My gecko is sick

[Hale]

Unfortunately the vet I know of has no exotic veterinarians...but I'm stomped as to what it is. Since a lot of you are breeders for many years, I'm hoping that the symptoms you might recognize to help diagnose the problem.

It started when we moved, and he stopped eating. He has eaten a wax worm, and then a mealie a week later...but five minutes later I found that he had regurgitated it. Today while me and a few others were here, we saw him start regurgitating again, his mouth wide open and twisting his head side to side, and spat up clear liquid - because he has refused to eat.

He does have problems with stuck shed....the albino has been fine, but the normal is always having trouble. However, when he sheds, he looks fine, and then a few days later I see what you could call dry skin, because at this condo its really dry, and so we had to get a humidifier, and that could be the problem. I have been giving him baths, in clean sinks/containers and clean water, rubbing him with a q-tip and putting him by the humidifier for a lil while....but not really working.

There is no loose substrate in the tank. Temp is kept at 90 to 92 on the hot side. A cool and hot hide.

I can't afford a vet atm. I moved, and still don't have a job till I get my transcript, so I can't afford unless an absolute must. Being that I can't figure out what it is, and I can't treat it on my own safely.

 

[Mel&Keith]

What has your schedule for supplements (calcium and vitamins) been? Regurgitation is common in geckos that have been fed right before shipping which is a stressful situation. How long have they been in the new environment?

 

[Hale]

I don't know if the breeder fed them before he gave them to me, but I had them for two months before I had to move, and I had not fed them for two days because I know that a gecko gets more stressed when they have been fed. And since the move here, they have not fed - which is about a month.

However the albino has eaten from day 1 and doesn't seem effected from the move much. But the normal was the one that suddenly changed, and no longer eats when she was the one that LOVED to eat.

 

[The Sunset Gang]

Are they being housed together? Because if they are, maybe there is some bullying going on. If the normal is a girl, could she be ovulating? I am just trying to throw out some possible reasons for this not eating.

 

[Mel&Keith]

If she's regurgitating a month after the move it doesn't sound good. Ovulation could definitely account for lack of appetite but it doesn't usually cause regurgitation. How much do they weigh?

 

[Stevie]

Maybe the animal is constipated by something. Also a parasite to the guts or lungs could be possible. Wasn't the liquid water it just drank? I would feed the animal with (soaked) catfood (bit by bit, otherwise it'll throw up again) to create some stool and send it to a vet for some tests. If it throws up again, send this to the vet, maybe he/she can find some parasites or something.

Greets,

Stevie

ps. And a small tip (something I do) give your animal 'pocket-money', doesn't have to be much, but by doing this you always have money to spend on your animal (like vet bills)!

 

[Hale]

Oh, the calcium they both get (when she eats though) every day - and vitamins once a week. Neither are a year old to ovulate, they are about six months, unless they can start then.

When we moved, someone broke my weight scale because everything had to compacted into the jeep, and I wasn't the one making sure the supplies were in a good spot. I had to still pack (had moved in a quick hurry to avoid a storm and had one night to do it), so I have no idea, but she has lost very little weight. Her tail is still nice so I'm not worried about her starving, but I'm worried about the reason why she may not be eating, which I'm not sure is stress anymore. I have been thinking a parasite...

There is no bullying, though the albino had bit the normal once by accident, and is more careful now. Basically, I was feeding them, and the albino has had trouble seeing, and so it was hunting the mealie, and lost track and the normal got in the way - and she got excited over the other's leg. So after that she sniffs her food first before she tries to eat it.

Is there a gecko slushy of some sort that I can buy at an exotic pet store? I heard something called Shed Aid that I can get for her skin. But I'm a lil nervous of feeding geckos cat food - as I don't really know if everything in it is safe for a gecko.

 

[fallen_angel]

Oh, the calcium they both get (when she eats though) every day - and vitamins once a week. Neither are a year old to ovulate, they are about six months, unless they can start then.

When we moved, someone broke my weight scale because everything had to compacted into the jeep, and I wasn't the one making sure the supplies were in a good spot. I had to still pack (had moved in a quick hurry to avoid a storm and had one night to do it), so I have no idea, but she has lost very little weight. Her tail is still nice so I'm not worried about her starving, but I'm worried about the reason why she may not be eating, which I'm not sure is stress anymore. I have been thinking a parasite...

There is no bullying, though the albino had bit the normal once by accident, and is more careful now. Basically, I was feeding them, and the albino has had trouble seeing, and so it was hunting the mealie, and lost track and the normal got in the way - and she got excited over the other's leg. So after that she sniffs her food first before she tries to eat it.

Is there a gecko slushy of some sort that I can buy at an exotic pet store? I heard something called Shed Aid that I can get for her skin. But I'm a lil nervous of feeding geckos cat food - as I don't really know if everything in it is safe for a gecko.

DO NOT get the Shed Aid! Needless to say, we bought that stuff once and the stuck shed wasn't what came off, it was more like the gecko's skin itself. Very scary stuff, but we can't necessarily prove that it was the product alone because the gecko had also been through a cat attack, a lost tail, and lost appetite (she actually died the same day that her skin started coming off). But I won't ever touch that stuff again.

 

[fallen_angel]

Maybe the animal is constipated by something. Also a parasite to the guts or lungs could be possible. Wasn't the liquid water it just drank? I would feed the animal with (soaked) catfood (bit by bit, otherwise it'll throw up again) to create some stool and send it to a vet for some tests. If it throws up again, send this to the vet, maybe he/she can find some parasites or something.

Greets,

Stevie

ps. And a small tip (something I do) give your animal 'pocket-money', doesn't have to be much, but by doing this you always have money to spend on your animal (like vet bills)!

I like the pocket money idea, that is very smart thinking!

 

[Kimjorg]

We've used shed aid numerous times with absolutely no problems at all....try Marcia slurry...i think it is posted as a sticky thread or it is on her website, just use as much of the items in the recipe as you can find or have

 

[Hale]

We've used shed aid numerous times with absolutely no problems at all....try Marcia slurry...i think it is posted as a sticky thread or it is on her website, just use as much of the items in the recipe as you can find or have

I don't think I could actually make that...to be honest...I'd have to find someone else to do it. I'd puke. I was really hoping there would be something at an exotic pet store. Pre-made mushed mealies! XD

 

[rubym]

We had a gecko that had pin worms and gastroenteritis and she regurgitated everything that went in ( mostly Marshias slurry for first 2 days before got into a vet). Once she got medication Marshias slurry did wonders for her. We also have one that has chronic shed problems and I use the shed aide along with warm soaks and have never had an issue. I love the "pocket- money" idea. We have a gecko piggy bank. We put all our spare change in there and only use it for emergencies. Last time we had to go to it, we had saved $84.00 just from throwing in change. That paid most of the vet bill.

 

[rubym]

I don't think I could actually make that...to be honest...I'd have to find someone else to do it. I'd puke. I was really hoping there would be something at an exotic pet store. Pre-made mushed mealies! XD

:main_laugh: too funny. I didn't think that I could do it the first time but i did. The vet even suggested that I add a couple ( defrosted) pinkie mice to the mix because our girl was SKINNY ( 18 gram). These little guys have been the reason for me getting over alot of my squimish ways, LOL.

 

[Hale]

I better write down a list of things I need then.... *faints*

I'ma get a pinky as well...for his weight. Make sure it stays ok.

 

[Mel&Keith]

Females can start ovulating as small as 20g in our personal experience. Is she still throwing up or just not eating?

 

[Hale]

You know I wouldn't be surprised if she has a problem with parasites...I read about pin worms the other day briefly....it sounds possible, but do I need a stool sample to take to a vet for them to diagnose?

And it may be that this gecko does have chronic shed problems...so that stuck shed stuff should hopefully help. A sliver of his actual skin came off his head, despite my best efforts to try and make him better.

I love geckos, and try to put my animals first...but I feel like a bad parent


*edit*

She not eating. No interest in it. And when she does, she brings it back up. Her stomach doesn't seem abnormal. No black spots, and no large white spots either. Is there a way to tell for sure if she is ovulating?

 

[Kimjorg]

There will be either two pinkish circles on her belley or they will be whitish can you take a pic of her belly so we can look at it?

 

[rubym]

You have to take a sample of stool in to be checked. Our vet also has us bring the gecko in if she hasn't seen that one before ( she has seen most of ours now though). Our male that has shed problems had lost 3 toes due to his issues before we got him. Don't feel like a bad gecko parent. You are on here asking questions and trying to do all you can. Sometimes things just happen with our litle guys that are out of our control. All we can do is try our best to make them better and hope for the best. During ovulation you can see the eggs developing if you hold them up in a light area. I am fairly sure that I have seen pictures on here of it. I will try and find the link to it for you.

 

[Hale]

I can't atm cuz I have to go, but we don't see anything abnormal between the two. I don't have a camera, but I have a cell phone that I took a pic with so I don't know how good that will be.