Basic Information (if I am missing anything please let me know)
Species of lizard: Leopard Gecko
Gecko's name: Twitch
Morph: Unknown (very light-pale with black patterns, solid black eyes) (If anyone can identify his morph that would be great)
Gender: Male
Age: 1 and a half years (adopted as a baby/juvenile in May 2020)
Weight: I don’t have a scale but the vet said he is normal weight and I don’t remember what weight he said. I will get this information soon.

Enclosure dimensions: Exo terra 36” Long x 18” deep (front to back) x 12” tall
Substrate provided: Ceramic tile on top of reptile carpet to help with heat transfer from under tank heater (he can not physically touch the carpet)

What type and brand of thermometer (digital with probe, temperature gun, LCD strip, analog (circle), combo digital thermometer/hygrometer, stainless steel aquarium type, other): Zoo med environmental control center for terrarium control. Zoo med digital thermometer & Hygrometer combo one on warm and one on cool side. I use an off brand infrared thermometer (all I could find during covid) to check ground and basking area temps (almost always within normal range and margin of error) I check permanent thermometer temps daily and use the infrared at least every 3 days.
What is the ground temperature right on the substrate under the warm dry hide: 88F
What is the air temperature on the warm end about 4 inches up from the ground: 84F
What is the air temperature on the cool end about 4 inches up from the ground: 72F
What device(s) are used to maintain the temperature (Under Tank Heater, heat light, Ceramic Heat Emitter, Flexwatt heat tape, hot rock, other): The zoo med environmental control center controls all of the following: dims the arcadia deep heat projector that heats the elevated basking area, the zoo med under tank heater with simple on or off control, the arcadia shade dweller T5 fluorescent day bulb, a small dim overhead night light (moon) at night on the cool side, as well as a small dehumidifier connected to the tank (living in Puerto Rico, indoor humidity can get quite high)

Insects and worms, list type: Mealworms and hornworms
Regular diet fed to the insects: No crickets or roaches as he isn’t as interested or has a harder time eating them.
Regular diet fed to the worms: Hornworms eat the “chow” in their container, mealworms get potato or apple slices.

How often do you feed your gecko? 2-3 times per week (currently try to feed him at least 0.5ml of food daily to make sure he is getting something, I do not force feed him and he seems to like it once he realizes how it tastes)
Please list any supplements (with brand names) used. How are they given and how often?
I use all Arcadia supplements and I have some zoo med calcium with D3 as backup (Arcadia supplements can still be hard to acquire in the US and Puerto Rico) Arcadia Revitalize D3 (once per week) Arcadia shed support (when feeding before shedding and right after a shed) I mix Arcadia EarthPro-A and CalciumPro Mg for all feedings. All dusted on mealworms or hornworms.

If your gecko is sick, please describe the signs and how long your gecko has been showing these signs:
Over the past 2 months the following has occurred: He had some blood discharge from his vent but that only appeared on one day and seemed to go away, however he has continued to lick that area several times a day ever since, in the last month he developed the sores on his hemipenes and the larger one has gotten worse over the last week. he has been keeping his eyes closed almost constantly for the past 3+ weeks. Last week Monday I noticed a small red spot (not sure if it was blood or a sore on the left corner of his mouth which has since gone away. I took him to a local emergency animal hospital last tuesday (I know I should have taken him sooner but I have read and received an email from local department of agriculture that leopard geckos are not allowed(?) so I was not even sure if a local vet would be able to do anything or what may happen if I took him to a vet) November 23rd and the vet was not entirely sure wether the symptoms were caused by an infection or irritation. He prescribed oral Enrofloxacin once daily and Neomycin-Polymyxin B, Bacitracin Zinc and Hydrocortisone Ophthalmic to put in the right (worse of the two) eye twice a day as well as on the sores on the hemipenes twice a day. His eyes have gotten slightly better but they both still appear slightly sunken below the eyelids and the right eye still has some blurriness. I will try to get as good of a picture as possible the next opportunity I have. I am going back to the vet today for a follow up visit and will update when I get back.

I am including as many pictures as I have in replies and I can take any more of anything you want wether it is of Twitch or his terrarium.

My most important questions:
1. What are or could be the causes and issues/infections/sickness he has?
2. What are the best remedies/treatments? I am literally willing and able to try anything that is safe. I am especially worried about the right eye and the sores.
3. Does anyone have any experience with any reptile vets in Puerto Rico that you can recommend? The vet I have gone to says he has a baby leopard gecko and knows a breeder but he did not seem to really know exactly what was going on or is wrong.
4. If you think I need or should change anything about his terrarium or diet please let me know.


Additional Information

General
Gecko's total length: 10.5”
Length of your reptile when you first acquired it: small (exact measurement unknown)
Source (pet store, breeder, previous owner): Petsmart in Virginia
Captive bred or wild caught: Captive

Vivarium
Number of hides: 3
Location of hides: Along rear wall of terrarium, one above under tank heater on warm side, one between warm and humid hide, humid hide in the middle but closer to cool side.
Is there a humidity hide? Yes location? between warm and cool side, closer to cool side.
Please describe any other furnishings: Medium water dish, ramp up to warm basking area, rocks for climbing/extra exploration and hiding.
List recent changes in the environment, if any: I have raised the humidity slightly to up to 45% to see if that helps with shedding and based on the last shed it did

Lighting
Artificial lighting
Incandescent ("screw-in type bulbs): wattages: None
Fluorescent (tube bulbs): Arcadia shade dweller T5 8W 12”
Access to ambient daylight from a distant window: Yes The window is about 3-4 feet away from the warm side and does not provide direct sunlight.

Heating
Ventilation space for your UTH by elevating the tank above the shelf (some UTHs come with sticky feet for the tank corners): Yes, tank is on a wire rack cart.
Are you using a thermostat(s)? Yes on tile directly above the heater and the other is directly below the heat projector on the basking area (see above)
Which hide does she/he spend most of her time? either the warm hide or the humid hide it is usually close to 50/50 between the two, otherwise he is basking up top or sometimes in the middle hide.
Is the temperature decreased at night? Yes. by how much? Down to 85F in the warm hide, down to 88F for the basking area

Humidity
Is the humidity measured? Yes
Humidity range: 35-45%

Diet
Are the insects and worms formally “gutloaded” 1-2 days prior to feeding off to your gecko? Nothing beyond the Apples and potatoes for the mealworms
What calcium brand are you using? Arcadia. with D3, without or both? Both, see above
Is the calcium in the tank with D3 or without? No calcium in the tank, please let me know if I should change this as I have read both are good and bad.
Multivitamins (include brand name)? Arcadia (see above)
Please list any recent additions/changes in the diet: Starting in June when I moved to Puerto Rico I began buying my hornworms from mulberry farms online instead of from petco or petsmart.

General Health
Is your gecko’s general activity level normal, decreased, or increased? Slightly decreased.
Is your gecko’s appetite normal, decreased, or increased? Decreased, I am currently syringe feeding him chicken gerber baby food with some water mixed in to make sure he is getting all nutrients/vitamins/supplements along with the oral antibiotic the vet prescribed (I think his appetite has decreased mostly due to the eye issues) I have oxbow carnivore critical care powder on order from amazon but that appears to have gotten lost so if anyone knows where to get some in Puerto Rico I would really appreciate it.
Have you noticed any of the following?
Weight (loss or gain): Some weight loss
Discharge from the eyes or nose: Eyes were cloudy with some mucous but the eye ointment has either hidden that or it has stopped it
Increased breathing rate or effort: Possibly but not to significantly noticeable difference
Change in the droppings: size has decreased with decreased diet
Urates
---white or yellowish: Same as before
---size of urates as compared to size of feces: smaller than feces
Abnormal skin color or shedding: He did have two sheds with stuck shed pieces
Parasites on the skin or in the feces: None that I am aware of
Weakness: None that I have noticed
Regurgitation: None

Previous problems and/or illnesses
None

Other Critters in Same Cage or in Household
List other animals that are kept in the same cage: None
Recent acquisitions (new pets within the past 6 months): None
Are any of your other pets ill? No

Thank you all in advance!

 

[funone0]

Young Twitch/pictures before he was sick in slightly different terrarium setup

 

[funone0]

Twitch currently best photos I can currently get of eyes and hemipenes sores

 

[acpart]

I'm not a vet but I'll give you some thoughts and suggestions:
1. hemipenis sores: The really red one looks to me as if the hemipenis is prolapsing. I don't think it's a sore, but the actual hemipenis that should be inside the fold of skin. You can try shrinking it by soaking/applyng either karo syrup, very thick sugar and water solution, preparation H (it shrinks hemorrhoids in humans and will also reduce hemipenis swelling in your gecko). If this doesn't work, he needs to go to a vet (sorry, I know nothing about reptile vets in PR, but ideally a local vet should know of someone or should be able to do a tele call with a reptile vet) and have the vet look specifically at the possibility of prolapse. At the worst, the hemipenis will need to be amputated (sounds awful, but not such a big deal. It can be done with local anesthetic)

2. Eyes: I don't know what the issue is. Sometimes when the gecko sheds, small bits of shed can get stuck under the eyelid and cause irritation and then infection. Use a magnifying glass to see if you detect any small pieces of shed and, if so, uses tweezers to remove them (the shed, not the eyes). You can gently wash the eyes with warm water and a q-tip as well.

3. Morph: your gecko is a Mack super snow. Google for more info.

Hope everything works out!

Aliza

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi ~

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited!

Here's a link to the ARAV (Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians). Please scroll down on the Country drop-down menu to Puerto Rico. See whether you find reptile specialists there.

https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661​

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Arcadia Revitalize D3 (once per week) Arcadia shed support (when feeding before shedding and right after a shed) I mix Arcadia EarthPro-A

I'm not very familiar with Arcadia's supplements. Which Arcadia product is Twitch's multivitamin? Do any of these Arcadia supplements contain vitamin A acetate (retinol)?​

I've listed topics below that I'll be commenting upon some time tomorrow, ~December 1st.



1. Substrate provided: Ceramic tile on top of reptile carpet to help with heat transfer from under tank heater (he can not physically touch the carpet)


2. What is the ground temperature right on the substrate under the warm dry hide: 88F
What is the air temperature on the warm end about 4 inches up from the ground: 84F
What is the air temperature on the cool end about 4 inches up from the ground: 72F
What device(s) are used to maintain the temperature (Under Tank Heater, heat light, Ceramic Heat Emitter, Flexwatt heat tape, hot rock, other): The zoo med environmental control center controls all of the following: dims the arcadia deep heat projector that heats the elevated basking area, the zoo med under tank heater with simple on or off control, the arcadia shade dweller T5 fluorescent day bulb, a small dim overhead night light (moon) at night on the cool side, as well as a small dehumidifier connected to the tank (living in Puerto Rico, indoor humidity can get quite high)


3. Is there a humidity hide? Yes location? between warm and cool side, closer to cool side.


4. Is the calcium in the tank with D3 or without? No calcium in the tank, please let me know if I should change this as I have read both are good and bad.


5. Are you using a thermostat(s)? Yes on tile directly above the heater and the other is directly below the heat projector on the basking area (see above)


6. Urates
---white or yellowish: Same as before

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

"mealworms get potato or apple slices"

What type bedding are your mealworms on?


\/ \/ \/
In addition to a balanced dry diet to cover the basics, offer your geckos' feeders some veggies and fruits from these lists.

Gutload Ingredients for Bugs & Worms . . . . . . thanks to Olimpia -- August 2013

"A commercial gut loading food like Bug Burger or Superload (both by Repashy), Cricket Crack, Dinofuel, etc. is going to make your life easier AND provide a nutritious diet to your crickets at the same time. Avoid Fluker's gutloads, as they are super feeble in their formulas.

"If you opt for making your own gutload at home, here's a list of great ingredients to use:
BEST: mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion flowers & leaves, collard greens, escarole lettuce, papaya, watercress, and alfalfa.
GOOD: sweet potato, carrots, (oranges), mango, butternut squash, kale, apples, beet greens, blackberries, bok choy, and green beans.
DRY FOOD: bee pollen, organic non-salted sunflower seeds, spirulina, dried seaweed, flax seed, and organic non-salted almonds.
AVOID AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE: potatoes, cabbage, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, corn, grains, beans, oats, bread, cereal, meat, eggs, dog food, cat food, fish food, canned or dead insects, vertebrates."

 

[funone0]

Thank you to all of you who have answered my questions and given advice so far, I really appreciate it.

Update from the vet visit yesterday:
The sores on his hemipenes were accesses (not a prolapse) that the vet removed leaving bloody holes on each that he told me to continue applying the antibiotic to twice a day. he did have a small what appeared to be rectal prolapse immediately after the accesses were removed but that went back into his vent after he defecated a bit in his humid hide. I am still applying the antibiotic to the vent as well just to be safe. The vet did not say anything new about his eye other than to keep putting the antibiotic in his eye twice a day.
I am still trying to get good clear pictures of his eyes, does anyone have any advice for getting clear bright pictures without disturbing him too much? I only try to take a picture when I am replacing the antibiotic because it's not a clear liquid/cream. I do have saline solution that I use for my contacts and have been using to try to flush the eye out a little with a syringe.

Yesterday morning he had a very loose stool on some rocks instead of his normal paper towel bathroom area, I'm assuming because of the liquid diet.
Otherwise he is still eating the chicken baby food mixed with his supplements, water, and antibiotic like he has been for the last week. Slightly lower to normal activity levels, still using all hides/areas almost the same if not the same as normal.

Thank you Aliza for identifying his morph

Elizabeth: Thank you for all the info and questions so far. The ARAV site found one vet 30 minutes to the south of me (I am in San Juan) but they did not answer the phone but I will continue trying that number and looking for others.
Arcadia supplements/vitamins: Here is a link to their supplement/vitamin page: Arcadia Reptile EarthPro
The Revitalise D3 has vitamin A (retinol). EarthPro-A is the multivitamin that I mix with CalciumPro Mg for every feeding.
Thank you for the better list of food for the mealworms I will change that.
The mealworm bedding is I assume oat bran that they come with in the container from the pet store (I will include pictures of the container and bedding)

Should I be moving the mealworms to a different container when I get them?
Is there a good (relatively) low maintenance feeder worm or insect that won't cause allergies that I could raise at home?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

At the foot of every message a quote button says: Reply With Quote. If you wish to reply to some message between the lines, first press that button. Then remove both quote "words": QUOTE & /QUOTE.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Arcadia Revitalize D3 (once per week) Arcadia shed support (when feeding before shedding and right after a shed) I mix Arcadia EarthPro-A

I'm not very familiar with Arcadia's supplements. Which Arcadia product is Twitch's multivitamin? Do any of these Arcadia supplements contain vitamin A acetate (retinol)?

Thanks for your link!​

1. Substrate provided: Ceramic tile on top of reptile carpet to help with heat transfer from under tank heater (he can not physically touch the carpet)
Is your heat mat on the OUTSIDE of your Exo Terra 36 x 18 x 12 inch high enclosure?
I doubt that ceramic tile helps with heat transfer. Can you get some slate instead?

For link 163 click: Slate Cheese Trays 16" x 12" (11.8 inches = actual width) x 0.3 inch for Leo Substrate . . . . . . Gutler & Odinsmom -- November 2020 (updated)​

From bottom up:
3. slate "tray" or coaster pieces (skip the carpet)
2. enclosure glass
1. heat mat

Please share a 60 second video of Twitch walking around on some solid surface like a carpet. I just wish to see his gait.


2. What is the ground temperature right on the substrate under the warm dry hide: 88F Try for an 88-92*F range instead.

IF Twitch climbs some & uses a higher temp from his deep heat projector, then that would give him a higher belly temp.

What is the air temperature on the warm end about 4 inches up from the ground: 84F
What is the air temperature on the cool end about 4 inches up from the ground: 72F
What device(s) are used to maintain the temperature (Under Tank Heater, heat light, Ceramic Heat Emitter, Flexwatt heat tape, hot rock, other): The zoo med environmental control center controls all of the following: dims the arcadia deep heat projector that heats the elevated basking area, the zoo med under tank heater with simple on or off control, the arcadia shade dweller T5 fluorescent day bulb, a small dim overhead night light (moon) at night on the cool side, as well as a small dehumidifier connected to the tank (living in Puerto Rico, indoor humidity can get quite high)

I recommend total darkness at night. NO dim moon light. IF you wish to use a low wattage bulb, I suggest a 15 watt incandescent bulb dimmed to half power during daylight hours.
Have you paired Arcadia's ShadeDweller UVB with heat? Your deep heat projector should sit right next to the ShadeDweller.

By any chance is Twitch climbing high enough for the UVB to cause eye problems???

3. Is there a humidity hide? Yes location? between warm and cool side, closer to cool side.
I recommend keeping the humid hide on the warm end close to the warm DRY hide.

4. Is the calcium in the tank with D3 or without? No calcium in the tank, please let me know if I should change this as I have read both are good and bad.
Based upon the supplements you're using, I do NOT suggest keeping any plain calcium in the enclosure.

You're using Earthpro Revitalise D3 multivitamins @ 1 feeding per week. On all feeders? Especially because that contains retinol, 1x per week is best. Retinol should be carefully dosed.

(I still gotta check what Shed Aid contains.)


5. Are you using a thermostat(s)? Yes on tile directly above the heater and the other is directly below the heat projector on the basking area (see above)
OK

6. Urates
---white or yellowish: Same as before
Healthy urates should be pure white.

Maybe cut back a bit on ERD3 multivitamins? How much D3 do they contain? When a gecko is utilizing UVB, the lighting guru I know ONLY recommends backup D3 doses at 1-2 feedings per month NOT every feeding.

Do your best to keep Twitch hydrated.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thank you to all of you who have answered my questions and given advice so far, I really appreciate it.
You're welcome!

Update from the vet visit yesterday:
. . . . . .
I do have saline solution that I use for my contacts and have been using to try to flush the eye out a little with a syringe. = good news! I hope Twitch heals well after the removal of his abcesses.

Yesterday morning he had a very loose stool on some rocks instead of his normal paper towel bathroom area, I'm assuming because of the liquid diet.
Otherwise he is still eating the chicken baby food mixed with his supplements, water, and antibiotic like he has been for the last week. Slightly lower to normal activity levels, still using all hides/areas almost the same if not the same as normal.

Can you buy Gerbers' Turkey Baby Food instead of chicken? Here's why.

For link 8 click: Assist Feeding for Off-Foods Geckos (+ Gerber’s turkey baby food details)​

Thank you Aliza for identifying his morph

Elizabeth: Thank you for all the info and questions so far. The ARAV site found one vet 30 minutes to the south of me (I am in San Juan) but they did not answer the phone but I will continue trying that number and looking for others.
Arcadia supplements/vitamins: Here is a link to their supplement/vitamin page: Arcadia Reptile EarthPro
The Revitalise D3 has vitamin A (retinol). EarthPro-A is the multivitamin that I mix with CalciumPro Mg for every feeding.

Is Earthpro Revitalise D3 a complete multivitamin? Does Arcadia manufacture multivitamins WITH & WITHOUT D3? When I listened to the link, it seemed complete. If so, I would NOT use any other multivitamins. However, we need to resolve the D3 issue.

Is 10.5 inch long Twitch still growing? An ADULT leopard gecko (18 months old +) should ONLY get multivitamins with D3 lightly dusted on ALL feeders @ 1 feeding per week. IF necessary, Twitch could get plain calcium at a second feeding per week. Plain calcium that week would be metabolized by the earlier D3 dose, because D3 is fat soluble. D3 sticks around in a gecko's body for about 1 week & metabolizes all plain calcium that's ingested.

IF a multivitamin doesn't contain D3, another supplement containing D3 like Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3 can be lightly dusted on all feeders @ a 2nd feeding per week.

A younger leo should still ONLY get a retiinol-containing multivitamin on all feeders @ 1 feeding per week + plain calcium carbonate at another 1-2 feedings per week IF D3 is contained in the multivitamin.​

Thank you for the better list of food for the mealworms I will change that. You're welcome!
The mealworm bedding is I assume oat bran that they come with in the container from the pet store (I will include pictures of the container and bedding)

Should I be moving the mealworms to a different container when I get them? Yes! Keep mealworms at room temp. Let's see whether we can find a lower phosphorus bedding for your mealworms. Phosphorus impairs calcium absorption.

For link 98 click: Common Mealworm & Superworm Dry Diets & Beddings -- Use something else!​

Is there a good (relatively) low maintenance feeder worm or insect that won't cause allergies that I could raise at home?
Are crickets & blaptica dubia OK for you? Dubia are easy to raise. Crickets require more heat.

Mealworms are easy to breed

 

[funone0]

Arcadia Revitalize D3 (once per week) Arcadia shed support (when feeding before shedding and right after a shed) I mix Arcadia EarthPro-A

I'm not very familiar with Arcadia's supplements. Which Arcadia product is Twitch's multivitamin? Do any of these Arcadia supplements contain vitamin A acetate (retinol)?

Thanks for your link!​

1. Substrate provided: Ceramic tile on top of reptile carpet to help with heat transfer from under tank heater (he can not physically touch the carpet)
Is your heat mat on the OUTSIDE of your Exo Terra 36 x 18 x 12 inch high enclosure?
I doubt that ceramic tile helps with heat transfer. Can you get some slate instead?

For link 163 click: Slate Cheese Trays 16" x 12" (11.8 inches = actual width) x 0.3 inch for Leo Substrate . . . . . . Gutler & Odinsmom -- November 2020 (updated)​

From bottom up:
3. slate "tray" or coaster pieces (skip the carpet)
2. enclosure glass
1. heat mat

Please share a 60 second video of Twitch walking around on some solid surface like a carpet. I just wish to see his gait.


2. What is the ground temperature right on the substrate under the warm dry hide: 88F Try for an 88-92*F range instead.

IF Twitch climbs some & uses a higher temp from his deep heat projector, then that would give him a higher belly temp.

What is the air temperature on the warm end about 4 inches up from the ground: 84F
What is the air temperature on the cool end about 4 inches up from the ground: 72F
What device(s) are used to maintain the temperature (Under Tank Heater, heat light, Ceramic Heat Emitter, Flexwatt heat tape, hot rock, other): The zoo med environmental control center controls all of the following: dims the arcadia deep heat projector that heats the elevated basking area, the zoo med under tank heater with simple on or off control, the arcadia shade dweller T5 fluorescent day bulb, a small dim overhead night light (moon) at night on the cool side, as well as a small dehumidifier connected to the tank (living in Puerto Rico, indoor humidity can get quite high)

I recommend total darkness at night. NO dim moon light. IF you wish to use a low wattage bulb, I suggest a 15 watt incandescent bulb dimmed to half power during daylight hours.
Have you paired Arcadia's ShadeDweller UVB with heat? Your deep heat projector should sit right next to the ShadeDweller.

By any chance is Twitch climbing high enough for the UVB to cause eye problems???

3. Is there a humidity hide? Yes location? between warm and cool side, closer to cool side.
I recommend keeping the humid hide on the warm end close to the warm DRY hide.

4. Is the calcium in the tank with D3 or without? No calcium in the tank, please let me know if I should change this as I have read both are good and bad.
Based upon the supplements you're using, I do NOT suggest keeping any plain calcium in the enclosure.

You're using Earthpro Revitalise D3 multivitamins @ 1 feeding per week. On all feeders? Especially because that contains retinol, 1x per week is best. Retinol should be carefully dosed.

(I still gotta check what Shed Aid contains.)


5. Are you using a thermostat(s)? Yes on tile directly above the heater and the other is directly below the heat projector on the basking area (see above)
OK

6. Urates
---white or yellowish: Same as before
Healthy urates should be pure white.

Maybe cut back a bit on ERD3 multivitamins? How much D3 do they contain? When a gecko is utilizing UVB, the lighting guru I know ONLY recommends backup D3 doses at 1-2 feedings per month NOT every feeding.

Do your best to keep Twitch hydrated.

1. Substrate provided: Ceramic tile on top of reptile carpet to help with heat transfer from under tank heater (he can not physically touch the carpet)
Is your heat mat on the OUTSIDE of your Exo Terra 36 x 18 x 12 inch high enclosure? Yes the heat mat is on the outside.
I doubt that ceramic tile helps with heat transfer. Can you get some slate instead?
I can definitely remove the carpet, when I have checked the temperatures with the infrared thermometer the tile temperature across the tile above the heat mat are within a degree or two. I can get the slate you linked if you think it will be better.

I will get a video of him walking when he is more active (hopefully around feeding this evening) - What is the best way to upload/share a video on here?

I will raise the ground temperature to 90 degrees in the warm hide.

The night moon light is this 1W led light: www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Night-Light-1-watt/dp/B00PZ7TC8E
it is located on the top back corner on the cool end of the terrarium. Let me know if you still think I should change anything or remove it.

When I had checked the UV levels at the elevated basking area back in the states using a friend's solarmeter they were in the acceptable leo range. I have not been able to check the levels since moving to Puerto Rico.

I will move the humidity hide to the warm side next to his warm hide.

I will update on the urates when he has normal solid excrement.

The Revitalise with D3 is the only supplement I give him with D3 and it has 5k iuKg (I personally do not know what measurement that is) I can cut this back to 2 feedings per month.

When liquid feeding, is there a best range of how much I should be offering? How much Pedialyte to baby food/carnivore critical care?

 

[funone0]

Thank you to all of you who have answered my questions and given advice so far, I really appreciate it.
You're welcome!

Update from the vet visit yesterday:
. . . . . .
I do have saline solution that I use for my contacts and have been using to try to flush the eye out a little with a syringe. = good news! I hope Twitch heals well after the removal of his abcesses.

Yesterday morning he had a very loose stool on some rocks instead of his normal paper towel bathroom area, I'm assuming because of the liquid diet.
Otherwise he is still eating the chicken baby food mixed with his supplements, water, and antibiotic like he has been for the last week. Slightly lower to normal activity levels, still using all hides/areas almost the same if not the same as normal.

Can you buy Gerbers' Turkey Baby Food instead of chicken? Here's why.

For link 8 click: Assist Feeding for Off-Foods Geckos (+ Gerber’s turkey baby food details)​

Thank you Aliza for identifying his morph

Elizabeth: Thank you for all the info and questions so far. The ARAV site found one vet 30 minutes to the south of me (I am in San Juan) but they did not answer the phone but I will continue trying that number and looking for others.
Arcadia supplements/vitamins: Here is a link to their supplement/vitamin page: Arcadia Reptile EarthPro
The Revitalise D3 has vitamin A (retinol). EarthPro-A is the multivitamin that I mix with CalciumPro Mg for every feeding.

Is Earthpro Revitalise D3 a complete multivitamin? When I listened to the link, it seemed complete. If so, I would NOT use any other multivitamins. However, we need to resolve the D3 issue.

A leopard gecko should ONLY get multivitamins lightly dusted on ALL feeders @ 1 feeding per week. IF necessary, Twitch could get plain calcium at a second feeding per week.

Thank you for the better list of food for the mealworms I will change that. You're welcome!
The mealworm bedding is I assume oat bran that they come with in the container from the pet store (I will include pictures of the container and bedding)

Should I be moving the mealworms to a different container when I get them? Yes! Keep mealworms at room temp. Let's see whether we can find a lower phosphorus bedding for your mealworms. Phosphorus impairs calcium absorption.

For link 98 click: Common Mealworm & Superworm Dry Diets & Beddings -- Use something else!​

Is there a good (relatively) low maintenance feeder worm or insect that won't cause allergies that I could raise at home?
Are crickets & blaptica dubia OK for you? Dubia are easy to raise. Crickets require more heat.

Mealworms are easy to breed

I will get the turkey baby food. (hoping the carnivore care comes tomorrow or Saturday)
Revitalise D3 is mostly calcium with D3, full spectrum minerals and vitamins A and E
EarthPro A is the full spectrum minerals and multivitamin with no D3.
With all of your recommendations, I will change to just the CalciumPro Mg for regular feedings, the EarthPro- A multivitamin once per week, and the Revitalise D3 twice a month, with the shed support added around shed time.

Mealworms: I will order that food you linked, thank you!
I have never had good experiences with keeping crickets and twitch has a lot of trouble catching them.
Dubia roaches are a similar situation.
What is the best mealworm colony setup and care process that reduces the chance of developing or aggravating allergies the most?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Please check Post/Message #11 (right side corner number) again.

I edited it before I realized you had already replied. Sorry.

(5) Posting Photos/Videos . . . . . . inline or attached
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Imgur and YouTube offer free online sites for sharing photos and videos.[/B]

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

1. Substrate provided: Ceramic tile on top of reptile carpet to help with heat transfer from under tank heater (he can not physically touch the carpet)
Is your heat mat on the OUTSIDE of your Exo Terra 36 x 18 x 12 inch high enclosure? Yes the heat mat is on the outside.
I doubt that ceramic tile helps with heat transfer. Can you get some slate instead?
I can definitely remove the carpet, when I have checked the temperatures with the infrared thermometer the tile temperature across the tile above the heat mat are within a degree or two. I can get the slate you linked if you think it will be better.

I've heard that slate is superior for heat absorption.
What dimensions is Twitch's warm area?
What dimensions is your heat mat?
Do you have a 50 watt DHP?

I will get a video of him walking when he is more active (hopefully around feeding this evening) - What is the best way to upload/share a video on here? Excellent! I've shared uploading instructions in a separate message.

I will raise the ground temperature to 90 degrees in the warm hide. Excellent!

The night moon light is this 1W led light: Amazon.com
it is located on the top back corner on the cool end of the terrarium. Let me know if you still think I should change anything or remove it. Many thanks for sharing this link! This is the first I've heard about this bulb. I don't know anyone else using it.

Does this Exo Terra Full Moon LED 1 watt light produce white light? I think it's OK as a nocturnal viewing bulb for a few hours each night. Otherwise, I recommend dark night "skies".

When I had checked the UV levels at the elevated basking area back in the states using a friend's solarmeter they were in the acceptable leo range. I have not been able to check the levels since moving to Puerto Rico.

I will move the humidity hide to the warm side next to his warm hide. Super! That may help Twitch shed better. Cool & humid hides could make a leo prone to Upper Respiratory Infections like pneumonia.

I will update on the urates when he has normal solid excrement. Good!

The Revitalise with D3 is the only supplement I give him with D3 and it has 5k iuKg (I personally do not know what measurement that is) I can cut this back to 2 feedings per month.

For comparison Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3 contains:
Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with vitamin D3---phosphorus-free ***Highly RECOMMENDED***
38%-43% precipitated calcium carbonate
Vitamin D3: 22,907 IU/kg, 10,390 IU/pound

Is Twitch basking daily under his UVB? My leo doesn't have any UVB.

IF 5,000 IU/kg = the D3 amount, then it's about 1/4 the D3 amount Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3 provides. 5,000 IU/kg D3 = a low D3 level reptile supplement. I usually use ZM Repti Calcium with D3 at full strength at 1 feeding per week lightly dusted on all my 17 yo leo's crickets at that feeding. Once in awhile I only lightly dust 1/2 her feeders with D3.

When liquid feeding, is there a best range of how much I should be offering? How much Pedialyte to baby food/carnivore critical care?

/\ /\ Good vet questions! :biggrin: How much liquid diet depends upon the leo's size.

I've used plain tap water in the past -- enough to liquify turkey baby food or Carnivore Care so it's easy to draw up into a syringe.

From link #8
ONLY for short-term assist feeding:
Gerber's Turkey Baby Food -- Mix some Gerber's turkey baby food with clear Pedialyte 1:1. Place that on your leo's nose or let the gecko lick this mixture from the syringe's tip.

Is 10.5 inch Twitch still growing?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I will get the turkey baby food. (hoping the carnivore care comes tomorrow or Saturday)
Revitalise D3 is mostly calcium with D3, full spectrum minerals and vitamins A and E
EarthPro A is the full spectrum minerals and multivitamin with no D3.
With all of your recommendations, I will change to just the CalciumPro Mg for regular feedings, the EarthPro- A multivitamin once per week, and the Revitalise D3 twice a month, with the shed support added around shed time. Thank you!

Mealworms: I will order that food you linked, thank you! You're welcome. Let's hope Cody's Professional Gutload comes quickly.
I have never had good experiences with keeping crickets and twitch has a lot of trouble catching them.
Dubia roaches are a similar situation. Have you ever used a clear glass feeding dish to contain Twitch's bugs or worms?
What is the best mealworm colony setup and care process that reduces the chance of developing or aggravating allergies the most?

Here's a mealworm breeding link with other links included. Have you tried wearing one of the KN95 covid masks when working with mealworms?

For link 99 click: Mealworm & Superworm Breeding . . . . . . acpart, Hilde, & swisswiss -- April 2021 (updated)​

I hope Revitalise with D3 with it's retinol will help Twitch's eyes & shedding. Be sure to ask the exotics vet you contact about those specific things.

I don't know what caused Twitch's abscesses.

 

[funone0]

1. Substrate provided: Ceramic tile on top of reptile carpet to help with heat transfer from under tank heater (he can not physically touch the carpet)
Is your heat mat on the OUTSIDE of your Exo Terra 36 x 18 x 12 inch high enclosure? Yes the heat mat is on the outside.
I doubt that ceramic tile helps with heat transfer. Can you get some slate instead?
I can definitely remove the carpet, when I have checked the temperatures with the infrared thermometer the tile temperature across the tile above the heat mat are within a degree or two. I can get the slate you linked if you think it will be better.

I've heard that slate is superior for heat absorption.
What dimensions is Twitch's warm area?
What dimensions is your heat mat?
Do you have a 50 watt DHP?

I will get a video of him walking when he is more active (hopefully around feeding this evening) - What is the best way to upload/share a video on here? Excellent! I've shared uploading instructions in a separate message.

I will raise the ground temperature to 90 degrees in the warm hide. Excellent!

The night moon light is this 1W led light: Amazon.com
it is located on the top back corner on the cool end of the terrarium. Let me know if you still think I should change anything or remove it. Many thanks for sharing this link! This is the first I've heard about this bulb. I don't know anyone else using it.

Does this Exo Terra Full Moon LED 1 watt light produce white light? I think it's OK as a nocturnal viewing bulb for a few hours each night. Otherwise, I recommend dark night "skies".

When I had checked the UV levels at the elevated basking area back in the states using a friend's solarmeter they were in the acceptable leo range. I have not been able to check the levels since moving to Puerto Rico.

I will move the humidity hide to the warm side next to his warm hide. Super! That may help Twitch shed better. Cool & humid hides could make a leo prone to Upper Respiratory Infections like pneumonia.

I will update on the urates when he has normal solid excrement. Good!

The Revitalise with D3 is the only supplement I give him with D3 and it has 5k iuKg (I personally do not know what measurement that is) I can cut this back to 2 feedings per month.



Is Twitch basking daily under his UVB? My leo doesn't have any UVB.

IF 5,000 IU/kg = the D3 amount, then it's about 1/4 the D3 amount Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3 provides. 5,000 IU/kg D3 = a low D3 level reptile supplement. I usually use ZM Repti Calcium with D3 at full strength at 1 feeding per week lightly dusted on all my 17 yo leo's crickets at that feeding. Once in awhile I only lightly dust 1/2 her feeders with D3.

When liquid feeding, is there a best range of how much I should be offering? How much Pedialyte to baby food/carnivore critical care?

/\ /\ Good vet questions! :biggrin: How much liquid diet depends upon the leo's size.

I've used plain tap water in the past -- enough to liquify turkey baby food or Carnivore Care so it's easy to draw up into a syringe.



Is 10.5 inch Twitch still growing?

I have ordered the slate you recommended, thank you!
The warm side is about 15” x 17” his heat mat is 11” x 17”
I have the 80 watt DHP.

Thank you for the video instructions, he is still healing from where the abscesses were and is still not the happiest when outside of his terrarium so once I get a good video of him walking around I will upload it.

His excrement still is not completely solid but a lot better than the other day, the urate I can see looks a very healthy white.

He normally does spend some time each day and sometimes at night under the DHP.

I don’t think he is still growing, but he could be.

 

[funone0]

I will get the turkey baby food. (hoping the carnivore care comes tomorrow or Saturday)
Revitalise D3 is mostly calcium with D3, full spectrum minerals and vitamins A and E
EarthPro A is the full spectrum minerals and multivitamin with no D3.
With all of your recommendations, I will change to just the CalciumPro Mg for regular feedings, the EarthPro- A multivitamin once per week, and the Revitalise D3 twice a month, with the shed support added around shed time. Thank you!

Mealworms: I will order that food you linked, thank you! You're welcome. Let's hope Cody's Professional Gutload comes quickly.
I have never had good experiences with keeping crickets and twitch has a lot of trouble catching them.
Dubia roaches are a similar situation. Have you ever used a clear glass feeding dish to contain Twitch's bugs or worms?
What is the best mealworm colony setup and care process that reduces the chance of developing or aggravating allergies the most?

Here's a mealworm breeding link with other links included. Have you tried wearing one of the KN95 covid masks when working with mealworms?

For link 99 click: Mealworm & Superworm Breeding . . . . . . acpart, Hilde, & swisswiss -- April 2021 (updated)​

I hope Revitalise with D3 with it's retinol will help Twitch's eyes & shedding. Be sure to ask the exotics vet you contact about those specific things.

I don't know what caused Twitch's abscesses.

The carnivore care finally arrived the other day and Twitch loves it way more than the baby food.
I haven’t tried a clear glass dish, are you thinking to try to get him more interested in his food? Do you have any you can recommend?

I am going to do further research on mealworm breeding.

I am wanting to build some custom hides/ramps/basking areas and other features for his terrarium, kind of like this: Huge DIY Reptile Cave | Step By Step! - YouTube
I don’t want anything permanently attached to his terrarium because I still want the ability to take everything out and clean/sanitize everything and rearrange when needed.
Do you have any other guides, videos, or pictures you can recommend? Also maybe best/safest materials (paint, sealant, glue)

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I have ordered the slate you recommended, thank you! You are welcome!
The warm side is about 15” x 17” his heat mat is 11” x 17”. Does 15" x 17" include his DHP?
I have the 80 watt DHP.

Thank you for the video instructions, he is still healing from where the abscesses were and is still not the happiest when outside of his terrarium so once I get a good video of him walking around I will upload it. I understand.

His excrement still is not completely solid but a lot better than the other day, the urate I can see looks a very healthy white. Welcome news!

He normally does spend some time each day and sometimes at night under the DHP. How often do you see Twitch hanging out underneath his Arcadia ShadeDweller UVB? The more he's getting UVB the less he'll probably need supplemental D3.

I don’t think he is still growing, but he could be.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Were you able to finally reach the nearby exotics vet?


The carnivore care finally arrived the other day and Twitch loves it way more than the baby food. Hooray! Is that actually Oxbow's Critical Care? I heard that Carnivore Care was discontinued a couple years ago.

I haven’t tried a clear glass dish, are you thinking to try to get him more interested in his food? Do you have any you can recommend? Maybe if the bugs or worms are contained rather than free-roaming, they would be easier for Twitch to catch. I always amputate both back legs of the crickets right below the knees. Then, after lightly dusting with a supplement powder (or not), I place them in the dish. My adult leo @ 9.5 inches long uses a slanted rock up to the lip of her 8 ounce bowl. She quickly figures out how to get her crickets.

These 8 ounce, clear glass dishes are Anchor brand storage bowls. They are sold in 4-packs by Walmart and maybe Amazon.

​

Walmart carries these clear glass tealight holders.

​

I am going to do further research on mealworm breeding. Good news! Some keepers breed mealworms in 7 quart Sterilite tubs.

I am wanting to build some custom hides/ramps/basking areas and other features for his terrarium, kind of like this: Huge DIY Reptile Cave | Step By Step! - YouTube

My leo uses this for her warm DRY hide.

​

She uses the large OMEM terra cotta hide for her HUMID hide from Amazon. Terra cotta is superior, because it "breathes".

​

I don’t want anything permanently attached to his terrarium because I still want the ability to take everything out and clean/sanitize everything and rearrange when needed.
Do you have any other guides, videos, or pictures you can recommend? Also maybe best/safest materials (paint, sealant, glue)

​