Leopard gecko is sick somebody help!!

[chameleon223]

Ok so I have a leopard gecko that I got from petco. I don't know the gender so let's call it a he. He was fine when I got him right up until this May. After that he lost weight quickly and developed an eye infection in one eye and I believe he somehow lost the other one. So basically right now he is blind, he will not eat anything but he will drink and I think he has developed mouth rot also, because he has swelling under both eyes. I have him in a ten-gallon tank with a combination fixture (red/night bulb and day/heat bulb) I make sure his cage is at least 90-95 degrees for 8 to 12 hours a day. He always has water and mealworms and I had him on sand before but I researched and discovered that was bad so I changed to reptile carpet. He has a moist hide on the cooler end of the cage (does it need to be on the warmer end?) a dry hide and a calcium dish which, after I put the reptile carpet in, he started climbing into and curling up in and sitting in. If I hold him he'll move around but if I set him down/while he's in his tank he won't move, he'll sit in one spot. I really need help I honestly can NOT take him to a vet I won't give out my location but the closest reptile vet is out of my reach. If I could take him I would have already! Please don't be critical or assume I don't care/am not concerned, I love this little guy and I don't want him to be in pain or die, I feel horrible for it getting this bad. I at least want to help him gain weight, I saw a recipe for a liquid diet but it called for some ingredients I don't have. So if anyone has any alternate recipes or something please tell me. I just want him to be a happy healthy little leo. Thanks~!!

 

[kvnsu]

Hi please for the love of god tell me you have a under tank heater? It's required for proper digestion. The moist hide should be on the warm side. To be honest, their is no miracle answer you will be getting on this forum. Your best bet is to somehow find a vet to properly diagnose and treat the fella.. if not I do not know what to tell you. :-| Meanwhile try the turkey food and wait till another person responds, best of luck to you and your little fella. I apologize if I sound 'mean'.. that is not the tone I'm trying to get at.

"LEOPARD GECKOS NOT EATING

REHYDRATION INFORMATION
Do not attempt to feed an emaciated/dehydrated gecko till the gecko's hydration status has been assessed by a veterinarian. In order to prevent further damage to the kidneys or liver, let the vet rehydrate your gecko. Only then assist feed.

To entice any gecko to open his mouth brush a thin dowel, a stainless steel gavage needle (with a rounded tip), or your finger horizontally past his lips. Stroke gecko's lips, gecko opens mouth, then insert water, food, or medicine. Be gentle and never force the mouth open."

VERY TEMPORARY RECOVERY FOODS
***Turkey baby food is better than chicken baby food. Place the baby food directly on the geckos lips/snout. If your assist feeding is more than just very temporary, turkey (or chicken) baby food should be mixed 1:1 with unflavored Pedialyte! Sprinkle a little calcium with D3 into the chicken baby food 2x per week. If additional calcium is necessary, use a liquid supplement called Calcium Glubionate.

***Check out the Assist-Feeding posts by Maurice Pudlo and others which follow this Leopard Gecko Care Sheet. - Elizabeth Freer's caresheet.

Click and scroll down to Leopard Gecko not eating... Link here --->http://www.geckosunlimited.com/community/gecko-care-sheets/55211-leopard-gecko-caresheet-eublepharis-macularius-demo-video-4-jan-2013-update.html

 

[hmarie186]

Hmm. Ok. Here's my suggestions:

Temps should be 89-93 on the warm side (24 hours a day NOT just 8-12 hours)- 95 is too warm. The reptile carpet is thinner than the sand and perhaps the temps are even over 95 now. He is likely in the calcium dish because the temps are too hot on the substrate!

Your little guy needs an under tank heater to properly digest food, not just a warming bulb. A thermostat will be able to regulate the temps where they need to be.

Moist hide needs to be on the warm side with a warm DRY hide and he needs a DRY hide on the cool side as well.

Are you using any multivitamins or calcium with D3?

Unfortunately if you think he is blind, has an eye infection in both eyes and mouth rot, those are all very painful conditions. He CANNOT go without vet care. No supplemental feeding is going to treat the infection that he has.

What are you measuring the ground temps with? What are the temps like on his cool side? What is his feeding schedule like? Poops normal? Urates white? How are his sheds?

 

[congener329]

you mention a calcuim dish...its highly recommended that calcuim is not left in the tank. only dusting should be used. And I agree with the others - you need to rethink your temperatures as they need to be constant all day...

A vet visit is going to be inevitable if you want to save him.

 

[chameleon223]

Thank you guys so much for all your help. Since a vet visit must be made I will do my best. Does anyone know any reptile vets in Tennessee? The closest one I could find was I think in Knoxville or one other large city but that's too far away. Thanks again!!

 

[hmarie186]

Herp Vet Connection

I would suggest calling and making sure the vet is experienced, as I have had several say they have a vet that has seen reptiles before but really has no clue how to diagnose much.

 

[chameleon223]

Ok so I have some questions: 1. adjusting temps. Do I need a lower wattage bulb/different fixture to lower the temperatures? 2. How would I keep the temps constant? The fixture I use gets very hot, I don't want to cause a fire by leaving it on 24/7. Could I use the bulb for the day and the under-tank heater at night? 3. Will I have to move his tank? It currently sits on a wooden chest at the foot of my bed, will I have to put something between the heater and the tank/heater and the wood?

 

[hmarie186]

Ok so I have some questions: 1. adjusting temps. Do I need a lower wattage bulb/different fixture to lower the temperatures? 2. How would I keep the temps constant? The fixture I use gets very hot, I don't want to cause a fire by leaving it on 24/7. Could I use the bulb for the day and the under-tank heater at night? 3. Will I have to move his tank? It currently sits on a wooden chest at the foot of my bed, will I have to put something between the heater and the tank/heater and the wood?

I'm not sure the wattage on light fixtures. A better idea would be to spend the money on a good UTH and nix the bulbs. Leopards geckos need belly heat, not heat for basking. The UTH needs to be on 24/7 with a thermostat which will regulate the temps for you, otherwise you are going to get up and down roller coaster temps which are just as bad as consistently cool or too warm. You don't need to move the tank. The UTH will only get 100F at the hottest, which is only a few degrees over our own body temp. By the time it heats thru the glass and substrate it will be right around where it needs to be, provided the thermostat is set appropriately. You will need some airflow under the tank but it's easy as pie to accomplish with some felt furniture pads under each corner. I think mine are 1/4".

 

[kvnsu]

I'm not sure the wattage on light fixtures.

The wattage I use for a photo period for my leopard gecko is a 15 watt standard light bulb from Lowes. It cost 3 dollars for 2 of these bulbs. Like Hmarie said UTH is required and usually gets the job done for heating so an over head heating isn't very necessary unless your air temps are off.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

1. UTH = belly heat

2. + Overhead heating (CHE) increases the comfortable warm zone. Unless the ambient temperatures are warmed by summer, one will find that the temps decrease quickly the higher one goes from an UTH.

3. + 15 watt photoperiod bulb: Just added one to my leo's vivarium Autumn 2013. I dim my 15 watt to half power. Even then it is shaded by a large silk palm tree in the center of the vivarium.