ryshk003
Quinn
- Messages
- 13
- Location
- Kenosha, WI
I need some help from my fellow Leo owners- I received my Leo (Mr. Marley himself) from an ex several years ago- the poor guy was bought at a pet shop where he was kept in a cage slightly bigger than a cricket keeper on ROOM TEMP. From the beginning despite humid hides he had major difficulty shedding. It wasn't just stuck skin it was like his skin was crusting in spots. I read up on it and thought he might have had some kind of parasite or bacteria that could be made worse by the sand I had him in- I quickly switched him over to a new set up with no sand with reptile carpet instead. His skin improved but he still had issues completing releasing his shed.
The temperature gradient I used matched the book I bought (75 cool side to 85 warm).
Now 2 years later, I now have him in a custom made terrarium (its a 40 gallon aquarium fitted with a custom made screen top, the inside is done with polystyrene covered in grout and properly sealed with stairs and multiple basking shelves). I have a bar onto which I have affixed 2 dome lights one dimmed low on the cool side one high on the high temp side with a ceramic heat emitting bulb towards the warm side. The ground temp has been around 78 during the day for the last several months.
My gecko has never been a good eater. When I first got him he was in a medium sized exoterra terrarium and he was not able to catch the crickets- It wasn't for lack of trying but he just was...really slow.
He was eating mealworms out of a dish for a while but as of late I have been hand feeding him mealworms and a high calorie suppliment since he wont take the initiative to eat on his own.
I hate to say it but it seems my gecko has always been a bit on the..slow side? He's had multiple shelves in each enclosure with stairs to go up and down (a real gradual increase in elevation the stairs are more like a ramp) however he still goes up to the edge and will just walk off. When on the stairs he will sometimes just walk off the side (for a while I actually thought I might have a suicidal gecko!) So I'm not sure if anyone else has had issues with this?
He has always had shedding issues despite doing soaks and providing a humid hide etc so I've always checked him over after he seems to be done shedding- this time however he had skin stuck to his eyes which I loosened and removed. I thought I got all of it but about a week ago he stopped opening his eyes and I noticed a yellowish tinge when I did his next soak. I ordered trymyacin and flushed out his eyes- it actually loosened what I have now identified as an eye cap. I received the trymyacin in the mail yesterday and applied it. He is already keeping his eyes open and acting more alert.
After reading through some information online it seems my book does not match the consensus on tank temperatures. I also read that the poor sheds, the development of eye caps and infection and poor eating can be a result of improper temp.
I have a large under tank heater that I started up last night in addition to the ceramic bulb however- I have quarter inch (standard thickness) tile in the tank and it doesnt seem to be making much of a difference in temperature yet.
Does anyone have any suggestions for me as to what I can do or what products I can purchase to increase the temperature in my geckos terrarium? Any suggestions on how to help with sheds/the eye issue/and feeding difficulty would be greatly appreciative!
I have tried and will continue to do my best to provide my lil spoiled guy with the best vivarium- it's just really difficult with the conflicting information out there!
Sorry for the long post but I guess what I'm asking is:
1. What can I do to fix his shedding issue besides the humid hides and doing soaks?
2. Does anyone think the temperature issue in my vivarium could be related to the shedding issues/feeding issues?
3. Does anyone know what's up with my gecko taking a leap of faith off every ledge he's on?
4. Besides the trimyacin and eye flushing has anyone else used any other techniques for fixing eye infections?
and lastly:
5. What does everyone use to heat their tanks? My ceramic heat bulb and large extoterra UTH doesn't seem to be cutting it!
Much love,
Quinn
The temperature gradient I used matched the book I bought (75 cool side to 85 warm).
Now 2 years later, I now have him in a custom made terrarium (its a 40 gallon aquarium fitted with a custom made screen top, the inside is done with polystyrene covered in grout and properly sealed with stairs and multiple basking shelves). I have a bar onto which I have affixed 2 dome lights one dimmed low on the cool side one high on the high temp side with a ceramic heat emitting bulb towards the warm side. The ground temp has been around 78 during the day for the last several months.
My gecko has never been a good eater. When I first got him he was in a medium sized exoterra terrarium and he was not able to catch the crickets- It wasn't for lack of trying but he just was...really slow.
He was eating mealworms out of a dish for a while but as of late I have been hand feeding him mealworms and a high calorie suppliment since he wont take the initiative to eat on his own.
I hate to say it but it seems my gecko has always been a bit on the..slow side? He's had multiple shelves in each enclosure with stairs to go up and down (a real gradual increase in elevation the stairs are more like a ramp) however he still goes up to the edge and will just walk off. When on the stairs he will sometimes just walk off the side (for a while I actually thought I might have a suicidal gecko!) So I'm not sure if anyone else has had issues with this?
He has always had shedding issues despite doing soaks and providing a humid hide etc so I've always checked him over after he seems to be done shedding- this time however he had skin stuck to his eyes which I loosened and removed. I thought I got all of it but about a week ago he stopped opening his eyes and I noticed a yellowish tinge when I did his next soak. I ordered trymyacin and flushed out his eyes- it actually loosened what I have now identified as an eye cap. I received the trymyacin in the mail yesterday and applied it. He is already keeping his eyes open and acting more alert.
After reading through some information online it seems my book does not match the consensus on tank temperatures. I also read that the poor sheds, the development of eye caps and infection and poor eating can be a result of improper temp.
I have a large under tank heater that I started up last night in addition to the ceramic bulb however- I have quarter inch (standard thickness) tile in the tank and it doesnt seem to be making much of a difference in temperature yet.
Does anyone have any suggestions for me as to what I can do or what products I can purchase to increase the temperature in my geckos terrarium? Any suggestions on how to help with sheds/the eye issue/and feeding difficulty would be greatly appreciative!
I have tried and will continue to do my best to provide my lil spoiled guy with the best vivarium- it's just really difficult with the conflicting information out there!
Sorry for the long post but I guess what I'm asking is:
1. What can I do to fix his shedding issue besides the humid hides and doing soaks?
2. Does anyone think the temperature issue in my vivarium could be related to the shedding issues/feeding issues?
3. Does anyone know what's up with my gecko taking a leap of faith off every ledge he's on?
4. Besides the trimyacin and eye flushing has anyone else used any other techniques for fixing eye infections?
and lastly:
5. What does everyone use to heat their tanks? My ceramic heat bulb and large extoterra UTH doesn't seem to be cutting it!
Much love,
Quinn
I also covered a good portion of my screen top with a glass sheet to see if that would help. I woke up to find my lil guy in the humid hide on the warm side happy as can be 
