Leo with questionable health

[Geordi Hall]

This is a rare occasion for me. Usually when I have a reptile issue, I can fix it with the help of google and my private collection of reptile husbandry books. But right now, the answers I get are vague. So Ive decided to try here. I realized that I had posted this earlier in the wrong section, so i moved it here where I might be able to get some help.

A month or two ago, I acquired a young leopard gecko from the new england reptile show. Things went fine, she loved her new home. But then she began to have issues catching crickets. Upon further examination, I discovered that her legs were limp and rubbery. I figured that this was from a calcium deficiency. I upped the powdering of her crickets and pretty soon her legs began to stiffen and heal. However, they healed in the wrong position. She had to walk on side and back of her paw, and the lower part of arms were bowed oddly. So, I figured that there was nothing i could do, and have care For her how i would any other leopard gecko. But, I kept a close eye and tried to aid her when i could. Recently, i noticed that dead skin was building up on her arms. I had made attempts before to aid in the removal of said skin. I used meds, warm soaking baths, and cotton swabs. So i was pleasantly surprised that after today's bath, the Skin came off very very easily with a cotton swab. However, with the skin came her paw. And i noticed where the skin had begun to cut off on the upper other arm. Most of dead skin came off. But she has been acting slow, lethargic, and loosing weight.

- Sex: Female

- Age & Weight: unknown

- How long have you owned your leo: one month

- Where was he/she obtained: Reptile Show

- How often do you handle your leo: once to twice a week

- Is your leo acting any different today?: she is not as alert when it come to me opening the cage and acts weak when I pick her up

- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe: previously had calcium deficiantcy in her front legs

B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal): N/A
- When was the last time he/she went: N/A

C) Problem
- Please briefly describe the problem and how long it has been going on: She is acting slow and lethargic, losing weight, not eating or refusing to eat, skin shedding issues.


Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size: 10 gallon

- Type: glass

- Type of substrate: sand

- Hides, how many, what kind: one zilla hiding hole

B) Heating
- Heat source: ceramic heat bulb on right side

- Cage temps (hot side, cool side): N/A

- Method of regulating heat sourceKeeping the heat buld on all the time.

- What are you using to measure your temps: N/A

- Do you have any lights (describe): compact floresent UVB bulb


A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding (how often, how much): one to two dozen crickets a week

- How are you feeding (hoof fed, left in dish, ect): allowing the leo to hunt the crickets herself

B) Supplements (describe how often)
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands): T-Rex Bone Aid

- What are you gut loading food with: N/A









im hoping this is everything that you need. Im wondering if anyone else has had this issue as well. I would also like to know if there is anything i can do to help her. Any help anyone can offer would be appreciated.

Thank you in advance

P.s. please forgive my gramtical errors. im on my phone and its a piece of crap.

 

[NikkiC223]

This is a rare occasion for me. Usually when I have a reptile issue, I can fix it with the help of google and my private collection of reptile husbandry books. But right now, the answers I get are vague. So Ive decided to try here. I realized that I had posted this earlier in the wrong section, so i moved it here where I might be able to get some help.

A month or two ago, I acquired a young leopard gecko from the new england reptile show. Things went fine, she loved her new home. But then she began to have issues catching crickets. Upon further examination, I discovered that her legs were limp and rubbery. I figured that this was from a calcium deficiency. I upped the powdering of her crickets and pretty soon her legs began to stiffen and heal. However, they healed in the wrong position. She had to walk on side and back of her paw, and the lower part of arms were bowed oddly. So, I figured that there was nothing i could do, and have care For her how i would any other leopard gecko. But, I kept a close eye and tried to aid her when i could. Recently, i noticed that dead skin was building up on her arms. I had made attempts before to aid in the removal of said skin. I used meds, warm soaking baths, and cotton swabs. So i was pleasantly surprised that after today's bath, the Skin came off very very easily with a cotton swab. However, with the skin came her paw. And i noticed where the skin had begun to cut off on the upper other arm. Most of dead skin came off. But she has been acting slow, lethargic, and loosing weight.

- Sex: Female

- Age & Weight: unknown

- How long have you owned your leo: one month

- Where was he/she obtained: Reptile Show

- How often do you handle your leo: once to twice a week

- Is your leo acting any different today?: she is not as alert when it come to me opening the cage and acts weak when I pick her up

- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe: previously had calcium deficiantcy in her front legs

B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal): N/A
- When was the last time he/she went: N/A

C) Problem
- Please briefly describe the problem and how long it has been going on: She is acting slow and lethargic, losing weight, not eating or refusing to eat, skin shedding issues.


Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size: 10 gallon

- Type: glass

- Type of substrate: sand

- Hides, how many, what kind: one zilla hiding hole

B) Heating
- Heat source: ceramic heat bulb on right side

- Cage temps (hot side, cool side): N/A

- Method of regulating heat sourceKeeping the heat buld on all the time.

- What are you using to measure your temps: N/A

- Do you have any lights (describe): compact floresent UVB bulb


A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding (how often, how much): one to two dozen crickets a week

- How are you feeding (hoof fed, left in dish, ect): allowing the leo to hunt the crickets herself

B) Supplements (describe how often)
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands): T-Rex Bone Aid

- What are you gut loading food with: N/A

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im hoping this is everything that you need. Im wondering if anyone else has had this issue as well. I would also like to know if there is anything i can do to help her. Any help anyone can offer would be appreciated.

Thank you in advance

P.s. please forgive my gramtical errors. im on my phone and its a piece of crap.

Ok, first off, get rid of the sand. I use slate tile and it heats up great with a UTH. Second, he/she should have at least 3 hides (dry, cool, Moist). I would recommend investing in a UTH, they need belly heat to digest, air temps are irrelevant. You also NEED to get something to measure the temps in the cage. A infrared thermometer is the best thing to get, they are a bit pricey but very accurate. Warm side should be between 88 and 93 degrees. Get rid of the light, it stresses them out. Window light from outside is enough for them to regulate their day and night pattern. You should be gut loading your crickets with some kind of calcium powder. If he/she isn't pooping, they aren't eating...so make sure you monitor their fecal matter for any abnormalities. I would def take him to the vet as he looks skinny in the picture. But you should definitely fix your set up. It might just be the stress from not having enough places to hide or the temps being off. Im new to reptile world but I've learned a lot of here, I'm sure someone else can chime in and add more insight. Hope this helps a little.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

Some more things to add to the previous post:

1) If you're heating both sides of the enclosure, you're cooking your gecko. She needs one side to be warm (which needs to be monitored digitally at 88-93 degrees) and one side cool - as cool as you can get it. She needs to be able to move in different areas to cool and warm up her body, and if she can't do that, she can't digest her food properly or be even remotely healthy.
2) Your gecko probably has a vitamin A deficiency, based on what you're saying you supplement with and the symptoms. You need to get this: T-Rex Leopard Gecko Calcium Plus Supplement Reptile Food Supplements Exactly that one, as many calcium supplements don't have vitamin A. Use it for every feeding.
3) You do need more hides. You need a hide as far into the warm side as it'll go, you need a hide in the cool side, and you need a humid hide in the middle. For the humid hide, get a tupperware container, cut a hole in the top or side (make sure there are no sharp edges), and put wet paper towels in it. If you don't have a spare hide for the cool or warm side handy, just use an old container (not clear).

At this point, a vet visit would be a good idea, but fix all of the setup problems immediately.

~Maggot

 

[Geckos_]

But then she began to have issues catching crickets.

I recommend feeding small mealworms until she has fully recovered, so she doesn't have to use what little energy she has to eat.

Upon further examination, I discovered that her legs were limp and rubbery. I figured that this was from a calcium deficiency.

It's not just a calcium deficiency; it's also a vitamin deficiency. You haven't been giving her the supplements she needs to survive, and that's why she has MBD.

Recently, I noticed that dead skin was building up on her arms.

She needs a humid / moist hide.

But she has been acting slow, lethargic, and loosing weight.

This gecko needs to see the vet.

sand

You need to take out the sand and use paper towels. It's a possibility she is impacted, since she's not eating or pooping. But since you've got so many care issues, it's hard to be sure...

one zilla hiding hole

You need a minimum of three hides; one on the warm side (the humid hide, preferably), one in the middle, and one on the cool side.

ceramic heat bulb on right side

You need to get rid of the ceramic heat bulb. You must get a heat pad / under tank heater (obviously the 10 gallon size) and place it under one end of the tank. As a side note, I recommend Zoo Med's. Anyways, don't forget to put the rubber feet on to allow ventilation. Also, don't forget to buy a thermostat to control the heat pad's temperature. Once again, I recommend the Zoo Med brand thermostat; it's very affordable, and it works well.

Cage temps (hot side, cool side): N/A

You're not measuring the cage temperatures... ? Have you done any research on leopard gecko care... ?

What are you using to measure your temps: N/A

You need to measure the temperatures! You need to buy a temperature gun. Don't forget to measure the floor temperature; not the air temperature. The warm side needs to be 88-95 degrees; the cool side needs to be 72-80 degrees.

Do you have any lights (describe): compact floresent UVB bulb

You need to get rid of it...

What you're feeding (how often, how much): one to two dozen crickets a week

Since she's so weak, I recommend feeding mealworms until she is healthy enough to hunt for crickets.

How are you feeding: allowing the leo to hunt the crickets herself

I doubt she's healthy enough to have the ability to chase after the crickets...

What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands): T-Rex Bone Aid

You need to get rid of that. Please use these instead:

• Calcium withOUT D3: Leave a small dish of this in the cage at all times. Change it once a week
• Calcium WITH D3: Dust the insects with this twice a week
• Multivitamin: Dust the insects with this twice a week

I recommend Rep-Cal brand for the calcium supplements; I recommend Zoo Med brand for the multivitamin.

What are you gut loading food with: N/A

If you don't gutload the insects, then you're basically feeding her nothing. Gutloading is simply feeding the insects healthy foods; carrots, apples, oatmeal, etc.

I hope you make changes to your care. I'm sorry your gecko is sick. I hope she gets better soon!

 

[sausage]

awww poor girl
I agree with every one, she needs to see a vet! and tank needs changing, under tank heater (heat mat) is a super important thing right now, if not the most important because without the belly heat she cant warm up through the belly she wont eat and she needs to eat!

you also need to try and make her more comfitable by removing the skin stuck on her toes. give her feet a soak in teppid water and ease the skin off, the old skin constricts the toes cutting off the blood supply killing the toes and its very pain full.

As you stated she had "rubbery arms" this is due to the incorrect heating method. without the correct belly heat nutrients wont be absorbed from the intestine, once the limbs become soft, when they begin to heal and harden once more they wont go back to being straight, the limbs will be left deformed for the rest of her life.

 

[katie_]

She looks very thin and very ill.
A vet visit should be your first priority, and then correcting her environment like the others have stated above.
This is out of your hands for being able to treat at home.

 

[katie_]

She looks very thin and very ill.
A vet visit should be your first priority, and then correcting her environment like the others have stated above.
This is out of your hands for being able to treat at home.

 

[Geordi Hall]

Thank you everyone for your input. I will be making said changes. Unfortunately, I cant get her into the vet due to two reason. One, my town doesnt really have a vet that deals with reptiles. Two, im a college student, and I know how everyone will disagree. but I dont see the point and cant afford to take a leopard gecko I bought for $10 to a vet visit for much much fore than that.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

Thank you everyone for your input. I will be making said changes. Unfortunately, I cant get her into the vet due to two reason. One, my town doesnt really have a vet that deals with reptiles. Two, im a college student, and I know how everyone will disagree. but I dont see the point and cant afford to take a leopard gecko I bought for $10 to a vet visit for much much fore than that.

I seriously hope that it can recover on its own.

~Maggot

 

[codyc_13]

You shouldn't have bought a living breathing animal, if you can't afford to keep it living and breathing.....

 

[Ozy]

Most vets will euthanize it for around $10 I think. Either that or give it to someone who can afford to give it the medical care it needs. I can not even believe people like you, who get an animal, DO NOT keep it correctly AT ALL and then go.. oh I don't see the point in taking a $10 leopard gecko to the vet. I don't care if I get banned or whatever. I am SO SICK of seeing people like you! YOU DISGUST ME! WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT! THERE! BAN ME! FREEZE MY ACCOUNT! Maybe YOU should be locked in a dusty glass cage, without the essentials to survive and just let you suffer. That's cool right? Just getting an Under Tank Heat Mat and a Thermometer is going to cost you ALOT more than $10 you pile of Maggot puke!

 

[GexPex]

Two, im a college student, and I know how everyone will disagree. but I dont see the point and cant afford to take a leopard gecko I bought for $10 to a vet visit for much much fore than that.

I'm a college student, too, but have taken my $25 rabbit to the vet and spent over $500 total to get him well. Why? Because he's my responsibility and he's a part of the family. If well-cared for, leopard geckos can actually outlive rabbits.
I always say "If you can't afford the vet, don't get a pet." What's ridiculous is that just a bit of extra research could've prevented this.

 

[sausage]

so sad
I think your better giving her up to some one who can care for her!
If you cant efford the vet then how are ment to be able to pay to change the viv to the things she needs!?

 

[katie_]

My dogs were free.
That does mean it would be okay for me to let them rot?

I really hope you reconsider taking it to the vet.
There is a large difference between cant afford and not wanting to.

 

[ericssonfan81]

Poor Gecko!! If you can't get it to a vet, at least give it to somebody who's willing to give it an honest chance at life. It seems like you're content on it withering away it's last few weeks if its even got that.
I'd bet on somebody's got a case of the "I don't wannas"

 

[Embrace Calamity]

If you're not willing to give it the care it needs, search Facebook and Google for reptile rescues in your area. It's still young, so hopefully there hasn't been too much internal damage from the poor care you've given it. It might be able to make a full recovery if someone bothered to try, and I believe there are reptile rescues in Ohio. And if you're not willing to even go through that much trouble, just have it euthanised, as it shouldn't cost much and it'll save the poor thing a long, painful death.

~Maggot

 

[Ozy]

What really got me is all the stuck shed on it's poor feet and ALL OVER it's eyes. Looked like the back foot had turned black, and according to the OP, it's already lost one foot. OP, did you know when that happens it's the same as if I wrapped a string REALLY tightly around your wrist or ankle and then just let your foot/hand die and fall off from lack of circulation? I paid $15 for my leopard gecko at a big, chain pet store. Luckily I researched proper care and husbandry before I got her, so she has never had any problems. However another thing I ALSO did, was to call every reptile vet in Kansas City and question them about their reptile expertise. So I have a vet for her if need be. I also found a local place that would do fecals for me if needed, but of course they don't know much about reptiles. Our pets depend on US for their care and well-being. In my mind, NOT taking it to the vet is like not taking your child to the doctor when they are very ill.

 

[Geckos_]

Can you at least get it euthanized so it's not suffering anymore... ?

 

[Kylerbassman]

Not going to go off like I should. This is possibly one of the worst looking Leo's I have ever seen. Please, do the poor animal a favor and get it euthanized. Next time research an animal before getting it. Once again, if this were a dog, you would be going to jail. I'm disgusted at the fact this Leo is really in that bad of shape. I will say that if you have actually only owned this Leo for a month or two, the Leo either was already in bad health, or your not being truthful. This is more than a couple of months of neglect. I just can't believe how many of these type of stories I have seen lately. Enough said, I'm done.