Severe issues with rescue. NEED HELP!

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BrightReptiles

Badhabits727
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Today we responded to a craigslist ad about a girl who bought a petco gecko, and said it was having problems shedding, she wanted it to go to someone who could properly help it shed. We ran to get it right away, not seeing any pictures. We got a horrible feeling when we went to get it from her... It is definitely very sick. Aside from the shed still all over its feet, its bones are bending, its eyes are pussing, it is super skinny, its skin is wrinkled and its body looks flat.

I'm assuming MBD at the best, but am afraid of more problems. Honestly, I'm afraid to even have it in the same room as my others. This is the worst I have ever seen. Does anyone see any chance of recovery, or should we give it the short painless ending?

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scm133

GULFCOASTGECKOS
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OMG..poor thing. It looks malnourished and dehydrated. You might mix up a slurry and tube feed. I don't know if it will help the MBD. And she was worried about shedding problems????????
 
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BrightReptiles

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She definitely didn't know anything about Leos. It seems to have lost most of its back leg movement as well after watching him a bit. He doesn't want to eat at all so we will have to force feed him. This is the only time I've ever considered putting one down. I am afraid of my other leos getting sick even being in the same room...
 
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BrightReptiles

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If anybody experienced in the Tampa Bay area wants to take him on, please send me a text 7272782648. Please experienced people only, I will not give him to someone as a pet for their child, nor will I likely give it to anyone under the age of 18.
 
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BrightReptiles

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He doesn't seem to have the strength to even get his head over the bottle cap to get a drink, but has been going apesh!t licking powerade off of a cotton swab. Good sign I guess. He absolutely refuses a pheonix worm though..
 
Adinar

Adinar

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Taking back my previous statement and rethinking it, I would say that the animal should be put down if it can't move well and squirms around when it tries.

Unfortunetally those pics show how far the MBD has progressed and it is way beyond help and there's not much you can do for it at this point other than letting this one go peacefully.

I would call a vet and have this one put down. When I had it done, my vet charged me 10 bucks. To me the money was nothing vs the pain the animal would've been in.


Have to love craigslist, the owner didn't want to make the right call and pushed it off on someone else.
 
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BrightReptiles

Badhabits727
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Adinar said:
Severe MBD issues for sure, unfortunetally that can not be reversed. Because it is that bad and you said there is puss in the eyes (probably an infection and/or stuck shed), you should really get the animal to a vet ASAP. As for the deformities, the vet will perscribe liquid calcium which this poor thing obviously needs.

Unfortunetally looking at the photos the vet may have to take a look to see if the animal's quality of like will be ok due to how bad the limbs are deformed from not being treated or given the calcium it needed and make the call from there. If it can't move around freely without struggling, would it be worth it all? (Not saying every animal with a problem needs to be put down, but just looking at those pics I just can't see how it can move easily.)

Don't you love craigslist? People don't want to care for the animals and throw them on there... ugh.
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He can barely move around, he has use of his front shoulders and tail and that seems to be it. He has been violently flopping an barrel rolling around. Yes, his eyes are so full of puss that one is swollen shut. I believe it will be in his best interest to be given a nap.

My girlfriend hates the idea of putting anything down, can you please suggest a humane way to do so?

& I find a lot of healthy geckos on craigslist, as well as the occasional unhealthy (Though usually just underweight etc) that is easily revived.

This is a sad story that unfortunately doesn't appear to be getting a happy ending.
 
Adinar

Adinar

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badhabits727 said:
He can barely move around, he has use of his front shoulders and tail and that seems to be it. He has been violently flopping an barrel rolling around. Yes, his eyes are so full of puss that one is swollen shut. I believe it will be in his best interest to be given a nap.

My girlfriend hates the idea of putting anything down, can you please suggest a humane way to do so?

& I find a lot of healthy geckos on craigslist, as well as the occasional unhealthy (Though usually just underweight etc) that is easily revived.

This is a sad story that unfortunately doesn't appear to be getting a happy ending.
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My personal suggestion would be the vet. I know I myself couldn't do the other ways at home, I'd feel horrible about it. There they get a shot and that't it. Plus there's alot of debate as to what is painful to them and what is not when it comes to stuff like that. There's old threads about it if you use the search option.
 
sunshinegeckos

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im sorry you are having to do this and its never a happy thing but its in the best interest of the animal. I have heard that putting them in the freezer works
 
Adinar

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sunshinegeckos said:
im sorry you are having to do this and its never a happy thing but its in the best interest of the animal. I have heard that putting them in the freezer works
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First you'd have to put them in the fridge, then the freezer.

NOT directly into the freezer. Apparently the fridge puts them into a cold coma and then the freeze does the rest. If you put them in the freezer and only that, they are awake the whole time and can feel everything (crystalizing of the blood, ect...has to be painful)

There is speculation as to if this is a humane way or not.
 
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BrightReptiles

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This isn't easy. I'm looking into different ways to do this. Honestly, I think I'm more worried about my pain than the geckos. From his appearance I'd imagine he is already in pain. First thought was drowning, then possibly just letting him o in the back yard (we have large Tokays in my yard, I'm sure they would take care of things quickly), now I'm wondering if we could do it less painlessly by overdosing him with a human painkiller?
 
Adinar

Adinar

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badhabits727 said:
This isn't easy. I'm looking into different ways to do this. Honestly, I think I'm more worried about my pain than the geckos. From his appearance I'd imagine he is already in pain. First thought was drowning, then possibly just letting him o in the back yard (we have large Tokays in my yard, I'm sure they would take care of things quickly), now I'm wondering if we could do it less painlessly by overdosing him with a human painkiller?
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I wouldn't do any of those, honestly. I think the fridge/freezer would be the best method with everything the poor thing has been through. Not trying to knock you, but it's a little selfish to worry about yourself in this matter over the animal's comfort. Human painkillers will probably have a different effect on them compaired to us, NOT a good choice and you more than likely will receive alot of neg. feedback for something like that or the other two ideas.

Look at it this way, if I remember correctly a while back you said you wanted to get into breeding. This is unfortunetally something you will come across.
 
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BrightReptiles

Badhabits727
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Seminole, FL
Adinar said:
I wouldn't do any of those, honestly. I think the fridge/freezer would be the best method with everything the poor thing has been through. Not trying to knock you, but it's a little selfish to worry about yourself in this matter over the animal's comfort. Human painkillers will probably have a different effect on them compaired to us, NOT a good choice and you more than likely will receive alot of neg. feedback for something like that.

Look at it this way, if I remember correctly a while back you said you wanted to get into breeding. This is unfortunetally something you will come across.
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The trouble is convincing my girlfriend to let me put it in the fridge, not gonna happen. Is it possible to put it on ice and have the same effect?
 
lillith

lillith

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BrightReptiles

Badhabits727
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It is late, so vet is out of the options for tonight. Looks like I will be going the fridge/freezer route. Question, how do I go about this, obviously I can't just stick him in there by himself, I assume a tupperware with cold wet paper towel?

edit, nevermind, just read the ziplock part.
 
Adinar

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