Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is my first post here(Hi everyone), but ive been coming here since I got my first leopard gecko (Howard can be sen below) and lately I've noticed that when he walks his legs shake, and I know that that isnt normal because he has never done that before and he also hasnt been eating. So if anyone has any ideas or thoughts on what is wrong with lil Howard please give me your advice. Thanks.

Hi

How long have you had Howard?, does he have access to calcium?, what is his tank set up like?.

TLB

I've had howard since early July and yes he does have access to calcium 24/7, and in his tank he has two hides one humid other is on the cooler side he has a dish that always has mealies in it and a fresh water dish his flooring is paper towels which is changed weekly. His tank stays at about 88 degrees on the warm side and room temp on the other. Im getting a new home ready for him which is going to be much larger.

Did you made sure that the mealies were gut-loaded? This could be a MBD, a metabolic bone disease. I hope it isn't.

Tim
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Extinction is forever. Endangered means we still have time.

Protect the global wildlife.

Hi

88 degrees on the basking end of the tank is to high, you should bring it down to around the lower eighty range (even eighty itself), also for awhile try a dry hide in the basking area for him as well as the moist one.

If you haven't tried crickets with him before, then maybe you could try a few and see what he does.

What you have in the tank sounds good to me and if he had, had any parasites, you would have seen something before this I would think, since you got him back in July.

Take Care, TLB

He doesn't need to lower the temp. 88 on the warm side sounds right. Maybe even a little higher would be better.
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chickabowwow

3.2 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)
and 3 eggs a' cookin'

Hi CeS

Sorry CeS, I think I screwed up on my posting, pretend that I deleted my posting and I would take xelda's advice here, it sounds pretty good.

All I can say is that I posted this early in the morning and my brain must have been out to breakfeast, because I would have posted something more in the direction of xelda's ideas and or possibley MBD. So, sorry I screwed up on giving this "brain out to early morning breakfeast advice", I'am not usually that stupid.

Take Care, TLB

I agree he doesn't need to lower the temp. 88 is fine on the warm side. I keep mine between 86-90 on the warm side. If you lower it the gecko will not be able to digest his food efficiently.

I would suggest you make sure the mealies are well gutloaded with carrots, potatoes, or a good dry commercial gutload like Walkabout Farm. Dust the mealies for a few weeks with calcium before feeding. Although calcium is available in the cage he might not be taking enough on his own. Shaking is usually a sign of MBD.

You have to maintain at least twice as much calcium as phosphorous in his diet/supplements and also beware of what you gutload with. Some green vegetables (like spinach) contain oxalates which inhibit the absorption of calcium.

Make sure you dust with calcium containing D3. I think if you dust a little more than you normally do, you'll start to see some improvement. Good luck.
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chickabowwow

3.2 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)
and 3 eggs a' cookin'

I would bet its MBD, what type of calcium are you using? I would get a UTH. 88 should be fine I keep all mine at 90 hot end and room temp cool end.