Petco

[M_surinamensis]

Both my leos have uth, repticarpet, 2 hides, fresh water daily. I rotate crickets and mealworms as a staple food biweekly. Im taking fine care of them.

Maybe. Maybe not.

See, here's the thing... the fact that you think the above statement functions as proof of appropriate care is itself evidence of the possibility of the opposite.

You named a heating element but you didn't list the temperatures in the enclosures or the method you were using to measure them.

Repticarpet has a lot about it that makes it less than ideal.

Two hides is fewer than are usually used.

Rotation of feeders is a perplexing little non-sequitur when phrased in the manner you have done so. Like the heating element, your choice of words as you explain it creates more questions than it resolves.

You don't even mention behavioral stressors or stimulus level.

I'm not calling your care bad. I am not calling you ignorant. I am saying that, based on what you have said so far about your experience, knowledge and methods there exists a possibility that a condition of ignorance exists. You certainly haven't proved that you're not ignorant or that you could not possibly be overlooking something and neglecting the animal.

You have shown that you're unwilling to acknowledge even the possibility that there might be something people here could help you with though. If you have decided you're done learning, that you know everything there is to know- that supports the idea that you may be quite ignorant.

You do not know me as a person.

No?

I know you wanted a cough syrup cure-all. I know that your mother told you she wouldn't help you but you bought an animal anyway. I know that this is the second thread you have created where you've argued with the people who were trying to help you because you refused to consider the idea that just maybe the people who've been doing this herpetocultural thing longer than you might know something you don't. I know you said this-

Alright obviously you guys are not well educated. I have done research, i know everything about leo's other than the medicine/illnesses.

- and I know a thing or two about ego and aggression.

You have absolutely no knowledge about what im doing beyond this post.

Largely because you refused to talk to the nice people who tried to help you out by asking relevant questions.

You drove them off. Now you get me. Pointing out how very little you actually know and how stupid and irresponsible some of your decisions have been. You were given a chance to get an education without being beaten over the head with it... that chance might even still exist, if you were to politely apologize for your attitude and ask the nice folks to help you out. Though you would have to maintain that workable attitude throughout, recognizing your position as a supplicant.

Therefor you have no room to make "ignorant" inferences about me.

I have a lot of justification for thinking you're ignorant. A great deal of evidence leading to that conclusion.

Foremost among them is your inability to differentiate between what you do and do not know. Only the genuinely ignorant can form the incorrect impression that they know everything. The better educated you actually are, the more you genuinely know the better able you are to differentiate between what you know, what you suspect and what you don't know. Knowledgeable people gain an awareness of their own personal unknowns, they can define the edges and they're not ashamed to admit those unknowns exist or frightened to look into learning.

You might be able to fix your position here. You won't do it by bullying through though; especially not by trying to bully through someone like me. God help you if Robin takes an interest. You're currently on a fast track to losing your temper and in all likelihood being banned, the "I hate you all, this forum sucks! Waaaaaagh!" stuff is right around the edges of that point. You've got a choice here... shape up, apologize to the pleasant folks who tried to help you out and humbly request their assistance... which might result in you being able to help your animal or at least knowing how best to avoid such difficulties in the future... or you can keep going in the direction you're headed and be dismissed as a lot of bad noise and a waste of time. Entirely your choice. Unless you've already been banned while I was typing this response.

 

[Thorgecko707]

Seamus, I totally agree. He avoids answering a lot of questions that could help figure this out. If he lived in Cali then he would probably have legal rights. Once upon a time this happened to a coworker at . The parent brought the dead animal back along with the vet bill. How the child bought the animal and duped the vet seemed to not matter. The place I was working had to reimburse the cost of the animal, the vet bill, and the employee was fired for selling an animal without the legal guardian being present. Again, this is just my experience. Laws are different everywhere.

 

[M_surinamensis]

Yeah, I really hope he can swallow his pride, admit he needs assistance and go through the full checklist to address every possible issue. I also hope he can recognize some of the ways he may need to shift a few of his priorities, for the benefit of his animals in the future.

We'll see I guess.

On a completely unrelated note-

Oh yeah. No rent, full refrigerator and pantry, and the full on stress from those difficult public highschool classes. Sounds excruciating. Where can I sign up?

I read that post, looked at your avatar and age and thought to myself, "James knows how different it really can be and how tough both situations are. Poor guy doesn't even own shoes."

 

[Franklinj480]

I read that post, looked at your avatar and age and thought to myself, "James knows how different it really can be and how tough both situations are. Poor guy doesn't even own shoes."

Haha! You sir are correct. I pamper my leo before I buy shoes or get a haircut.

 

[andrew5859]

Well me and my friends have purchased about 6 leo's from there and this is the first one that got sick. Thats the only reason I wasnt prepared. And finally someone who can actually see it as i can. I take it your around my age... i also have a source of income haha i work at mcdonalds lol. But we get paid biweekly and it just so happens that right as this came up im broke. So i guess because of that im the butt of everyones critisizm. I just love how it happens like this people can post topics about losing their leos, dropping them, leaving bleach in the tank, and a bunch of other dumb stuff like that and they all get laughs and oh its ok. I just fail to see how what im doing is so bad. So far ive but in about 500$ to these 2 leo's. And im about to go to the vet and put on some credit that i dont have. Im bending over backwards for my little angels and i get slammed. Damn, i wish these people could be teenagers today with all the crap we gotta deal with, and its alot more overwhelming than alot of these people think.

I understand what your saying and that you haven't had a problem with their health (which is quite a surprise considering petco). What everyone is trying to tell you whether they're nice about it or not is that you should have been prepared financially one way or another. Meaning the time in between when you get paid if something unexpected like this comes up you can be able to pay for it with someone else's help. I have a paper route and when the cash gets low and I need help, my parents are more than happy to pay, knowing I will pay them back. Everyone here is trying to help you. period. They may not seem nice about it or sugar coat it but they are helping. Answer their questions as they ask and don't reply back and say that your way is right and thats the only way, as they just want to be sure that you are providing proper care (not saying you aren't). We just want you to understand that you should know all this BEFORE you purchase it. I know that you were not expecting him to be sick but it must be considered as should be the cost of it. May I suggest starting to save money for special occasions like this.....even if you don't use it and the money sits there, it is there. (this is what I do).

Damn, i wish these people could be teenagers today with all the crap we gotta deal with, and its alot more overwhelming than alot of these people think.

:main_rolleyes: Not necessarily.....lol I think it very much differs from teenager to teenager. Sure getting a job and getting everything you want is tough but thats life and theres nothing you can do about it and it doesn't get easier.
Glad the vet is giving you credit so you can get him better:main_thumbsup:
Good luck and I send my get well soon!

 

[Stimpy]

Temps: 85 hot side 80 cold side, nightime drops to bout 75 hot 70 cold.
I measure them with two of those 3$ thermometers from petsmart.
Yea i know repticarpet has things that are less than ideal, so deos sand, but people still use it with great results.

The vet helped alot, i told him about all the stuff that im doing and he confirmed that i was doing it right. He did tell me that my temps may be a bit on the low side but they will do fine. He did say for the sick gecko that i would be better off making the temps 90 on the hot side and 85 on the cold side so i can get his metabolism boosted. Today i start force feeding and baytril .05 daily.

 

[im faster]

hmm and you know everything..

using an inaccurate junk thermostat that doesnt measure floor temps which is what you should be.

how are the temps doing fine? if you have a sick leo?

 

[Tony C]

I strongly suggest doing a lot of research and correcting your husbandry.

 

[Tailless]

I've said it before; I'll say it again: This thread is entertaining... but it also makes me sad.

If we're simply trying to provide entertainment then I am all for insults! :main_evilgrin: However, if we're trying to help Stimpy (and others) I think that this has gone a bit far.

The thing is, in my experience, you hardly ever get people to listen to you by being nasty back. Sometimes you can shock people into changing their minds, but I think this is relatively rare. (I say this from some experience both as the adult child of parents with radically different political views and as someone who has taught teenagers.)

If we're all to help each other, then each of us should strive to remain civil even if the person that we are responding to has not been.

I agree that Stimpy is not innocent in all this. But we adults should hold ourselves to a higher standard. After all, he is at least doing the right thing in seeking advice on the forum. I fear that all this will discourage him from doing so in the future, which would be unfortunate.

 

[im faster]

I recommend as soon as you get some money. getting a thermometer with a probe so you can measure temps on the floor and get them up to 95 on the hot side cool side temps are fine..

also ditch the carpet. its just not wort using plus its a pain to clean.


and do a lot more research. you clearly are not as educated as you thought you were..

if you have questions ask them and as long as you dont come off as a jerk that knows everythinmg people will help you.

but again you really need to do some research.

 

[Stimpy]

I recommend as soon as you get some money. getting a thermometer with a probe so you can measure temps on the floor and get them up to 95 on the hot side cool side temps are fine..

also ditch the carpet. its just not wort using plus its a pain to clean.


and do a lot more research. you clearly are not as educated as you thought you were..

if you have questions ask them and as long as you dont come off as a jerk that knows everythinmg people will help you.

but again you really need to do some research.

My husbandry is set up from everything i have read. I did ditch the carpet, i got some black shelf liner. It looks alot better and imo, it should feel better on the leo's, it retains heat better and its probably alot softer feeling. Is this wrong too?

Also, any tips for force feeding?

Also, i seriously doubt the temps is what caused this. I used the exact same setup for my other leo and he thrived. Not saying your wrong. Just saying my experience with the setup

 

[Tailless]

My husbandry is set up from everything i have read. I did ditch the carpet, i got some black shelf liner. It looks alot better and imo, it should feel better on the leo's, it retains heat better and its probably alot softer feeling. Is this wrong too?

Also, any tips for force feeding?

Also, i seriously doubt the temps is what caused this. I used the exact same setup for my other leo and he thrived. Not saying your wrong. Just saying my experience with the setup

I would go paper towels! But I hear that people like shelf-liner. My concern with shelf-liner has always been that it *might* be made out of some toxic material (something that could give off fumes when heated by a UTH). But it's completely possible that I'm just paranoid!

I've never had to literally force-feed Jake (my leo) but I have put baby food on his lips (when he was having trouble going to the bathroom) and he licked it right off (I believe someone might have already suggested this).

 

[andrew5859]

My husbandry is set up from everything i have read. I did ditch the carpet, i got some black shelf liner. It looks alot better and imo, it should feel better on the leo's, it retains heat better and its probably alot softer feeling. Is this wrong too?

Also, any tips for force feeding?

Also, i seriously doubt the temps is what caused this. I used the exact same setup for my other leo and he thrived. Not saying your wrong. Just saying my experience with the setup

Good, personally I dislike repti carpet and tile is the only way to go, so I strongly recommended it. It retains heat great and just wipe it and its clean!

Let someone more experienced answer the force feeding question as I dont know much about it.

No I dont believe the temps caused it but it needs to be up around 95 on the hot side like Im faster said.
If you are short on money I would just get a thermometer from petco they are Zoomed and only about $8, works great for me.

 

[jerrymb]

I've only had my gecko for about 6 weeks now. He seems to be thriving. Two rules I go by now. Keep it simple as far as the cage goes and if it ain't broke then don't fix it. He's doing fine as things are so I'm not going to start messing around with his cage or food etc.

 

[Stimpy]

I would go paper towels! But I hear that people like shelf-liner. My concern with shelf-liner has always been that it *might* be made out of some toxic material (something that could give off fumes when heated by a UTH). But it's completely possible that I'm just paranoid!

I've never had to literally force-feed Jake (my leo) but I have put baby food on his lips (when he was having trouble going to the bathroom) and he licked it right off (I believe someone might have already suggested this).

In the case that the shelf liner isnt toxic i will use it, but if it is... paper towels it is. The only reason i would choose the shelf liner over it is because i got black shelf liner and i think it can keep the tank about 2-3 degrees warmer.

Baby food? What is that some kind of laxative? Ive heard of giving them a strawberry peice if they eat it to loosen their bowels but never baby food. Sounds interesting haha. well here goes ima try and get him to eat a couple worms

I've only had my gecko for about 6 weeks now. He seems to be thriving. Two rules I go by now. Keep it simple as far as the cage goes and if it ain't broke then don't fix it. He's doing fine as things are so I'm not going to start messing around with his cage or food etc.

sounds like a good two rules. I would agree but i might as well "fix"/"make" the new tank the right way for him for two reasons. 1. Hes sick. 2. I know better now

 

[im faster]

Yeah some shelf liners CAN be toxic.. as for all of them i dont know.. best to use slate or tiles for a nice look..

i didnt say they caused it.. but they dont help.. try and get the hot side up to 95 youll notice a difference in energy and probably even the color of your leos since they are still young.

and ALWAYS try dabbing a little on the nose and they will start licking most of the time. to give the medicine.. but as a last resort you can force feed

 

[Stimpy]

Yeah some shelf liners CAN be toxic.. as for all of them i dont know.. best to use slate or tiles for a nice look..

i didnt say they caused it.. but they dont help.. try and get the hot side up to 95 youll notice a difference in energy and probably even the color of your leos since they are still young.

and ALWAYS try dabbing a little on the nose and they will start licking most of the time. to give the medicine.. but as a last resort you can force feed

Alright will do. How do i check if they're toxic? Is there a certain chemical? And should i force feed him the mealworms first or should i dab the liquid baytril on his nose before he eats?

From these two pages it seems like its ok... but ill look some more, seems like as long as it NON adhesive im fine

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Reptiles-704/2009/6/Leopard-geckos-16.htm
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080713171239AArAFjW

 

[Tailless]

In the case that the shelf liner isnt toxic i will use it, but if it is... paper towels it is. The only reason i would choose the shelf liner over it is because i got black shelf liner and i think it can keep the tank about 2-3 degrees warmer.

Baby food? What is that some kind of laxative? Ive heard of giving them a strawberry peice if they eat it to loosen their bowels but never baby food. Sounds interesting haha. well here goes ima try and get him to eat a couple worms

I think the idea is that for a constipated/impacted lizard, you want to get as much moisture in them as possible--hence the baby food. I believe that I originally read this a couple years ago on another lizard forum. I have also heard of people giving their lizards a bit of olive oil to "move things along" (I know that oil-based laxatives are sometimes used in humans.) Perhaps someone more knowledgeable than I am could confirm or deny the usefulness of such methods.

I give Jake baby food prunes... I don't know if I'm just anthropomorphizing, but I know prunes are a favorite of my elderly relatives when they have trouble using the restroom--haha!

As for shelf-liners... I don't know how to tell if they're toxic (that's the main reason why I've been afraid to try them). For some things, people recommend the "sniff-test" (that is, if the plastic material has a distinct odor then it's probably emitting some fumes that could be harmful). If you can still return the shelf-liner to the store, I would probably do so. Paper towels are just easier and well-accepted to be safe (not to mention cheap--which is not a small benefit--especially if you are worried about vet bills!)

 

[Stimpy]

I think the idea is that for a constipated/impacted lizard, you want to get as much moisture in them as possible--hence the baby food. I believe that I originally read this a couple years ago on another lizard forum. I have also heard of people giving their lizards a bit of olive oil to "move things along" (I know that oil-based laxatives are sometimes used in humans.) Perhaps someone more knowledgeable than I am could confirm or deny the usefulness of such methods.

I give Jake baby food prunes... I don't know if I'm just anthropomorphizing, but I know prunes are a favorite of my elderly relatives when they have trouble using the restroom--haha!

lulz

 

[im faster]

first take answers form yahoo answers and similar sites with a gran of salt.. you dont know the person answering or how much knowledge they have...

post a picture of the leo so we can tell you if its super important for him to be eating right away. going a couple weeks with out eating is no problem for MOST leos.

Give the medicine as describe by they vet.