More problems?!

[Kurtzy]

Today I was looking at my other two geckos more closely since it looks like my littlest one has something wrong with its leg,
http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=68022

Well, it looks like there is something wrong with my aptor gecko too, his hip..ish area is at a strange angle compared to the other two geckos, and he has some slight blueish coloring on his sides, didn't come up in the pictures very well, unfortunately. And then there are these two dark blue spots on his belly. They almost look skin deep, I can't really tell though, so I don't know if these are just spots from his natural coloring, or some kind of internal injury. Although I did not think aptors had any spotting on them period, if he is an aptor even.

Whatever the case may be, I have definitely learned my lesson: this is the last time I receive any kind of animal in the mail. :main_no:

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[acpart]

The spot is probably the gall bladder or the liver and is fine. The dark coloring on its side may just be an internal organ seen through the skin since these guys are just about translucent. I don't know what to make of the hip issue. Are you supplementing with calcium, D3 and vitamins? The biggest problem with getting geckos through the mail is that you can't check them out in person. I've actually had only good experiences getting geckos from reputable breeders through the mail.

Aliza

 

[Kurtzy]

You are probably right about the spots. Maybe the funky angle of his hips is just bad pet store breeding, he seems fine, eats, explores etc. So maybe that is all that it is, just bad conformation. I only have liquid vitamins that I have for my tortoise, do you know if this Reptivite by zoomed is alright? Looks like it is a 3-in-1 type of deal with calcium d3 and vitamins.
I guess you live and learn, breeders are the way to go. I wish I lived near some reputable breeders
Thanks for helping put my mind at ease about the spots, I should have figured that could be it seeing as he is a little on the see-through side. Just a little nervous after the other gecko

 

[Dog Shrink]

Awww... you're really having a difficult time of it aren't ya with these 2 new little ones. Have you contact the seller to discuss the issues with them at all? Honestly, and I know this kinda sucks, but I would consider returning them if you aren't completely satisfied. I know it's a pain in the butt but it's better to be happy with your purchase since I know it'd not a cheap investment, than worry about having to deal with life long disabilities that might crop up from inferiorly bred leos. So sorry you're having these issues. It's not the happy ending we hope for when we get our herps.

 

[Kurtzy]

Yeah that is something that I am considering for that aptor, it really is too bad. I am gonna talk to them tomorrow and see what they say.
I may have overreacted with the little albino, he walks fine, and it looks like the swelling has gone down a lot.
Heheh the angle at which his wrist was bending seems to be normal for these geckos as they all walk the same, especially after seeing some YouTube videos of leos walking. I haven't owned a lizard in quite a while...Hah

 

[Dog Shrink]

They could have handled some rough handling in shipping and got some bumps and bruiises along the way. How were they shipped to you? Was tthere much room in the carton for shifting? What about the individual cartons they were packed in (the deli cups?) did it look like there was much room for them to be bounced around? Did the seller provide you with any kind of guarantee aside of live arrival (if that)? I wouldn't take this one experience as a bad omen for all breeders who ship geckos. I was VERY leery about getting one shipped to me, first time buyer, asked the seller/breeder a TON of questions not only to increase my knowledge but also to kinda test him, and after about a week of discussion I felt farily comfortable buying from him, plus his iTrader feedback was really good. The best you can do is just research the hell outta the person you're considering buying from and buyer beware. I'm glad the swelling has gone down in your lil albino, hopefully that'll be the end of the difficulties with him. I'd consider doing a little extra supplimenting with that one just to make sure he has the additional nutritional support to help any injuries you can't see on the surface. I can't comment on the raptor as I am still new to leos myself and am completely unfamiliar with the physiology end.

 

[Kurtzy]

Yeah I was kinda thinking they may have had a rough shipping experience. They came from LLL Reptile, but it was our farm supply/pet store that ordered them, he said he'd give me a discount since I go there regularly for chicken feed etc if I ever wanted to get reptiles from them, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to get some nice animals, since LLL Reptile has pretty good reviews as a large herp store. Around here we have nothing, aside from my farm supply the closest pet stores are an hour away and those are just two chainstores, which I was not pleased at all with their poor little geckos there...VERY skinny and very sick little guys
So I am not sure how LLL Reptile handles guarantees for their wholesale list to pet stores. I was going to go in and talk to the guy and see. I am not sure how they were shipped to them either, the deli cups were kinda big for the albino and the aptor, all 3 had their own cup, but there were paper towels on the bottom, it looked like if things got rough in shipping, the littler ones could possibly have gotten bumped around.
I just don't know about those hind legs, if all that it is is just a genetic cosmetic fault, like, if he will be fine, just look a little more square, I'd be fine with that, but if this is going to lead to, I dunno, paralyzation to the back legs or something later on down the road, it may sound mean, but I don't really want to start off with a badly bred gecko, just like, if I was getting my very first dog, but wasn't ready for the commitment of caring for a special needs pup that is going to have lifelong health issues, I wouldn't go down that road for a first dog, I'd want to make sure that the dog I get is healthy.
I just hate the fact that he would more than likely have to be shipped back to So Cal and endure more stress. So I am unsure what to do in this situation.
Yeah for the little guy, I'll be giving him some extra TLC and extra vitamins etc. Thanks for the advice
On a sidenote, I do have to say, in the past, I have ordered a tortoise and a blue tongued skink from LLL Reptile and they were very healthy and arrived in tip top shape, so, it's true I shouldn't judge the whole shipping experience on this one incident. Especially since there are so many awesome breeders out there.

 

[Kurtzy]

Oh whatever! I change my mind, he eats, he explores, and he seems happy. I am keeping him! If he were to be shipped back, I don't know what would happen to him, at least this way he will be safe fat and healthy and I know he has a good home!
In fact, I will make him my avatar!

 

[Dog Shrink]

There ya go... it takes a special person to make a commitment to a special lil leo. I would certainly let LLL know about your experience tho, not just the feed store, as I'm sure being a big company they want their reputation to stay intact. I hate to be the nervous nelly type but it's like you said, you didn't sign on for an animal that may need life long medical care, but I honestly think that if you take a little extra care with suppliments and habitat, and give them the best chances making sure temp and all that is perfect they should thrive and overcome any difficulties they are experiencing as youngsters. I love all my defective dogs , my hypothyroid forever in rescue for 9 years boxer, my spent 3 years in a cat carrier 9 yr old toy fox (who brought with a myriad of mental issues from his confinement) but then again I have the experience to cope with them, and I did sign on for it, I knew what I was getting into when I volunteered to take them in. I have a soft spot for the hard luck cases

You have a wonderful support system here in the members of this forum. I think you'll do wonderfully with your new little friends, perfect or not. We love em lumps bumps and all in the end

 

[Kurtzy]

Wow 3 years in a cat carrier?! Poor thing! That's terrible. That is awesome that they have you to look after them!
I have bought some reptile vitamins, my old vitamins apparently went bad, and I'll be needing them also for my little runaway tortoise who just returned. I can't wait to see how much these little geckos change as they grow! I love how each gecko looks unique and how even then, they don't look anything like they looked as babies, well except maybe the blizzards and diablo blancos.

 

[Dog Shrink]

Yeah 3 years, from 6-9 years old. Nice way to treat a senior dog and the wors part is they couldn't even claim ignorence, the person taht did this to him was his show handler! The Gods bring certain people/animals together for a very specific reason I believe, and we have no regrets. I'm glad you decided to hang in there with your babies, and it is totally amazinghow much they change in their lifetimes, I can't wait to see pix of them as they grow with you. BTW congrats on finding your runaway torti.