Rescued Gecko - Need Guidance

[kitty]

I took a rescue gecko from a coworker who was concerned her son wasn't caring for the trio. Well, one of them died and one "escaped" before I picked up what she called the healthiest of the three.

Long story, short - this gecko was so cold when I picked up, it was nearly colorless (warmed a bit, it looks like a hypo). It is emaciated and dehydrated. I've started it on a ml of gatorade and a ml of raw egg each day. It's in an extremely humid shoebox on heat tape.

I started the gatorade on the recommendation for dehydration in lizards in Mader's text. The raw egg is because it apparently cannot see the small roaches I put in the cage the first evening - I'm guessing dehydration has effected its vision.

I figured to continue the juice and egg until it's a little better hydrated. Am I on the right track or is there something else I should try?

Regards,
Kitty

 

[JordanAng420]

Can you quote the page in which Dr. Mader recommends raw egg and Gatorade? I've got the text and I never read that before. I've always been told Gatorade is much too sugary. I've actually worked with him once before. Anyways, that's neither here nor there.

The point is, you have an emaciated, dehydrated sick gecko on your hands. Have you offered him other live insects besides roaches? He's an insectivore, and he needs to eat insects to thrive. Eggs and gatorade just isn't going to cut it. There is a recipe for a slurry that is made with insects and baby food processed together in a blender. I would go ahead and start him on that mixture, if you're going to force feed anything.

 

[kitty]

I don't have the text in front of me at the moment, but it's in the section about dehydration and lizards. The other recommendations were Ringer's solution and pedialyte, neither of which I have on hand.

Mader didn't recommend the raw egg. I've seen reasonable success with non-feeding hatchling snakes raw egg as a way of working with their feeding response. It's high in protein, fat, and water - which this lizard desparately needs.

It had been offered mealworms the night before I picked up, but hadn't eaten any. I've never had any problem with other insectivores eating roaches. In fact, other than my skink who is terrified of them, they've all shown a preference for roaches over crickets. I also prefer them as they don't stink, die fast, chew on my reptiles, etc.

When showed the roaches, the gecko didn't seem to see them, which is why I suspect impaired vision due to dehydration.

I'll check out the slurry recipe. Thanks for your input.

 

[leolover23]

Wow--I don't have much adivce, since I am a novice, but I really admire you for helping the poor baby. I'll be praying for you and the gecko and I really hope he/she gets better!

As for the roach subject, could it be that this new gecko is somewhat afraid of them? Maybe it's more used to mealies and crix? Just a thought

Best of luck to you both! <3

 

[kitty]

Thanks, leolover.

I wasn't sure the little guy would make it through the first night, but a couple of days of calories and electrolytes with adequate heat have made quite a difference. I've seen a notable improvement in just the last 48-ish hours - skin looks less wrinkly, sunken spots over the eyes aren't quite as hollow, and it resists feeding more strongly.

I'll be really happy when it bites the "carp" out of me for bothering it.

 

[bjleemkuil]

Make sure that your temps are correct with a heating pad and all that jazz. Get the new baby comfy before you worry TOO much about feeding it. They usually will wait forever when they are in a new environment before eating. Wait a few days and just keep an eye on it. That may sound harsh, but it may be what it needs before it starts to pick up food. Maybe leave some mealworms in a mealworm dish in the tank and let it eat when it's ready?

 

[kitty]

Well, after nearly a week of fluid therapy, "Lester" has lost the pinched-skin look of dehydration. He also presented me with two urate deposits yesterday. Woot!

Unfortunately, whatever the problem with his eyes, it seems to be permanent. The loss of sight in both eyes means he isn't a candidate for adoption, so I now have a special-needs gecko. The good thing is he's figured out how to hand-feed from an eye-dropper in just two sessions.

Now, to get the little booger fattened up a bit.

 

[ariana]

good luck

 

[thegeckoguy23]

Wow--I don't have much adivce, since I am a novice, but I really admire you for helping the poor baby. I'll be praying for you and the gecko and I really hope he/she gets better!

As for the roach subject, could it be that this new gecko is somewhat afraid of them? Maybe it's more used to mealies and crix? Just a thought

Best of luck to you both! <3

+1

 

[monkeytechahoo]

Unfortunately, whatever the problem with his eyes, it seems to be permanent. The loss of sight in both eyes means he isn't a candidate for adoption, so I now have a special-needs gecko. The good thing is he's figured out how to hand-feed from an eye-dropper in just two sessions.

I wouldn't count him out for adoption, just to a better qualified person who can handle an animal with a disability. I have a cockatiel with only 1 full toe, nubs for 2 and the rest are missing and he's been with me for 6yrs since the APSCA rescue wouldn't adopt him out an I heard thru friends about him. A deaf 3 legged cat as well, an he gives us more trouble than our other 3. :main_laugh: An wait till his other senses kick in and he just may track the insects in his house.

Best of luck with him an hug yourself for takin him in and doing your best for him.