Please help, major emergency!!!

[geckoluver4evr]

My leopard gecko shed last night, and everything about him looked absolutely perfect. He was just pale. This morning, he had some shed stuck to his toes, so I put some warm water in the sink to try to loosen it up. I noticed Pepper's tail was look funny at the end, so I touched it. It feels hard and he elicited no reaction to me touching it. I tryed squeezing it gently, and he didn't react at all, which is very strange. I think the tip of his tail has died or shriveled, I'm so scared! Please help me, I don't know what to do. I got him May 19 from petco, that's how long I've had him. He lives in a 10 gallon tank lined with paper towels, with the 3 necessary hides. He has a UTH, which is about 88 degrees. He has a water and calcium dish too. I feed him about 4-6 mealworms a day, and he has eaten a few crickets before. I am trying so hard, please help! I don't know what I did wrong. He still eats and is active, but I'm terrified of losing him so quickly. Please help me!

 

[Wowoklol]

A: Calm down.
B: Was that stuck shed there? If not, what else would have caused that? Heating element, feeders nibbling???
C: Its not black so I think it still has blood flow. Looks relatively minor to me. I'd dab with a little neosporin and give it a day or so. Keeping him clean is the priority at this point to prevent any kind of infection. If it does get necrotic(dead), I'd recommend taking to the vet to possibly have it amputated(the tip).
D. Even though it looks pretty minor, that doesn't mean not to keep a close eye on it for the next couple days. Its also very important to figure out what caused this as to prevent it from happening again. Possibly worse next time.
E. Since hes obviously having a shedding issue, is the moist hide properly setup? Is he ever in it?

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Can you post a close up photo of just the tail tip?

 

[geckoluver4evr]

Wowoklol - okay, I'm calmer now, but not much. The tip isn't red like that anymore, it has gotten much skinner and is much darker in color, I think it is dead. It hasn't progressed though. I changed out all of the substrate to make sure his tank is super clean. He does have a moist hide, it is a terracotta pot lined with paper towels I soak a few times a day. He is often in there at night, and he was in it for several hours yesterday before he shed. The stuck shed was there from last night, I was soaking him in the warm water in the sink. It took a bit off, but not much. I'll do it again tomorrow and try to get the rest, he's stressed out already. I tried to post pics of the tip, I'm sorry if they aren't clear enough! He kept moving, those were the best I could get. I'll keep an eye on it and update tomorrow.

 

[Adirondackgeckos]

Have you removed any uneaten crickets/worms? They will nibble on your leo if not eaten. A tip: I always put a soda cap full of cricket food in the tank so if I should miss one they will have something to eat instead of my leos.

 

[geckoluver4evr]

I always remove uneaten food, either put them back in the fridge (mealworms) or give them to my bro's baby bearded dragon (crickets) if my baby doesn't eat them. No food is roaming around to nibble on him, no decor crushed his tail unless something happened I didn't see or notice. ;/ I really don't know what happened. But it hasn't gotten bigger, just the bad part got way skinnier and darker.

 

[Adinar]

He could've possibly did this while trying to remove shed from his tail himself. Switch over to papertowel as substrate if you haven't already and change it every day in order to keep a clean enviroment. Also as someone else stated neosporin on the tail can't hurt.

Before you put it on, take a few updated pics since you said it changed in appearance and post. Maybe that might change some answers.

But yeah, def keep an eye on it and if it starts to look infected get him to a vet. They can do a slight amputation as long as it isn't left go too long.

 

[Pinky81]

Just a little something i thought of about the hide. Terra cotta SUCKS up moisture. maybe change your moist hide to something like plastic that won't suck up the moisture may help create a better moist enviroment.

Good luck with the little one.

 

[geckoluver4evr]

Adinar - Thank you! Yes, I have been using paper towels which I change out several times a week, but if changing it out daily is what's neccessary, I'll do that. I do it anyway on his potty corner. I will put some neosporin on tomorrow, and post some more pics. Pinky81 - I will try to make something up that could be a better moist hide.

Thank you very much everyone! I was soooo worried earlier. Thanks!

 

[Adinar]

Easiest moist hide is a tupperware container and a damp papertowel. Doesn't look the best, but by far is the easiest to keep clean. The plastic doesn't suck up moisture and you can wash it when you need to or pop it in the dishwasher.

If Topaz wasn't taking a nap right now, I'd mist hers.

 

[geckoluver4evr]

Awwww! Your gecko is gorgeous and adorable. I'll try to make one, just have to find a container.

 

[Wowoklol]

Well even though the terra cotta absorbs the moisture, it also holds it. Similar to how a stone might do in its natural habitat. That property is actually working in your favor after the terra cotta is saturated. Spraying paper towels everyday is the main issue I see there. Seems like a big pain in the butt to me. Sphagnum Moss holds enough moisture for at least a few days before you have to spray again. We use a brand called Better Grow Orchid Moss. Found at Home Depot!

 

[geckoluver4evr]

I'd love to use moss, I love the colors of it. That definitely sounds easier too. Is it very expensive? I wouldn't need much.

 

[Wowoklol]

Not expensive. Comes in a brick form. 1 brick for gecko hides would last a looong time. Can also use for hatching substrate. Call your local Home Depot. Its called Orchid Moss.

 

[geckoluver4evr]

I'll look it up! And coooool, I sooooo wanna hatch eggs sometime.

 

[TranceZ]

I'll look it up! And coooool, I sooooo wanna hatch eggs sometime.

Don't go to a petshop for moss unless you like paying more for less. I get my sphagnum moss from bachmans nursery/gardening store. I don't remember the size of the bags but I bought two bricks of it about the size of cinder blocks for $2.99 each. You would pay twice as much for twice as less at a pet shop.


As for your geckos tail, It's really no big deal. I dropped a coconut hide on the very tip of my geckos tail like yours and it nicked it pretty good and eventually lost the very tip. It will heal and be fine trust me.

 

[Adinar]

Yeah, we used that stuff for our crested geckos. It is WAAAAY cheaper to get it at Lowes or Home Depot. It's usually in the Green House with the orchids. Go figure I used the last of the bag I had the last time I redid the crestie tanks.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_63195-1300-5045_0__?storeId=10151&Ntt=orchid+moss&UserSearch=orchid+moss&productId=3036805&N=0&catalogId=10051&langId=-1

I'm positive that is the stuff. Either way it's still cheaper to get it there than it is at the pet store, plus you get more.

 

[vctkiller]

My leopard gecko, Apollo, when I first got him. This happened to his tail. It went red and dried up. Then after a couple days it fell off, and luckily it grew back looking like a normal tail tip again.

 

[M_surinamensis]

When obtaining terrarium supplies from a garden store, always check to ensure it is pesticide and fertilizer free. Some are, some aren't... check.

Also, read this thread. It discusses tail injuries in leopard geckos; what they can mean, how they can progress, when and why they sometimes require veterinary intervention. The replies in this thread are well intentioned but slightly incomplete and potentially misleading.

 

[geckoluver4evr]

Thank you guys! I do know that supplies at pet stores are often much pricier then they are at other places. If I get that moss, it is coming from Home Depot. And as for Pepper, the wound is not infected at all, I did apply neosporin. My dad thinks it will fall off soon, but if it doesn't, I'll have a vet clip it quickly. I do hope it grows back! But Pepper is fine other then that. He's watching me right now through the tank, actually.