Just got back with new gecko, it's head twitches

[reps4life]

Reps4Life does have a point. Throw a couple in there and see what happens! If the gecko glares at you and starts writing your name down on a hit list, you know she didn't approve.

Your too funny

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Everyone who sells geckos at shows does not breed them. Some vendors buy wholesale lots of different animals they don't breed. Or they may breed some of what they have available but not all. Sometimes a trade is involved. In any of these scenarios, the animal's history becomes questionable. Not that there may be something wrong, but that there are a lot of unknowns. In order to determine if there is any enigma involved, ask the seller about the gecko's parents. It's also possible that a gecko that's had good supplementation has a problem absorbing calcium properly.

Your stress over all this can give your gecko stress! Try to relax a bit and don't expect so much from her just yet

 

[TylerDurden]

Thanks I'll attempt crickets maybe tomorrow or wednesday. I threw 3 mealworms in a bowl that I think died already maybe from the calcium sprinkled on them (I think it eventually can suffocate them). She won't leave her wet hide still anyway. She comes out for maybe an hour at like 1am, 2am but that's about it. If I walk over she goes back into the wet hide and closes her eyes as if she thinks if she can't see me I must not be there haha

I'm trying not to stress her so I'll give it another day before I go in there and try to present food again. I haven't handled her at all since putting her inside


Another question though: She's been sleeping in the wet hide this whole time, and doesn't come out during the day to warm up. The wet hide is only in the low to mid 70's, it just doesn't warm up that much compared to the rest of the tank. Should I make sure she gets out of there tomorrow to warm up?

 

[TylerDurden]

Everyone who sells geckos at shows does not breed them. Some vendors buy wholesale lots of different animals they don't breed. Or they may breed some of what they have available but not all. Sometimes a trade is involved. In any of these scenarios, the animal's history becomes questionable. Not that there may be something wrong, but that there are a lot of unknowns. In order to determine if there is any enigma involved, ask the seller about the gecko's parents. It's also possible that a gecko that's had good supplementation has a problem absorbing calcium properly.

Your stress over all this can give your gecko stress! Try to relax a bit and don't expect so much from her just yet

yea the woman I spoke to made it out like she bred them herself, but even if she did she admitted she was shaky on genetics so I don't know how accurate any history is. As long as the head twitching doesn't turn into full body tremors or something I'll just observe. She knows where the calcium bowl is, has walked on it a few times but hasn't eaten out of it, and she drinks plenty when she comes out at nite.

Once I actually get a better look at her movements beyond the 20 minutes or so I ever see her come out at night I think I'll have a better idea, I'll contact the seller if any other signs of enigma show up. I won't mind dealing with enigma syndrome if that's what it ends up being it doesn't seem to be fatal or degenerative.

 

[TylerDurden]

Reps4Life does have a point. Throw a couple in there and see what happens! If the gecko glares at you and starts writing your name down on a hit list, you know she didn't approve.

lol I'll let the breeder know if I find any evidence of sinister plotting

 

[reps4life]

Thanks I'll attempt crickets maybe tomorrow or wednesday. I threw 3 mealworms in a bowl that I think died already maybe from the calcium sprinkled on them (I think it eventually can suffocate them). She won't leave her wet hide still anyway. She comes out for maybe an hour at like 1am, 2am but that's about it. If I walk over she goes back into the wet hide and closes her eyes as if she thinks if she can't see me I must not be there haha

I'm trying not to stress her so I'll give it another day before I go in there and try to present food again. I haven't handled her at all since putting her inside


Another question though: She's been sleeping in the wet hide this whole time, and doesn't come out during the day to warm up. The wet hide is only in the low to mid 70's, it just doesn't warm up that much compared to the rest of the tank. Should I make sure she gets out of there tomorrow to warm up?

I would hate to change anything at this moment because she is still adjusting
but then again I do not like the idea of a wet and cold leo. I keep mine in the middle so that it's not too hot or cold. I guess move it. So cute thou how they close their eyes to become invisible Seems hydration is an issue because she is drinking a lot which is not very common in desert species and she is trying to hydrate herself by spending lots of time in the humid hide which is good.
I would worry if she was not trying. Personally I would just move the humid hide to the center. Just be very slow and quiet

 

[TylerDurden]

Oh one last thing sorry! I also noticed her ear looks a little red. I can't see the other ear, and honestly don't know what a normal gecko ear looks like at this point lol.

I just took a quick 10 second video, didn't want to disturb her, here's what I was able to get really quick. Let me know if this looks like it could be an ear infection, because that would explain the head shaking without other symptoms and I could get it treated

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMmT-N1wXm4

(watch at 1080p if you can, it's much clearer)

I promise no more questions after that lol

 

[TylerDurden]

I would hate to change anything at this moment because she is still adjusting
but then again I do not like the idea of a wet and cold leo. I keep mine in the middle so that it's not too hot or cold. I guess move it. So cute thou how they close their eyes to become invisible Seems hydration is an issue because she is drinking a lot which is not very common in desert species and she is trying to hydrate herself by spending lots of time in the humid hide which is good.
I would worry if she was not trying. Personally I would just move the humid hide to the center. Just be very slow and quiet

yea I turned on the ceramic heater lamp, I'll see if I can get the temp up a little bit and tomorrow I'll move it over during the day when it's warm, I'll rearrange the tank just a little so it fits closer to where the heater is

 

[reps4life]

Oh one last thing sorry! I also noticed her ear looks a little red. I can't see the other ear, and honestly don't know what a normal gecko ear looks like at this point lol.

I just took a quick 10 second video, didn't want to disturb her, here's what I was able to get really quick. Let me know if this looks like it could be an ear infection, because that would explain the head shaking without other symptoms and I could get it treated

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMmT-N1wXm4

(watch at 1080p if you can, it's much clearer)

I promise no more questions after that lol

No worries, ask away at least I don't mind. Well that was one of the things I mentioned can cause that but unfortunately I could not see her ear I will keep trying to look but to be honest it's very hard to see.

 

[TylerDurden]

if you put it to 1080p and make it full screen and pause at about 3 seconds you can get a clear shot. Otherwise I'll just wait and see if she walks around later and I'll try and catch it quick

 

[reps4life]

I could not see. If it was in the outer ear it could have been from scratching against something after shed.

 

[reps4life]

if you put it to 1080p and make it full screen and pause at about 3 seconds you can get a clear shot. Otherwise I'll just wait and see if she walks around later and I'll try and catch it quick

Sounds good, Try to catch both sides to compare.

 

[TylerDurden]

I edited the video a little, if that helps but yea I'll just look later thanks again

 

[reps4life]

I edited the video a little, if that helps but yea I'll just look later thanks again

I think what you are actually seeing is the normal pinkish color due to the fact their skin is transparent keep an eye though just incase.

 

[TylerDurden]

ah lol I figured. I never noticed how you can practically see the tympanum just by looking.

 

[TylerDurden]

Just a quick update: still won't come out of moist hide (if it's even moist anymore lol) she's been there since saturday night. Only comes out for a minute or two late at night, drinks a little water, I THINK she may have gone into the calcium but I'm not sure, I think I see some marks in there that look like they could be from her tongue but I'm not positive.

Hasn't touched food still, I'll be trying crickets later today so I'll see how that goes.

Is there a point where I should make her leave the moist hide or should I just leave it alone? I haven't made any attempts at handling her nad have avoided going into the tank for anything with the exception of changing the water in the morning. I got her saturday morning so it's been at least 5 days since she last ate, and that's assuming she ate the day before the reptile show.

 

[reps4life]

Just a quick update: still won't come out of moist hide (if it's even moist anymore lol) she's been there since saturday night. Only comes out for a minute or two late at night, drinks a little water, I THINK she may have gone into the calcium but I'm not sure, I think I see some marks in there that look like they could be from her tongue but I'm not positive.

Hasn't touched food still, I'll be trying crickets later today so I'll see how that goes.

Is there a point where I should make her leave the moist hide or should I just leave it alone? I haven't made any attempts at handling her nad have avoided going into the tank for anything with the exception of changing the water in the morning. I got her saturday morning so it's been at least 5 days since she last ate, and that's assuming she ate the day before the reptile show.

I would leave her alone. I would however use a little cup or dripper and slowly drip some water in the humid hide to make sure it's wet. Let me know if she eats the crickets or at least her reaction.

 

[TylerDurden]

Well some good news: she's been popping her head out and walking around a lot more now! She comes out earlier and earlier, now she looks around to see if I'm there at around 6pm which is the earliest yet (if she sees me she still bolts for the hide though lol). Last night she took a walk around for a while too. I haven't really noticed any twitching so that might have just been stressed

The bad news - still not eating anything, I put 3 crickets in with the back legs off so they can't jump into her hide, they're still there she hasn't gone for them at all. Also presenting food to her directly with something like forceps seems to just scare her

Also I found she finally pooped, but it looks like it might not be normal:

From the pictures I've seen, doesn't it usually look much more well formed? The breeder told me not to take it into a vet and to bring it to them instead if something was wrong, but I've e-mailed them several times and no one's gotten back to me. Does this looks like it could be parasites or anything I should be worried about here?

 

[artes]

If you're that worried, I would ignore the breeder and take it to a vet you know and trust. That stool doesn't really look right to me - put it in a plastic baggie and call a vet tomorrow, imo. She probably should have eaten by now - even stressed out babies eat eventually.

 

[TylerDurden]

well I can't take that one to the vet, for a fecal a stool really has to be in the fridge within an hour or so and in the vet within a few hours after that, otherwise whatever bacteria are in there (or parasites) could multiply and give an inflated count. I'll try and catch the next one and get it in.

I don't think she's a baby though she's over 1 year old now