Help needed ....

[filthygorgeouslou]

Hi everyone ... well yesterday i rescued a leopard gecko .. i went to the rubbish tip and someone had dumped it there in a broken vivarium, in the broken glass section .. i decided to bring it home as it was just going to be left there and the people at the tip didn't know what to do with it ... and i'm rather sure it wouldn't have survied the night .. anyways i am after advice on how to crae for it and get it through the next few days as i presume they will be crucial to keep it alive after such a traumatic time .. after all no one knows how long it had been left outside .. i borrowed a vivarium and heat pad off a friend have housed it in a relatively warm place .. but having not ever kept a gecko before i need to know what is the best way to approach keeping it healthy and making sure it has the best chance .. it seems to be healthy enough and alert etc .. i dont know whether its male or female (anyone know how to tell).. it seems quite cold to the touch and is roughly about 7inchs long from head to tip of tail .. any advice would be so welcome .. i think this little fella has had a rough time and I would like to do my best to give it a chance .. Thankyou in advance of your replys Louise x

 

[HugeGenes&LoLa]

That is such a sad story But I'm so glad you're willing to take care of him! Great rescue! You're already on the right track with the tank and heat pad. Here are a few tips and I'm sure other people will chime in.


-Make sure the viv is at least 10 gallons.

-Have 3 hides (these can be home made, like Tupperware or a tiny cardboard box). One hide should go on the hot side of the tank, and one on the cool side. The third is a moist hide for shedding, which can be made with either moist paper towel, peat moss, or coco fiber.

-There are plenty of things you can feed him, crickets, meal worms, and super worms can generally be found at a local pet store. Wax worms are only used as a "treat" because they aren't very nutritious.

-You should also pick up some calcium powder, some with D3 and some without. The D3 can be poisonous if your leo gets too much of it. Put a tiny dish, a bottle cap works fine, with some pure calcium in the tank. When you feed him, dust his food with calcium as well. A few times a month you can use the D3 to dust the food with, it helps the leo absorb the calcium better.

-You can line the bottom of the tank with paper towel or repti carpet. If you want something that looks nicer, you can go with tile. There are lots of pictures posted with other people's vivs.


As for whether your leo is male or female, there are lots of helpful pictures on google That's what helped me most. Although it would be great if we could see a few pictures of him to tell you if he's in any immediate danger from starvation or MBD, and we can also help with determining sex. Also, don't worry too much if he's refusing to eat right now. He's probably been pretty traumatized from being left in a dumpster! It will take him a couple days to settle in to his new home. But I'd try feeding him just in case, he also might be really really hungry! :main_yes: Good luck!

 

[mainelygeckos]

omg that is sad but kudos to you for helping the little guy good luck and keep us updated!

 

[Mel&Keith]

The only thing I really have to add is about temperatures. You can pick up a probe thermometer at a pet supply store for under $10 and stick it in the bottom of the tank (the side with the heating pad) to make sure the surface temperature is around 90F-92F. The other side of the tank can be at room temperature (around 70F).

 

[acpart]

Google "leopard gecko care" and read some care sheets for more detailed information. Ask us about anything that seems to contradict or that you don't understand. Good luck.

Aliza

 

[filthygorgeouslou]

HI thanks everyone for your replys .. I contacted the rspca as I know the tip is covered by cctv so hopefully they can catch the mean people that did this to him .. they sent someone out to see me today who has given me lots of advice on how to care for him and special things to get .. which I'm just about to go get ... they think he/she is in pretty good shape considering what has happened .. they said the tail was a bit thin so he will need feeding up over the next couple of weeks .. but all in all they think i have done a very good job at keeping him safe .. they are hoping to prosecute the people who have done this to him .. which is good news .. I will keep you all informed of his progress and post some pics as soon as .. Thankyou all once again ....

also just a quick question the rspca has stated that i need a uv lamp is this the case as i read on the internet that they didn't need this???

 

[HugeGenes&LoLa]

Nope They don't need a UV lamp. Good luck!! I'm glad to hear they are trying to find the people who did this. I'm happy he/she is in a better home now!