Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well, my albino leo isn't looking to good
He has gotten extremely skinny, his spine is clearly visible, he won't eat, and his stool is extremely watery and green. He has a vet appointment for tomorrow, but does anyone know what it might be?
He also had a very poor shed last night. It sounds like crypto, and my last Gecko died of crypto 2 years ago. I'm so sad right now. Does anyone know what might be wrong with my little Jonas?

sounds like a bacterial infection, especially if they smell like ammonia. Bacterial infections are curable. Your leo may be able to be saved, so don't get too upset yet. Hopefully you are taking him in soon enough for him to recover.
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Sarah Stettler aka Starling
Sarah@stargecko.com
StarGecko.Com COMING SOON! Star Quality Leopard Geckos
Specializing in Hypotangerine Tremper Albinos

thanks for the speedy reply. Hopefully my vet can prescribe some sort of medication or feeding method. Should I be feeding him babyfood? I tried force feeding him a mealworm, and he chewed it, swallowed it, and acted normal. I fed him another, and again he was fine. Then, after the third one he violently regurgitated two of them. I hear this is another sign of crpyto. Do you know any tips for treating his condition, whatever it may be?

Your vet will need to do a fecal, be sure to bring in some fresh poop (store in fridge), If you don't have any poop he can give you a collection kit and you can drop the sample off as soon as your gecko poops again.

If it is bacterial, your vet may want to do a culture to identify what kind of bacteria, or he may just prescribe a broad spectrum antibiotic. The only tips I can give you is double check (second opinion from another vet is best, but if this is unrealistic you can check on Dr. Gecko or ask here, but take any info you get with a grain of salt, we are not vets) to make sure he gives you the right dose and an antibiotic that is safe(r) for reptiles, dose as directed, completely sterilize tank and all cage furniture DAILY (keeping in a sweater box w/ paper towel substrate and deli cup hides for quarantine housing is easy to clean), and keep the animal well hydrated (this will help prevent damage to organs from the antibiotics).
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Sarah Stettler aka Starling
Sarah@stargecko.com
StarGecko.Com COMING SOON! Star Quality Leopard Geckos
Specializing in Hypotangerine Tremper Albinos

you can assist feed him with an eyedropper or oral syringe (do not force feed, let him lick it up) a mixture of:

• turkey baby food 1tsp (most important ingredient)

• flax seed oil 8-10 drops (I think this is key for appetite appeal, and is full of healthy omega 3 fatty acids, smells nutty like a waxworm, and in my experience it helps gex thrive and gain weight- whether the flax seed is ground and used to gutload prey, or a few drops in the mix for sick/recovering animals)

• calcium powder (prevent MBD)

• herp vitamins (nutritional/immune support)

• a little peach or mango or strawberry-banana nectar (not citrus- this is to thinn mix and also for taste/calories/vitamins)

• 2-3 drops liquid vitamin c (optional)

This is the mixture I used to sustain my geckos when I was treating them for a bacterial infection and they licked it up, they seemed to really like the taste, even before we got the right medication and it started to work and they got interested in solid food again. It worked really well for me. You can also pinch the head off a mealie and squeeze the guts on their nose for them to lick off. I find they are more likely to lick it if you remove the black string of mealie poo/intestine.
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Sarah Stettler aka Starling
Sarah@stargecko.com
StarGecko.Com COMING SOON! Star Quality Leopard Geckos
Specializing in Hypotangerine Tremper Albinos

I just returned from the vet.
There were 3 species of parasites discovered in his stool after a fecal exam. I am feeding him a prescription medicine through an oral syringe (1 drop a week), feeding him baby food via oral syringe (daily), and he is quarantined in a small tank with paper towel substrate. He will return in 4 weeks for another fecal exam. Thanks for all the advice. Sorry this was kinda brief, but I am suddenly feeling nautious.

Ah, the nasea is starting to pass. I haven't eaten in 24 hours, so this macaroni-n-cheese is doing the trick. I just wanted to tell you some more. The vet talked about some very interesting things. One of which was something that had never crossed my mind.
Jonas is albino, and this may be a factor to his vulnerability. As you know, albino geckos are not a natural thing that occurs in the wild. Often, to achieve albinos, the geckos are inbred. This can severely weaken their ammune system. So if you want an albino, make sure it's extremely healthy when you purchase it, and be prepared to deal with problems like this.
Also, the vet mentioned some interesting thermometer things. The main one was: Do not use those adhesive thermometers that you place on the glass. Your glass takes a very long time to warm up, and a long time to cool down. This gives you in-accurate readings, and can lead to an extremely hot cage. The ideal thermometer would be one of those circular ones that you place on the inside of the tank with a suction cup.

And finally, I just wanted to say thanks for the helpful responses. Hopefully Jonas will get better, even though he is quite stubborn. (He refuses to be force fed his medicine, so the vet gave me a stick with a slightly sharpened end that can be used to gently open his mouth and sneak a syringe in there).

I can't tell you how thankful I am for all your help.

Best of wishes,
Greg and Jonas