Signs of a healthy Leo?

[braytonia]

What are some main signs of a healthy Leopard Gecko...?? I purchased one Monday and have been doing all the research I can to keep the most adequate terrarium for him but I am having mixed feelings if hes healthy or not... Also any helpful tips or tricks to keeping him healthy would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

I appologize in advance but I have searched and searched and could not find one solid answer for my question...

 

[Gecko977]

If your gecko is active and has a relatively fat tail then I would say he/she is pretty healthy. But since you already have the gecko watch for any parasites in feces and undigested bugs. If it has these then it could have parasites or digestive issues.

 

[rickmoss95]

allertness, healthy body weight, also check and make sure the eyes are clear of any gunk and not sunken in. the feces should not be really runny and not overly stinky. a small leo will not yet have the fat tail of sub adults and adults.there should be no poop smeared around the vent, it should be clear. it should also have a strong appetite and actively hunt at night. they will be more active at night also, so if it hides during the day, but is out at night...that is not an issue. make sure there is no sand in the feces also, of so watch for impaction...the animal may pass all of the sand and be fine, just something else to keep an eye on. im sure others can give you more hints as well.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

What are some main signs of a healthy Leopard Gecko...?? I purchased one Monday and have been doing all the research I can to keep the most adequate terrarium for him but I am having mixed feelings if hes healthy or not... Also any helpful tips or tricks to keeping him healthy would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

I appologize in advance but I have searched and searched and could not find one solid answer for my question...

There are many answers to your questions. IMO the best terrarium for a newly acquired leopard gecko from a pet shop is a 6-15qt tub with paper towel and a hide or two, food and water dishes. With this temporary setup, it's easy to carefully monitor and spot any potential issues. It's also very inexpensive and gives you additional time to gather items for your other terrarium you plan to house the animal in without constantly changing things around, causing undue stress. This also gives the gecko a chance to adjust to you and get comfortable with the new routines, like cleaning, feeding, handling.

As far as the gecko's health, some things would be overall body condition, alertness, activity level, appetite, consistency/frequency of poop. Some things you really can't tell about until they're home with you and isolated. Purchasing from a store comes with no history, what you see is what you get, but most have some kind of warranty period if there's an immediate issue. Be sure to take advantage of that right away if there's any problem, or you will be stuck and unhappy.

 

[im faster]

I recommend posting pictures of your leo and tank.

 

[OnlineGeckos]

All great tips and answers above. But do also remember, it takes awhile for leopard geckos to get used to their new environment. Especially if you've just ordered it overnight from an online breeder, they are not always nicely packaged and they can arrive a lil shaken.

Key is if you've done your homework and listened to all the advice and suggestions above as to what to look out for, then it's best to leave your leo alone as much as possible and let him/her get used to the new tank. The more you move things around, or try to pick them up, or mess around with feeding them, the more they can get spooked and stressed out. Give them time, some leos take quite awhile to settle in and start eating. While some others will eat on the day they arrived, and would roam all over doing their perimeter walk right away.

Good luck!

 

[braytonia]

So I re did his whole terrarium today and also added a UTH cause all I had before were basking lights which I learned was a no no. He now seems so much more active and alert and also seems to be loving the UTH. But on the other hand I did notice he seemed to look a little paler from when I first brought him home... He also only eats 1 maybe 2 crickets a night and doesn't have a boul movement often. Is this normal? And why would he become paler? Should I hand feed him or is he ok hunting crickets? Im thinking he can't get to them because they hide out in the corners... Just a thought. Sorry for all the questions as Im new here and I just want to make sure Im doing everything right for him. All the help is greatly appreciated! Thank you.

 

[OnlineGeckos]

Pale looking could mean he's going to shed soon, so make sure there's a moist hide. You can also spray some water in the cage lightly to help with the shedding.

If you see he's having trouble catching crickets, pull the hind legs of the crickets off. This makes the crickets unable to jump. Also make sure you watch to make sure he eats the crickets. You want to take out any crickets he doesn't eat. Crickets can eat gecko poop, and in doing so they can ingest parasites. Your gecko can then eat the crickets, thus ingesting the parasites, which is a big no no.

 

[braytonia]

O ok. Ill be sure to do that, thank you. He hasn't pooped in 3 days but Ill be sure to keep an eye out for when he does and make sure no crickets eat it. Would it be ok to feed him meal worms occasionally? (probably the wrong section for that question, sorry)

 

[OnlineGeckos]

mealworms are definitely fine, some people use strictly mealworms and haven't had any problems. I like to switch it up and give them a variety.

 

[braytonia]

So now that my Gecko seems to be settled in (I will take more pics of him later) I was doing more research on seeing if I think hes healthy or not, and what I found wasn't comforting... I have noticed in looking at him closer that he seems to have 2 swollen joints, (front right arm and rear left leg) and also one swollen finger. (front left hand) Now he was a "Petsmart" buy but he seems very healthy other than the swollen joints. I mean he has a great appetite, loves to hunt and is very active and alert all the time. Im wondering if the swollen joints have anything to do with MBD? Early signs of it forming maybe? Anyways Petsmart does have a 14 day return policy but I just don't have the heart to return him with a reason of being... "defective" Ya its only been a week but Im growing more and more attatched to him everyday. I suppose if this IS a major problem then I will take it back but if I can get the swelling down in anyway I would love to keep him. Ill attatch a picture so you guys can give me your personal expertise. Thank you.

I named him Ryuk-

His front right foot is pushed up against the glass which makes it look funky...







Ill take some better quality pictures later but I just wanted to give you guys an idea of what Im looking at.

 

[Wild West Reptile]

Other than the toe, I don't see any swelling. But I guess it could be my old eyes! I'd say he's looking pretty healthy. Just keep plenty of calcium, food and H2O in the tank for him and monitor that he's acting normal and he should be good to go. Good luck!

 

[fl_orchidslave]

I see the swelling.... You might contact the store immediately and inquire about vet services while you're within your warranty period. Early stages of MBD are treatable, and since he is still growing, if everything else is good with him, he will be fine.

 

[braytonia]

What are some ways I can treat the MBD myself? Since you said its treatable in early stages...

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Contact a vet for correct treatment according to his size. We are not vets here, and you would need a confirmed diagnosis prior to any medical treatments.