Bad shed, leading to bruised tail

Andi

New member
thanks Elizabeth. I hope she enjoys it as well. She was so tired that she slept for 12 hours. She eventually got up, went to the bathroom, and drank more water than I've ever seen her drink in my life. She's still covered in shed, as I didn't want to soak her in the state that she was, but this morning she looked very alert, so maybe I can do that tonight.
 

Andi

New member
I really appreciate your updates, Andi!

I hope your leo is resting comfortably and that her OMEM hide helps her heal.

So she seems to be avoiding her OMEM hide. I personally think it's a temperature issue. The OMEM hide sits right next to her dry/warm hide. It's directly on top of the UTH, and directly underneath my CHE. When I temp gun the top of the dry/warm hide, it's 80-84 degrees, but when I temp gun the top and sides of the OMEM hide it's Low 70's.

Last night I even resorted to putting 90+ degree water in the reservoir, but this morning the hide was low 70s again....ground temps are spot on, but I think the ambient temps in the hide are too low. Condensation would actually build on the walls of my old homemade moist hide, and this hide is in the exact same spot. I'm going to try to use less water...also curious to know if you use tap water in the reservoir or some sort of filtered / treated water?
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
So she seems to be avoiding her OMEM hide. I personally think it's a temperature issue. The OMEM hide sits right next to her dry/warm hide. It's directly on top of the UTH, and directly underneath my CHE. When I temp gun the top of the dry/warm hide, it's 80-84 degrees, but when I temp gun the top and sides of the OMEM hide it's Low 70's.

Last night I even resorted to putting 90+ degree water in the reservoir, but this morning the hide was low 70s again....ground temps are spot on, but I think the ambient temps in the hide are too low. Condensation would actually build on the walls of my old homemade moist hide, and this hide is in the exact same spot. I'm going to try to use less water...also curious to know if you use tap water in the reservoir or some sort of filtered / treated water?

I use tap water in the OMEM's reservoir and for all my geckos' needs.

What are your GROUND temps on the floor of both hides? The under hide ground temps are the key temps.

I heat my leo's 20 long (30 x 12 x 12 inches high) enclosure with a 150 watt All Living Things CHE from PetSmart. The thermostat turns the CHE off at night. I began using this very CHE on 5 March 2015. It's connected to a Hydrofarm Digital Jump Start thermostat with the peak temperature set for 91"F.

I sorta gave up on my temp gun even though it's a good one, because of temp variability. I place 2 probes on the ceramic tile floor of my leo's warm dry hide (thermostat's probe & separate digital thermometer's probe).

My leo's large OMEM hide literally sits right next to her warm dry hide. My leo uses her OMEM hide frequently. Her 150 watt CHE completely covers both hides. My Oedura castelnaui frequently hugs the outside of his medium OMEM hide, sandwiching himself between that hide and the enclosure's glass.

I do have slate, but I've not added it yet.


EDITED:
I used a small Phillip's screwdriver to make a probe-sized hole in the top of a rectangular upside down baby food container to hold the digital thermometer's probe. That way this probe measures ambient temp inside the OMEM hide.
 
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Andi

New member
I use tap water in the OMEM's reservoir and for all my geckos' needs.

What are your GROUND temps on the floor of both hides? The under hide ground temps are the key temps.
.

The Hot/Dry hide has ground temps that range from 86-92
the OMEM moist hide has ground temps that range from 82-87

They both sit under a 100W CHE.

at first I thought the water I was using was too cold, or I was using too much water, so that's why I warmed it up before hand...but that doesn't seem to do the trick. I could go out and get a stronger CHE but it really seems like the ambient temps are pretty dialed in.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
The Hot/Dry hide has ground temps that range from 86-92
the OMEM moist hide has ground temps that range from 82-87

They both sit under a 100W CHE.


at first I thought the water I was using was too cold, or I was using too much water, so that's why I warmed it up before hand...but that doesn't seem to do the trick. I could go out and get a stronger CHE but it really seems like the ambient temps are pretty dialed in.
Both your ground temps seem adequate.

Has your leo ventured inside the OMEM hide yet?

This terra cotta OMEM hide may work like Hydroton clay culture balls that are often used as a substrate when conditions are excessively dry.
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(click to enlarge)​

Based upon your earlier feedback today I'm troubleshooting my large OMEM hide's humidity levels. I'm setting up a plastic baby food container upside down with a probe-sized hole for my digital hygrometer/thermometer combo to monitor ambient humidity near the top of that hide right underneath the basin. Results won't be in for several days.

That OMEM hide was definitely a game changer for my Northern Velvet gecko. He stopped continuous tail biting on his healing tail once I provided him with a medium OMEM hide. Even to this day his preferred night time spot is between that hide and the glass. He does have a dry hide right next to his OMEM hide, if he wishes.
 
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Andi

New member
Both your ground temps seem adequate.

Has your leo ventured inside the OMEM hide yet?

the first day when she came back from the vet I put her in there and she slept in there the entire day (she was exhausted)...but since she's been in her warm/dry hide. Last night when I checked on her I actually placed her right outside the OMEM hide, and she did go in and stayed there for almost an hour.

Temps aside, I'm wondering if it's just a new hide with new smells and it's just taking a little time to get acclimated.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
the first day when she came back from the vet I put her in there and she slept in there the entire day (she was exhausted)...but since she's been in her warm/dry hide. Last night when I checked on her I actually placed her right outside the OMEM hide, and she did go in and stayed there for almost an hour.

Temps aside, I'm wondering if it's just a new hide with new smells and it's just taking a little time to get acclimated.

Thanks for your feedback, Andi. I, too, was wondering whether she needed to get acclimated to her new hide with its new smells.

Have you noticed ANY tail biting?
 

Andi

New member
Thanks for your feedback, Andi. I, too, was wondering whether she needed to get acclimated to her new hide with its new smells.

Have you noticed ANY tail biting?

I have not noticed any tail biting! That being said, the vet had to practically take the entire tail off...so I don't think she could bite the stub even if she wanted to. I had to soak her 3 nights in a row to get all the stuck shed off her, but there is a little bit right on the base of her tale stub that seems like it just doesn't want to come off (which is why I want her to use the OMEM hide more).

After I got all the stuck shed off her head, she has actually eaten 2x. So I'm really hoping that once the tail grows back, everything will be okay.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
I have not noticed any tail biting! That being said, the vet had to practically take the entire tail off...so I don't think she could bite the stub even if she wanted to. I had to soak her 3 nights in a row to get all the stuck shed off her, but there is a little bit right on the base of her tale stub that seems like it just doesn't want to come off (which is why I want her to use the OMEM hide more).

After I got all the stuck shed off her head, she has actually eaten 2x. So I'm really hoping that once the tail grows back, everything will be okay.

:cheer:

Are you applying any antibiotic cream to her healing tail stub?
 
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Andi

New member
Did your vet say why no antiibiotic cream? I'm really interested.

He told me that he wanted to rule out a fungal disease and told me if the biting or skin issues occur again to bring her in right away so he can see exactly what her skin looks like. I know he did give her antibiotics after the procedure
 

Andi

New member
so my leopard gecko's tail seems to have made a complete recovery. While it was regenerating, I believe their may have been some sort of infection at the very very tip of the tail....I brought her back to the vet and they gave me Baytril (I believe). After applying for a week or so, and a shed cycle, it seemed to do that trick, and the regenerated tail looks pretty good.

However, I have recently notice swelling/inflammation in her knees. At first it was her back right knee, now it is her front right knee as well. She is eating great, but I notice her movement is not great. Seems like she doesn't have full range of motion in her legs, and I have no idea why this is suddenly cropping up.

I don't know if it's related to her age (she'll be 9 in Sept), or maybe the supplements? I use Calcium Plus from Repashy....
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
so my leopard gecko's tail seems to have made a complete recovery. While it was regenerating, I believe their may have been some sort of infection at the very very tip of the tail....I brought her back to the vet and they gave me Baytril (I believe). After applying for a week or so, and a shed cycle, it seemed to do that trick, and the regenerated tail looks pretty good.

However, I have recently notice swelling/inflammation in her knees. At first it was her back right knee, now it is her front right knee as well. She is eating great, but I notice her movement is not great. Seems like she doesn't have full range of motion in her legs, and I have no idea why this is suddenly cropping up.

I don't know if it's related to her age (she'll be 9 in Sept), or maybe the supplements? I use Calcium Plus from Repashy....

9 yo for a leo is more a "young middle age".

What is her Repashy's Calcium Plus schedule? Is that the only supplement you use? How heavily or lightly do you dust her prey?

Do you feed her bugs or worms some dry maintenance diet in addition to some veggies?

How does your leo's schedule compare with Aliza's recommendations?
 

Andi

New member
the leo i'm talking about has historically been addicted to Meal worms her entire life (I got her eating Dubias the last year), so I would generally dust her mealworms every time I feed her (because I find the powder doesn't really stick to Mealworms as well as Crickets). In the last year I have switched her over to Dubias, but I still dust every feeding. Ever since she had her tail amputated, I have been feeding her slightly more often (but not as much), she eats about 1-2 Dubias every 3 days now.

My other Leo is showing zero signs of swelling in any of her arms, and seems to be moving around just fine. She refuses mealworms, so I have historically given her crickets as a staple, but she will also eat hornworms and roaches. Since the calcium plus really sticks to crickets I will dust her food 2/3 feedings.
 

Blush50

Member
Have you informed the vet of the swelling? I'm thinking pain management. Best to start feeding variety as much as possible.
 

Blush50

Member
Have you informed the vet of the swelling? I'm thinking pain management. Best to start feeding variety as much as possible.
https://azeah.com/lizards/gout-reptiles

A vet once told me the same about roaches:

so it should NOT be the only thing that your reptile is getting as a food source

I’m not a vet and I’m not implying this is what is wrong with your Leo. I’m simply pointing this out(just in case). She told me that even in insectivores (under the right circumstances), problems can occur. Just explaining why I mentioned feeding variety.
 

Andi

New member
Have you informed the vet of the swelling? I'm thinking pain management. Best to start feeding variety as much as possible.

I just noticed the swelling this week, I have noticed the swelling in her back right knee actually go down and subside a little, but I also noticed swelling in her front right knee, which is what prompted me to make this post.

I have not yet informed my vet, but it's something I'm prepared to do. I actually wanted to get advice from the forum first b/c this forum has a lot more LG experience than my vet does.
 

Andi

New member
so the Leo I'm having issues with has historically been a Meal Worm addict. I would say for the first 7 years of her life she almost exclusively ate Meal Worms. I always offer crickets and occasionally she would eat a couple (1 or 2), but for the most part, Meal Worms have been her staple. Since she started taking Dubias about a year ago, she has been pretty much eating them exclusively.
 
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