My Gecko is looking hopeless :(

[kaseyx]

My 5 month old super snow has been a really friendly, healthy,fat tailed, active gecko since I've gotten him. When I got him my family always joked that he was "slow" which he kinda was. My boyfriend has 3 geckos and none of them acted as strange as mine. Anyways last night as I picked him up and played with him he felt a little "deflated" and when I touched near the base where his tail meets his body he freaked,and made a sqeaky noise. I found him upside down today and when I touched him he freaked out again and bit his left back leg. He looks so bad and possibly in pain. I've never dropped him and I handle him pretty carefully and I'm the only one who handles him. He is provided with a wet warm hide freshly rewet every morning, a UTH with good heat, a meal worm bowl with some calcium in it, a warm hide and a cold hide and water dish.I feed him everyday about 6-10 mealworms and he poops regularly. Has anyone ever experienced this? Please help in any way, I'm devastated as this is my first leopard gecko and I love him so much.
Thank you in advance.
-kasey

 

[Palor]

I think a vet trip is needed for this issue. Sooner is better.

 

[kaseyx]

I'm pretty sure my gecko has impaction. I have given him gatorade to make sure he isn't dehydrated. I'm going to give him some mineral oil tomorrow. I have been massaging him and he is not on sand. I have been recently been feeding him mealworms only. Has any one else's gecko ever had this problem??

 

[LizMarie]

If he wasn't on sand before (not sure) and is using the bathroom regularly then he most likely isn't impacted. If a gecko is impacted they need to ingest something (ie sand, etc) that doesn't pass and just clogs the intestine (i think that's the right part not sure) and doesn't let anything else (ie. Poop) come out. It's like a clogged drain.

A Herp Vet is the best option because he could have injured the base of his tail somehow or might have internal issues.

Best of Luck.

 

[Blender345]

A young gecko can get impaction from a strict diet of meal worms as their hard exoskeleton is hard for the gecko to digest and may cause impaction. If he has not pooped recently, I suggest soaking him in warm water, or even 1/2 water 1/2 pedialyte to help him digest, you can even rub his belly from chest to tail, possibly helping to break up or move the impaction down. Try to keep him hydrated, maybe a little bit of gatorade, and even a little olive oil or mineral oil to help him digest. Goodluck! My prayers are with you.

 

[JordanAng420]

Impaction cannot occur from a diet of mealworms alone.

If the gecko is defecating regularly and eating regularly, there is something else going on. Sounds like this one's for the vet to figure out...

 

[OhioGecko]

If he poops regurlarly he is not impacted. Listen to the advice above and take him to the vet. Let us know what the diagnosis is after the vet visit. Good Luck.

 

[kaseyx]

He was indeed impacted, from a mere mealworm. I'm going to lay off the mealworms for a while or at least until he is about a year. He passed his bowel and he is doing great! Back to normal!

 

[Riyo]

Strange. Have you measured the temperature on the warm side of your tank (with a digital thermometer with a probe or with a infrared temp gun..)? It sounds like it's too cool and he's not digesting his food well, IMO

 

[GeckoGal]

Impaction cannot occur from a diet of mealworms alone.

sounds like it's too cool and he's not digesting his food well, IMO

Did you have a herp vet confirm this? I have never heard of this happing before, and I feed almost all of my youngsters mealworms. I would realy think the only way of this happing is either the temperature is too cold, or he has other digestive problems.

 

[JordanAng420]

Yes. It has been confirmed by my herp vet. He keeps and breeds some of his leos as well.

I also agree that the little leo might be a little too cold. Check your temps on the hot side and the cool side. Unless, the insects that are being fed are too large for the leo...usually this results in regurg, but sometimes causes problems on the other end too...

 

[Shadraak]

A young gecko can get impaction from a strict diet of meal worms as their hard exoskeleton is hard for the gecko to digest and may cause impaction. If he has not pooped recently, I suggest soaking him in warm water, or even 1/2 water 1/2 pedialyte to help him digest, you can even rub his belly from chest to tail, possibly helping to break up or move the impaction down. Try to keep him hydrated, maybe a little bit of gatorade, and even a little olive oil or mineral oil to help him digest. Goodluck! My prayers are with you.

My geckos are fed on a diet of mealworms exclusively, from first shed on, i've never had an impaction, even from them eating the sheds too...therefore i'd bust that myth right now, infact i have some of the poopin'est geckos i know hehe.

 

[Deko Gecko]

Are you shure is male or it could be female? This can be eggs.... I mean im not shure about he beeing upside-down!!!!!! Just hopping for the best!

 

[kaseyx]

Yes, it was confirmed by a herp vet. He was impacted by a mealworm and he ended up passing it. The temps on the warm side at 95-100 confirmed by a temp probe and on the cool side it is around 75-80. He is usually never on the cold side though, he's been wierd ever since I got him so I just chalked it up to that. And he ended up passing the mealworm and you could see the parts of it in his poop.