please help....gecko found abandoned in its tank by the side of the road

[Twiggie]

Hi,

I volunteer at a veterinary office and about two weeks ago, a random person came in with a leopard gecko that they had found abandoned by the side of a road, still in its cage with no food, no water, and no way to escape. No one knew how long he had sat there before someone found him, but he is in terrible shape. No one at the vet clinic has time to rehabilitate him so I took him home and the task is now on me.

When he arrived, he was nothing but skin and bones. He was severely dehydrated and his eyes were infected. We are not sure if it was the infection or the dehydration, but his eyes dried up and are no longer there....he in totally blind.

So far, he will not eat anything by himself. I have had to hand/force feed him everything he has consumed since he came in. The only thing he will eat are mealworms. I've tried crickets, but he spints them back out. I am dusting every worm with reptile vitamin powder. I am using non-chlorinated water with him. he is still in the cage he was found in. It is the strangest thing....the cage is really big and it still had clean reptile sand, a reptile bowl, a nice piece of wood, and a couple of hiding places in it. It also had a great metal screen top and an under the tank heater that works. I have the UTH plugged in and I also have a heat lamp on the cage. I am at a total loss.

I know I need to do some more research on this site about making his home better for him, what kind of substrate to use, what kind of heat source to use, whether to get a uvb lamp or not, etc. but I wanted to ask right away what any of you think that I could do to better rehabilitate him. He is so skinny, I named him Twiggie...his little legs look like twigs. He is eating the mealworms I force feed him and he willingly opens his mouth for me to do so. He drinks water I drop into his nose, and he is pooping small white droppings.

Will it ever be possible to teach a blind lizard to eat on his own? I have tried buying a small reptile food dish and putting mealworms in it for him. The worms can't escape, but he shows no interest. I really don't want to lose the little guy. He is really gentle and responsive to my voice. Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions? I really appreciate any and all help I can get....this is just so sad. The fact that someone could do such a thing to a little creature like this just breaks my heart. I want to give him a fighting chance....thanks in advance for any help!!!

 

[Embrace Calamity]

What a shame. It would probably be a good idea to fill this out: http://geckoforums.net/f130-health-medications/70912.htm Then we can figure out exactly what needs changed to give him the best home possible (the sand needs removed ASAP, for one thing). I have no experience with blind geckos, but I doubt one could ever eat on its own. Maybe someone else has an idea though.

~Maggot

 

[lisa127]

That is so sad. Poor guy. Since you work at a vet, can you get a fecal test done? I'm assuming if he's eating when you feed him that he is going. I also don't see how he'll ever be able to eat on his own though if he can't see at all. Good luck with him.

 

[acpart]

Welcome to GF. Sorry you're having to deal with this. Read the caresheets in the "articles" section at the top of the page. Keep feeding him the way he'll eat. Use a non-particulate substrate. When you settle on a cage set-up, keep it exactly the same so he becomes accustomed to where everything is. Some blind geckos do learn to find their food on their own, but you may also have to hand feed him indefinitely.
Keep us posted.

Aliza

 

[Kariosus]

Oh that is the saddest thing! The poor little guy! It horrifies me how people can be so cruel-- I know of many people who say "well it's JUST a reptile", and it infuriates me. Reptiles deserve love and care as well as any cat or dog. Its so strange how his tank set-up suggests that it was put together by someone who put a lot of thought and care into it-- and then it was just left on the side of the road..? Hardly makes sense and it makes me wonder what happened. I wish I could give you advice, but I'm a new leo owner myself so I'm not very experienced =( Either way I really hope you can help this poor gecko, the poor sweetheart.

 

[B&B Geckos]

I had a gecko that ate and thrived by feeling with its snout. I believe it was far-sighted. I used a light plastic container (more noise/vibrations) as a food dish; as with my other geckos...as soon as it smelledl prey and felt the scratching on the plastic, it would go to the food dish. Then, it would find its food by feel. Eventually, you may offer crickets again. When you do clip the hind legs or all the legs on one side to slow them down and make them circle. The lamp/light is of no use as leos are nocturnal and don't rely on UV light. Use a UTH that covers 1/4-1/3 of the terrarium. Sand can lead to intestinal impaction, I would say get rid of it now, but with all the issues I would wait until it acclimates before making more changes that may stress it out further.

Here's a link to the food dish. You can usually find them at pet stores. You only need one.
Small Disposable Worm Feeding Dish/ Water Dish

 

[Twiggie]

I am heartbroken. I did everything I possibly could for the little guy, but I guess he was too far gone. he passed away last night. I am so angry at whoever left him to die the way they did. Those kind of people make me sick. I just keep trying to remond myself that he is at peace now. Still really sad though.

 

[RedBlaze]

The good thing is that you tried where someone else wasn't confident enough to do so. I'm glad you gave the little guy a chance and I have to think to myself that given what you did he may have passed in any less pain had you not.

I do have to wonder though if he was abandoned because the previous owner found out he had an illness. Being that they abandoned the WHOLE setup I cant help but wonder if it was possibly crypto. Being that you work at a vet clinic were you able to do any tests to determine anything.

Thank you for giving the little guy a chance.

 

[B&B Geckos]

Sorry about the loss. To me taking care of a sick or injured animal speaks volumes about someone's character and compassion. It's very commendable that you tried to rescue it.