Leopard gecko hissing...at nothing?

[Rosalie Spot]

so, i was on the computer, where Rosalie the Leo's cage is. She was on top of her hide...and all of a sudden, i hear her hissing. When i go to investigate, she's shaking her head and hissing. I'm wondering if a cricket got on her head or something, but i'm not compleately sure. She did it twice, but she wasnt facing me, she was facing the wall. Also, i haven't seen her open her eyes yet today...she had been laying under the heatlamp, so could that have caused it (the lamp is a bit bright).

Also, that shed of her's is having a hard time coming off, and i think her next shed is coming soon. During that shedding, will she get it off, maybe? And i'm pretty sure her tail is fat. She ate three waxworms yesterday, and seems somewhat active.

She has papertowels as substrate...i've also noticed her color a bit darker. Or maybe it's 'cause i only have 1 contact in.

Can someone tell me what's going on? It was third grade when i got my first leopard gecko as a baby. I know you guys are all pros. and stuff, or something close to it, and that i'm new at it, but i figured you could help me when i need it? At least for advice.

 

[STUTFL]

Heat lamp? Does the UTH not get it hot enough?

Is it possible she saw her reflection in the glass? Adults will strut around and wave their tails at their reflections, I don't know how a juvie would react.

 

[CallDr]

If you have crickets loose in the cage, then sometimes anything touching it will make it hiss. Kinda like a knee jerk reaction. Maybe take them out. I think the Shed not off is the issue you need to resolve first. IMHO

 

[janjgeckos]

If she still has shed stuck from last shed and you believe she will shed again soon you need to soak her to remove stuck shed. The heat lamp may make her tank to hot and dry, witch will cause shedding problems. Also you should remove any crickets that she dont eat as they will climb on and bite her causeing stress if she is a baby than crickets left in the cage can cause more damage to her even death.

 

[Rosalie Spot]

hopefully getting back to health

me and my dad were able to get most of the stuff off her back, a little bit off her legs, and we got all the crickets out. Besides getting it off her, what else should i be doing? Is there anything else? And, why is she rubbing her face against her cage/hides even though there's no shed on her face?

she also has a humid hide, so getting too dry isnt much of a concern. It looks pretty humid in there.

 

[CallDr]

AS you said..... she was under the lamp on top of a hide and not inside the moist hide. Thats why the suggestion was to turn the light off which could be drying her out.

It seems you still need to get all the old hide first or try to find a way so she gets in her moist hide till all is off.

 

[GeckoGathering]

Good advice.

If she still has shed stuck from last shed and you believe she will shed again soon you need to soak her to remove stuck shed. The heat lamp may make her tank to hot and dry, witch will cause shedding problems. Also you should remove any crickets that she don't eat as they will climb on and bite her causing stress if she is a baby than crickets left in the cage can cause more damage to her even death.

..................Hey

Jerry has given you the hole scoop here.
Still rubbing face...probably means still shed to remove...
may be in it's eyes.
Keep the slightly warm baths going....
If in eyes, may need to go to eye drops.(inquire)
Don't peal the shed unless you get it moist.
Take care. HJ

 

[mascutt]

My Sela does the same thing without hissing. She faces the back wall (glass) and struts around with her tail waving. I'm pretty sure it's the reflection because she doesn't act aggressively otherwise, towards Lola, or towards me.

As for the skin. When Lola sheds, sometimes she doesn't get all the skin off of one of her feet. I put her in the sink (tepid water - ankle deep to your gecko) and let her walk around. Then I take a Q-tip and work it off. It takes patience but you got to get that skin off

Good luck

 

[STUTFL]

she also has a humid hide, so getting too dry isnt much of a concern. It looks pretty humid in there.

We're just trying to help you and your leo. Try turning the light off, she doesn't need one anyhow.

 

[Rosalie Spot]

so, i just got a heatlamp thing that doesnt give off light...should i turn it off?

 

[STUTFL]

Do you have a UTH (heat mat) that's regulating the temperature?

 

[Rosalie Spot]

yes, but i dont know if she's on it. Let me check. Yes, she is. But i noticed there are some cuts on her head from rubbing it. I've checked, and there's not that much shed on her face, just these little specks. What can i do for her? Anything?

About the heat lamp, what do i use for her cage to get warm then? It's warmth or dryness. I'm so worried about her. I wasn't doing anything wrong for her. Good temps, humid hide, food, and water. Even socializing. Do you think she was sick when we got her? We got her from Pet Co.

Also, what does regurgitated wax worm/mealworms look like?

 

[STUTFL]

It's certainly possible that she was sickly, dehydrated, etc. when you got her. Some leos just have tough sheds, though. Do you have a thermostat or rheostat to regulate the heat mat? What are/were the cage temps without the lamp?

Regurgitated worms, if I'm not mistaken, mostly just look like worms but slimier and slightly chewed.

If you see any unusual developments in the cage or with your leo, you might want to take pictures and post them. It helps to see things.

 

[Rosalie Spot]

the way u described the regirgitated (that's spelled wrong, isnt it?) waxworms fits the description exactly. She's definatley not dehydrated. She's drinking right now in fact, but she could have been when i got her.

She wasnt the smallest gecko in the cage but she wasn't the largest. Do juveniles bully eachother? She wasnt skinny...she was just small. Anyhow, besides to get water, i havent seen her active much today.

Heat mat...okay, well i dont know what a rhestostat is...let me look up the word "regulate"... dont think i can regulate temps with the heatmat. I have a question, do the heatmats wear out? What are the temperatures for the heating of the floor -- as in, what should they be?

As soon as i get a hold of my camera, i'll take a pic. :main_yes:

Wait, let me ask my dad to pick it up!

 

[STUTFL]

How much do you think she's regurgitated? If she seems to be doing very poorly I'd start considering a vet visit.
Just about anything can wear out, and heat mats are definitely no exception. It shouldn't wear out so soon after you've gotten it, though.
A thermostat, though the good ones can be a bit pricey, will keep the heat within a certain temperature range. A rheostat is cheaper and a good bit fussier, but has the same purpose.
Preferences for the hot side vary, but I'd say 88 - 92 degrees Fahrenheit is usually a pretty good range.

 

[Shera]

What are you using for a substrate? I use paper towel and use a thermometer with a probe (they have them in the aquarium section usually), and I place the probe under the top layer of paper towel. I like to keep the floor of my warm side closer to 96F (opinions vary, but I'd say 88-98 are acceptable, but not above or below that at all). A rheostat is essentially a light dimmer. It reduces the amount of electricity flowing to the UTH. I have heard you can actually use a dimmer like one of these (sorry, Canadian website) if you find that your UTH is too hot after measuring your temps.

I would work on getting the stuck shed off. Mine are miserable when they have any stuck shed on them. I put about an inch of warm water (like bath temperature water) in a container and wet any part of them with shed on it and let them sit for 5 min or so. then I use a cotton swab to roll the shed off, and tweezers to peel it off.

 

[Rosalie Spot]

i use paper towels as substrate. She's getting MUCH better. Her colors are becoming brighter, her tail is nice and plump, and now she only has a little on her back (at first glance, you wouldnt notice it), and on her feet. Compared to what it was, this is great progress. I just soaked her in warm water, and we got it off one of her legs, so now it's only on part of her foot.

We're scheduling a vet appointment tomarrow. Let's see how it goes :main_yes:

 

[chechatonga]

You need to get a thermometer with a probe and get your tanks warm side to around 90-95 F. You may be producing too much heat, also if your gecko is having problems with loose crickets you can use a seperate feeding tank or use mealworms instead.

 

[Rosalie Spot]

didnt make a vet appointment, but she's way more active. She's been hunting, and today she sat in her water bowl and chilled (or, "humidified" ) in her her humid hide. I'll make sure to somehow get a thermometer.

 

[STUTFL]

You'll want to get a new UTH if it's not capable of heating past the low 80's. However, if the temperature readout is wrong, too hot would seem more likely.