Snuffles379
New Member
- Messages
- 61
- Location
- Michigan
Hello all! I posted a while ago about some problems with my geckos feet and got some great advice on heating and feeding. I was hoping someone might be able to give me some more advice.
Firstly my gecko is having some retained eye shed problems, he had the same problem months ago when I took him to the vet for another reason and I just received some eye drops to give him. I can plainly see some small amounts of shed in his left eye, it's regularly under his top lid, he squints and keeps it closed often but can open it and the eye itself looks okay possibly sometimes cloudy and his eye is not swollen. After his last vet visit continuous use of drops some of the shed did get washed out eventually, it was clear for a while and now it seems to have happened again. I'm still giving him those drops in hopes that will help. Is there anything else I can do to help him get that shed out? I obviously do not plan on trying to remove it myself, I wouldn't risk hurting his eye but I've seen some warm baths recommended which I do regularly to get some shed of anyway. Any other remedies I could try? I don't want to take him back to the vet since he was already there for this same thing and I just received the drops but the worry wart in me wonders if the drops are going to help or if I'm running a risk not taking him back.
Secondly, I'm still having some problems with his feet and tail. A few months ago he appeared as if he had burns on his tail and feet. They were red and he has a scab or blood blister on his back foot. After the vet visit, I continuously put ointment on it and gave him baths and his open blister recovered. However, his tails and feet are still becoming red often and his one foot (the one with the open blister) sometimes appears swollen/misshapen as if it will blister again (but has not yet bled just become red). This is after completely changing his enclosure, trying multiple new under tank heaters and carpets. The temp is never too high and he has only a small UTH, he does have a cool side and cool hide, and obviously there is carpet and tile between him and the UTH. So I cannot see this being a heating problem. The vet said something about it just being something in his system because of his age? this made no sense to me, they did tests and didn't tell me they found anything negitive.
Has anyone ever heard of anything like this? Any theories or discussion are welcome, I can't stop feeling like there's something I can be doing to help him even though the vet just chalked it up to some undefinable fluke.
Sorry for such a long post, I just wanted to make sure you guys had all the information! Thanks in advance for your time and help!
Here's the recommended info form all filled out...
About your leo:
- Sex - Male
- Age & Weight - around 12 & I'm not sure, he's a big boy though
- How long have you owned your leo - 12 years
- Where was he/she obtained - exotic pet store
A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo - Every other day at least
- Is your leo acting any different today? If so how does he/she normally act which differs from now. - still loveable and calm, no changed behavior, slower to catch/hunt food then he was a year or two ago but he is older.
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe. - problems listed above
B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal) - normal
- When was the last time he/she went - unsure, regularly though
C) Problem
- Please briefly describe the problem and how long it has been going on - above
Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size - 24 long
- Type - Glass, sliding glass front with screen lid
- Type of substrate - compact reptile carpet on warm side, tile on cold
- Hides, how many, what kind - four hides. One warm (large, rock), One moist (round, clay), One cool (wood U shape) and a partial corner hide on cool side.
B) Heating
- Heat source - UTH
- Cage temps (hot side, cool side) - hot 75-85, cool 60-70
- Method of regulating heat source - no manual regulation, just varied areas in tank.
- What are you using to measure your temps - reptile thermometer
- Do you have any lights (describe) - One dome light with a regular light bulb used only during the day.
C) Cage mates - none
Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding (how often, how much) - Primary crickets 7-9 every two-three days. Occasional wax/giant meal worms.
- How are you feeding (hand fed, left in dish, ect) - I put 7-9 crickets in his cage, if I notice only a small amount missing after a day I use reptile tweezers and hold them for him because he is slower then he used to be. He will not eat worms out of dish, I have to place them at the mouth of his cage and after he eats what he wants (depending on his mood 1-3) I put any excess back.
B) Supplements (describe how often) - Calcium power in dish in cage, Crickets are gut loaded with calcium/vitamin fortified food.
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands) - Flukers Calcium with vitamin D
- What are you gut loading food with - Flukers Cricket Quencher Calcium fortified.
Firstly my gecko is having some retained eye shed problems, he had the same problem months ago when I took him to the vet for another reason and I just received some eye drops to give him. I can plainly see some small amounts of shed in his left eye, it's regularly under his top lid, he squints and keeps it closed often but can open it and the eye itself looks okay possibly sometimes cloudy and his eye is not swollen. After his last vet visit continuous use of drops some of the shed did get washed out eventually, it was clear for a while and now it seems to have happened again. I'm still giving him those drops in hopes that will help. Is there anything else I can do to help him get that shed out? I obviously do not plan on trying to remove it myself, I wouldn't risk hurting his eye but I've seen some warm baths recommended which I do regularly to get some shed of anyway. Any other remedies I could try? I don't want to take him back to the vet since he was already there for this same thing and I just received the drops but the worry wart in me wonders if the drops are going to help or if I'm running a risk not taking him back.
Secondly, I'm still having some problems with his feet and tail. A few months ago he appeared as if he had burns on his tail and feet. They were red and he has a scab or blood blister on his back foot. After the vet visit, I continuously put ointment on it and gave him baths and his open blister recovered. However, his tails and feet are still becoming red often and his one foot (the one with the open blister) sometimes appears swollen/misshapen as if it will blister again (but has not yet bled just become red). This is after completely changing his enclosure, trying multiple new under tank heaters and carpets. The temp is never too high and he has only a small UTH, he does have a cool side and cool hide, and obviously there is carpet and tile between him and the UTH. So I cannot see this being a heating problem. The vet said something about it just being something in his system because of his age? this made no sense to me, they did tests and didn't tell me they found anything negitive.
Has anyone ever heard of anything like this? Any theories or discussion are welcome, I can't stop feeling like there's something I can be doing to help him even though the vet just chalked it up to some undefinable fluke.
Sorry for such a long post, I just wanted to make sure you guys had all the information! Thanks in advance for your time and help!
Here's the recommended info form all filled out...
About your leo:
- Sex - Male
- Age & Weight - around 12 & I'm not sure, he's a big boy though
- How long have you owned your leo - 12 years
- Where was he/she obtained - exotic pet store
A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo - Every other day at least
- Is your leo acting any different today? If so how does he/she normally act which differs from now. - still loveable and calm, no changed behavior, slower to catch/hunt food then he was a year or two ago but he is older.
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe. - problems listed above
B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal) - normal
- When was the last time he/she went - unsure, regularly though
C) Problem
- Please briefly describe the problem and how long it has been going on - above
Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size - 24 long
- Type - Glass, sliding glass front with screen lid
- Type of substrate - compact reptile carpet on warm side, tile on cold
- Hides, how many, what kind - four hides. One warm (large, rock), One moist (round, clay), One cool (wood U shape) and a partial corner hide on cool side.
B) Heating
- Heat source - UTH
- Cage temps (hot side, cool side) - hot 75-85, cool 60-70
- Method of regulating heat source - no manual regulation, just varied areas in tank.
- What are you using to measure your temps - reptile thermometer
- Do you have any lights (describe) - One dome light with a regular light bulb used only during the day.
C) Cage mates - none
Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding (how often, how much) - Primary crickets 7-9 every two-three days. Occasional wax/giant meal worms.
- How are you feeding (hand fed, left in dish, ect) - I put 7-9 crickets in his cage, if I notice only a small amount missing after a day I use reptile tweezers and hold them for him because he is slower then he used to be. He will not eat worms out of dish, I have to place them at the mouth of his cage and after he eats what he wants (depending on his mood 1-3) I put any excess back.
B) Supplements (describe how often) - Calcium power in dish in cage, Crickets are gut loaded with calcium/vitamin fortified food.
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands) - Flukers Calcium with vitamin D
- What are you gut loading food with - Flukers Cricket Quencher Calcium fortified.
