Regurgitated Shed Skin

[ReeseDietrich2]

Now I'm sure there have been lots of these threads before but I'm really worried. My leopard gecko regurgitated his shed skin last night while I was asleep (I'm guessing) and I read that that can be a sign of Cripto-something which is extremely fatal. So I'm gonna take him to the vet tomorrow and see if they will give me some medicine. I am unable to take a stool sample however because he hasn't been eating for about 13 days. Any help is greatly appreciated! I'm really worried!

About your leo:
- Sex
Male R.A.P.T.O.R.
- Age & Weight
1 year old probably around 50-55 grams, I don't have a scale.
- How long have you owned your leo
about 4 months
- Where was he/she obtained (ex. Pet store, breeder, wild caught, friend)
My friend who is a breeder.

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo
3-4 times a week I have been leaving him alone lately. (He stopped eating, I thought he was stressed.)
- Is your leo acting any different today? If so how does he/she normally act which differs from now.
A little bit more sluggish in the day than normal but he is still active at night.
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe.
No problems in the past.
B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal)
Always look Normal
- When was the last time he/she went
4 days ago but doesn't go much because it hasn't eaten for about 13 days.
C) Problem
He just regurgitated his shed skin
- Please briefly describe the problem and how long it has been going on
It just happened last night and I plan on taking him to the vet tomorrow
Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size
A 20 gallon long
- Type (ex. glass tank)
Glass fish tank
- Type of substrate
I use sand (I know impaction bla bla bla, but he is a pretty big gecko.)
- Hides, how many, what kind
3 Hides 1 hot, 1 cool, and 1 somewhat moist hide.
B) Heating
- Heat source
Heat mat
- Cage temps (hot side, cool side)
Hot side is about 87 degrees and I haven't checked the cool side, I assume it's about room temperature.
- Method of regulating heat source
I just leave it on knowing the gecko can get up and walk away if he feels like it.
- What are you using to measure your temps
A ZooMed thermometer
- Do you have any lights (describe)
No
C) Cage mates
None, remove the female a while back because It's pregnant and I didn't want to risk it getting hurt by the male.
- How many (males, females)
- Describe health, or previous problems

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding (how often, how much)
A few super worms every few days but now he stopped eating
- How are you feeding (hand fed, left in dish, ect)
left in dish/hand
B) Supplements (describe how often)
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands)
TetraFauna ReptoCal
- What are you gut loading food with
I don't

 

[LeopardShade]

So I'm gonna take him to the vet tomorrow and see if they will give me some medicine. I am unable to take a stool sample however because he hasn't been eating for about 13 days.

While I am not sure what is wrong with your gecko, it is showing symptoms (loss of appetite/regurgitated shed skin/lethargy) that could be indicative of a parasitic problem. The vet could be able to help some, but for him/her to confirm the presence of parasites, determine the type of parasites inhabiting your gecko, and prescribe the best course of treatment, he/she will need to examine a fresh fecal sample. It can be dangerous for animals who are not parasite-positive to have parasite-removing medicine administered to them, the vet cannot simply give you medicine when there is no definitive confirmation of a problem.

I'd keep an eye for any abnormal stools and weight loss, which are other symptoms common when parasites are present.

I don't mean to nitpick, but there are a few things with your care that could be improved.

I use sand (I know impaction bla bla bla, but he is a pretty big gecko.)

Ditch the sand immediately. Impaction is not something to be taken lightly, it is a serious problem that, like parasites, can prove lethal. The symptoms of impaction can be very much like those of parasite-positive geckos, such as loss of appetite, lethargy, and regurgitation, all which you claim your gecko to be exhibiting. Frankly, I wouldn't be too surprised if the vet suspects your gecko is slightly impacted. It doesn't matter how "big" the animal is, impaction can happen to any gecko. You should stick to a solid substrate such as paper towels.

Hot side is about 87 degrees

To promote healthy digestion and immunity, ideal temperatures should be between 90-94 degrees F. While 87 degrees certainly isn't cold, you could afford to up the temps a bit.

What are you gut loading food with
I don't

Unfed food items are virtually useless because they contain little, if any nutrients whatsoever. Ensuring the feeders are properly gutloaded will make them more nutritious for the gecko.

 

[ReeseDietrich2]

Well, I really appreciate your help and I have been considering removing the sand. Do you know of any ways to get the gecko to eat? Because I tried to make him mad and put the food in his mouth so I would be able to get a fecal sample, but he wouldn't open his mouth!

 

[LeopardShade]

If he won't touch food, you could try making the GGG slurry to get a stool sample. Do not try to force feed him, this will only evoke unneeded stress on the animal.