Please help...

[MauratheGreatt]

Greetings. I bought a leopard gecko from petsmart (I realize was a bad idea) completely oblivious to what I was getting into. I thought I was okay, I listened to what the guy there told me. I thought he was full of crap by instinct but still listened. He gave me the wrong type of calcium supplement among other idiocracys.

Now to the matter at hand. I've had my leo for about 5 months now, its a female named Professor. She always seemed a bit skinny to me, and from the other leos I had seen before, she had a small tale.

A few days ago I noticed she was very sloppy with her walking and her front right leg was bending in unnatual ways. I thought maybe BMD im still not sure, I went and bought a new calcium supplement and have had her on a diet of one day calcium and the other crickets. Now she seems to have better control of her arm, but something is still wrong. She now doesnt seem to bend either of her front legs at the knees. She just picks them up at the shoulder and moves them forward somehow maintaining a < type shape. (The bottom of the bracket being her shoulder and the top being her hand.



Help? Diagnosis? Instructions?

 

[Pinky81]

To help the forum better could you fill out...

About your leo:
- Sex
- Age & Weight
- How long have you owned your leo
- Where was he/she obtained (ex. Pet store, breeder, wild caught, friend)

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo
- Is your leo acting any different today? If so how does he/she normally act which differs from now.
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe.
B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal)
- When was the last time he/she went
C) Problem
- Please briefly descrive the problem and how long it has been going on

Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size
- Type (ex. glass tank)
- Type of substrate
- Hides, how many, what kind
B) Heating
- Heat source
- Cage temps (hot side, cool side)
- Method of regulating heat source
- What are you using to measure your temps
- Do you have any lights (describe)
C) Cage mates
- How many (males, females)
- Describe health, or previous problems

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding (how often, how much)
- How are you feeding (hand fed, left in dish, ect)
B) Supplements (describe how often)
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands)
- What are you gut loading food with

 

[MauratheGreatt]

I apologize for my ignorance.

About your leo:
- Female
- 6 months/ Exactly 1oz
- 5 months
- Petsmart

A) Health/History
- Everyother day
- She was a bit agitated, and annoyed. She's normally pretty chill, but doesnt really like being handled.
- N/A
B) Fecals
- Looks like it always has
- uuhh sometime today.
C) Problem
- A few days ago I noticed she was very sloppy with her walking and her front right leg was bending in unnatual ways. I thought maybe BMD im still not sure, I went and bought a new calcium supplement and have had her on a diet of one day calcium and the other crickets. Now she seems to have better control of her arm, but something is still wrong. She now doesnt seem to bend either of her front legs at the knees. She just picks them up at the shoulder and moves them forward somehow maintaining a < type shape. (The bottom of the bracket being her shoulder and the top being her hand.

Housing:
A) Enclosure
- 10 gal
- Glass tank
- ?
- 3. Small log, dark hide, and humid hide.
B) Heating
- Heating lamp
- Not exactly sure 75 wat in day 50 at night
- nothing

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- Criskets and calcium switch everyother day.
- I remove everything except the tera-layer in her cage and feed that way.
B) Supplements (describe how often)
- Dust w/ R-rex brand Leo gecko calcium PLUS and directly feed w/ Flukers calcuim d3

- nothing, idk what to use.

 

[Pinky81]

I really think you should google Leopard Gecko Care and read some care sheets. I know someone no here will post links to the caresheets on this forum..I don't know exactly how. From your answers here is what I see...

you have NO belly heat source. Leo's primary way to absorb heat is their belly. thats why an Under Tank Heater (sticky heat pad) is a must have. You cage temps are FAR too low!! Hot side of the tank should be 90-95 cold side what ever your room temp is. You don't indicate how you measure your temps..only way to get an accurate temp is a digital temp probe that is directly on the cage bottom. all others (such as the circular ones Petco sells) will measure air temp.

You also didn't indicate what your substrate is..what do you have on the bottom of the tank?? Many pet stores will tell you to use Sand is that what your are using?

With this being a young Leo you should have a small dish of Calcium always available in the tank. Your leo will lick it up as it needs it. For a Leo that small feeding everyday w always dusting with a good multivit. dust is good! Also do you have a water dish in the cage???

I really think you gotta get proper Husbandry going for your leo. Without the proper heating your leo isn't digesting its food properly thus not getting the nutrition from it!

Undertank heater for a 10gal will run you roughly $25
Zoo Med Temp Probe will run you $10

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Can you post a pic of her legs? If she has MBD- metabolic bone disease, you will need to find a qualified reptile vet asap to begin the proper course of treatment. There's nothing you can buy at the store that will take care of this issue.

 

[MauratheGreatt]

Alright, thank you for clearing up on the heating pad. I asked at the pet store about that, they said I didnt need one. And yes of course I have water. Ill get the temp probe as well. Thank you so very much. I feel awful about this.

I cant remember what the thingi have in the bottom of my cage is called... uhhh Its like fake grass kind of... but not prickly. I apologize for not having that information.

Btw she just shed.

As for pic, I tried, Ill post one tomorrow when i have access to a camera.

 

[ajveachster]

If it is like green felt then you have reptile carpet. That is fine for a substrate. At the very top of the forum there is a tab for care sheets. It's above the ads and everything else. Possible MBD if the legs were starting to bend oddly. It may still be MBD if she is no longer able to use her joints properly thus causing the V stance. A vet is going to be the best way for you to get her the help she needs.
We had a girl with MBD from the get go. We had to give her A LOT of calcium to stop the progression. Our vet had us mix our regular calcium w/o D3 with water to make almost like a paste. That got dabbed on her nose pretty much forcing her to lick it off. This was a daily ritual for about a month. She still has a bent front leg. If I see her slowing down at all now I know to up her calcium intake again.
MBD is a life-long issue, so be prepared to take extra care of your girl if that is what she has.
Good Luck

 

[MauratheGreatt]

This is Professor, and as you can see her arm is all... yeah.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

The pic is so small, can't really see much. Also different angles is needed.

 

[MauratheGreatt]

Mkay, this is from behind and was taking soon after the first. Crappy and quick. I had to borrow mt brothers phone to take the pics.

 

[Pinky81]

Still hard to see but Im gonna say that she probably does have MBD!! ( Vet check is definitly in order and keep her calcium coming!!! Makes me sad she looks very much like my Bonnie!! Poor baby!

 

[MauratheGreatt]

Yeah I feel awful... I wish I had known more about it and my leo. Anything I can do until I can get to a vet? I've already been upping the calcuim.

 

[Dog Shrink]

Just make sure she has a dish of pure calcium in her tank 24/7. Hopefully some other more experienced MBD people can chime in with how often to give multi vit. and D3

 

[fl_orchidslave]

The T-Rex dust is good and contains calcium + vitamins, which is great. A juvenile should have dust feeders at every meal, adults approx every other feeding unless conditions warrant more, such as breeding. Some gex have a problem with the way their bodies absorb calcium and cannot process it properly. It's a defect in their system. They end up with MBD, not thru any lack of calcium given. My vet prescribes Calcium Glubionate drops to be used twice daily for 2 weeks. One of my girls had MBD when I got her, this treatment stopped it from progressing and restored her ease of movement. Her legs are still a little bent but not like they were. I give her a dose every so often for maintenance.

 

[MauratheGreatt]

Okay, can I get those legally anywhere spare the vets office? I cant seem to find any rep vets near me. Only in the next state over

Edit: Also how long did it take you to get it treated after you noticed?

BTW she shed last night and was standing up, like her belly wasnt touching the ground when she walked, like it had been for the past couple days.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

We are not vets here and can only offer an opinion based on our own personal experience. It's important to seek a vet's advice on any prescription medication. A course of treatment for one animal may be different for another, based on an examination to determine the overall condition. Even if you could purchase a prescription drug from another source, it would be irresponsible to treat your animal without having an exact diagnosis and dosage instructions. If you would like to message me with your approximate location, I may be able to find a vet not to far from you. Mine is 2 hours away from us.

It was about 12 days or so when I started seeing my girl improve.