Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am looking for someone who I can speak with - regarding a lizard that I recently aquired. I have several questions and pictures I am looking for help and advice for this little lady. I haven’t found out what type of collard lizard she is yet - I haven’t seen a picture that looks like her.
I "rescued" her from a pet store. At first I thought that she had a broken back as she had no movement in her hind legs, as well as an "S" shaped back. I bought a lot of things for her - including the UV light, heat lamp, night heat lamp, heat pad, calcium powder ETC. She cannot move around enough in her cage (which is huge) to chase the crickets - so I have been feeding her in the cricket container - she eats about 7-10 small crickets at a time....about every 2 days. Sometimes she eats everyday but if she eats 7 the day before - the next day she will only take a few. She has some movement in her hind legs now and can "scoot" around to get from place to place. Her spine is deformed and I believe that she has MBD. She is doing much better now than when I got her. I weigh her a few times a day and she has not gained any weight - she is 0.7 ounces. She is always on her belly and cannot lift herself up with her legs. She is able to hold her head up when she wants to. She seems to be getting better every day. Like I said, when I first got her - she had no movement in her back legs - although she is certainly not running any races right now...she is able to move from place to place, but she is not walking at all. She uses her back and front legs as "paddles" and just moves around that way. She can get in the warmth - or move off to a cooler spot when she wants to. She is very sweet and seems to enjoy my company. If I put her on the bed next to me....she scoots over until she is in contact with my arm or hand.
My main questions are.....she is living with a leopard gecko who is significantly larger than she is. When I got her I bought her her own UV light and other stuff in case I had to keep them seperate - but they have not had one problem. The leopard Gecko spends some time hanging around with her - but mostly stays to herself. Will these 2 continue to get along?
Another question - Is this little darling ever going to get better? I don’t mind that she has problems...I actually enjoy taking care of her. She is getting better and better and I love to watch her progress - but I do not want to get my hopes up for a full recovery for her if that is something that will likely not happen. She doesn’t appear to be in any pain - and does have feeling in both back legs as well as her tail. She moves her legs now if I tickle her feet or rub her tail - she did not do that a few weeks ago....so I am encouraged by that.
She seems to very much enjoy being held and when I pet her between her eyes, she eventually falls alseep. Is it ok if I gently handle her, or will that injure her in anyway.
She has skin on her hind legs that isn’t shedding very well - so she soaks in a little warm water twice a day. I use very little water (only enough to reach her neck) - and when she is in water...her hind legs float....why?
Sorry about the long post and tons of questions - I really want to do everything right for her and give her the best chance possible to recover or at least be happy. Please someone, tell me what I should or should not be doing with her. And if anyone thinks that she will eventually be ok...that would really make my day!!!!!
Lastly, I do have a picture of her but do not know how to post that here. I would like to know specifically what kind she is - I have looked at hundreds of pictures and cannot find one that looks like her.

Thank you
Cathy

Hrm, a sad story in one way but a happy one in another that she found you as a friend and keeper.

All of her symptoms do sound like "calcium deficiency" with the proper heat, UVA/UVB, and feeding requirements she should recover. There is a liquid form of calcium that I have used in the past which does help boost the calcium intake. I also sprinkle 'gutload' or 'calcium/vitamin powder' with the crickets food. I was also given recommendations by a fellow collared/lizard keeper to fatten up a lizard feed them gutloaded/calcium dusted mealworms.

Now as far as the other lizard in the cage which is larger than she is. Remove her and get her own cage, the current situation causes stress for her and there is a possibility of her being a lunch for the larger lizard.

With the proper care, attention, and devotion, which you have she should hopefully make a full recovery. I would also recommend in creating a sunbox, which on nice sunny days she can be placed in and put outside to get the full benefits of direct sunlight.

Good luck

Boost

I'm sorry your little friend has some problems. MBD sounds like it for sure, the legs in the back sound like rickets. They can improve somewhat if you give her calcium syrup or have the Vet see her and he would give her calcium injections which may help.

In any case complete recovery may not happen but like I said if you get her some help now she may improve some and NOT get worse. Also like you said you need a uvb light on her as well as dusting her bugs with a calcium suppliment. Also remember to gutload/feed your bugs well before feeding her.

As far as living with a leopard gecko, I would give her a tank of her own. The temps are different for these 2 different species. Your collared needs to have a basking temp of 100 -105 and the rest of the tank in the high 80's to 90. This will enable her metabolism to function at it's best to eat well and stay active.

The gecko needs basking only at 90 degrees. And is nocturnal and needs no UVB really.

I wish you and your lil friend all the beat, hope she will improve with some help. Let us know. And yes post a pic (maybe she is not a collared , hehehehhee ,if you have never seen one like her.) LOL

I will also post some instructions on posting pics for you
Collareds and FAQ /Care

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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

sorry about your little friend

i would definitely put her in her own tank, if not for stress and maybe being eaten, just for the simple fact you have no idea what other problems she might have. it is always good to quarentine an animal before you put it in with another animal.

as for the floating legs in water, i have no idea why their legs do that but my healthy lizards do it too when they hit water too deep in the sink.

i may have missed it in your post, but going to a vet is always a good thing!
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vonnie
***The first law of dietetics seems to be: if it tastes good, it's bad for you. — Issac Asimov ***