Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, this is sort of funny, but I'm sure my new male gecko would not agree. I just purchased my first leopard geckos just a few days ago after reading a book on them. Hey, they were really cute, and thier diet is the same as what I feed my White's tree frogs, so I figured I'd give them a try. Well, the very first night, the male decides to breed one of the females. The aquarium came already setup with sand and everything. Well, he gets sand all over his extended hemipene and the next morning I find him with it encrusted with sand, stuck outside of his body! I washed it off, but it was swollen and would not go back in. After another day, I put him into a small clear container, like you would ship them in, hoping the humidity would keep it moist and allow it to go back in. Well the swelling went down a little, but it still won't go back in. I called my trusty reptile vet and she tells me he needs a vet visit to manually put it back in, and if she can't get that to happen, that she will have to surgically remove it. So, is she right and is this common in Leopards, or am I just first time unlucky? Any help would be appreciated, on this, or on leopards in general.

Thanks,

dmmalpert@hotmail.com

Yes, it can happen to leopard geckos. This is one of the reasons sand isn't the best substrate for geckos. If caught early enough, I have heard of some success with sugar water soaking of the exposed "parts", but unfortunately, if he can't fix it on his own or if he is having trouble with the sand irritating it when he lays down, your vet is completely correct. It will need to be clinically reinserted or removed if it begins to be purple/bluish meaning blood flow is cut off.

It is, however, uncommon for this to happen, but no so uncommon that we don't get several questions about it every year. Our friends who got us hooked on leopard geckos just had their first experience with this last summer. They do not breed, but one male just got overly excited for some reason. He was reinserted by the vet and is just fine now, if only a little embarrassed.

Follow up with your vet and perhaps control your breeding by keeping the male separate in the future save for "dates". Good luck.
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0.1 Albino Leo Gecko
0.1 Crested Gecko
1.0 Dear Boyfriend
Departed: Harvey and Spock

A rather useful ointment in this situation is Preparation H or similar hemorrhoid ointment. It has worked ever time I have had to use it over the past years ( for the geckos ) . I use the “gel” type. I had one male with a severe prolapsed that I thought would be irreversible. But after about 25 days, everything was reversed, and he produces offspring.
During the treatment, keep him in a smaller cage like a plastic shoebox. Use moist paper towels as a substrate, but change them daily, to avoid bacterial and/or fungal issues. Apply the ointment several times per day. He will thank you in the long run, for your efforts.

You are my hero! I used Preparation-H gel and it worked like a charm. I checked him this morning after just a few days treatment, and it had gone back in completely.

So, just one more question, should I change my substrate to something other than the sand? If so, what is best to use?

Thank you!

First off, OUCH.......Imagine being in his shoes, lol. Hope everything comes out right, eeerrr goes in right.

I have heard of using honey as well, its basically super saturated sugar water, and has proven anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. I thankfully dont have any personal experience w/ leo prolapse tho.
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1.0 Hypo stripe, Het RW from JL (BJ)
1.0 HypoTang from Crested (Apricot)
1.0 Tremper Albino from Petsmart (Cloud)
0.1 Hi-Yellow Leopard gecko from Petco (Beatrice)
0.1 Stripe female (rehabilitated rescue)(Pepper)
0.1 Jungle het RW hatched by me! (Jungle Bunny)
0.1 SHCT Leopard Gecko from Petco (Brite)
0.1 Tangy Mutt Leopard Gecko from Petco (Rainbow)
0.1 RW Stripe hatched by me! (unnamed yet)
0.1 Leucistic rescue (Lucy?)
0.1 Tremper stripe from JMG (Delta)
0.1 SHCT hatched by me! (Blinky)
0.0.1 SHCTB hatched by me! (Sunny II)
0.1 Ball Pythons
1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
Hatched: ~50 leos