Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone. This is going to be kind of short, considering how much help and advice i need. I have to get to bed, I didn't sleep last night. So, i appologize in advance for any sentences that don't make sense, or spelling mistakes.
First off, i'm not entirely new to lizards. I have a female f. pardalis chameleon that's about a year old. She had an uri when I got her, and so i learned how to care for her "special" needs. She got better... she was bred a while ago and the eggs did not develop properly (long story) so she had a c-section about a week ago. she is doing well (miracleously). So, i'm not entirely new to special care for lizards either.
Long story short:
I got her tonight. I didn't pay for her, the pet store couldn't offer her the care/time she needed so they gave her to someone who could care for her. my friend was going to get her (she has a leopard gecko) but this little guy/girl is in such bad shape she wasn't ready to look after her. because of my experience with orion, she offered her/him to me.
I'm going to call it a her for simplicity's sake.
She is the tiniest thing i have seen. She is basically a skeleton with skin on it. you can see every bone in her, including her tail (which is dried up btw). Apparently she's been eating a few pinheads every once in a while. she has not yet recieved vet care.
I took her in tonight. I mixed some c/v (special cat/dog food high protein and fat) with electolite suppliment (1 drop) and some water. i had to open her mouth and give her itthat way. she had maybe 3 mouthfuls. i left it at that b/c i didn't want to stress her out too much on her first night. I've also been putting antibiotic ointment that i got from my vet to help with a spot that orion gets on the end of her tail. It was so dry it sucked it all up!! She's in a med sized tupperware container (about the size of a ten gal tank only shorter) with holes in the lid. There is a hide for her and water dish. paper towel is being used for the bottom. I have a light over it. iwas going to use a 60w halogen bulb, but i think that might be a bit much, i['m going to put a 40w in in the morning. there is a digital thermometer in with her for the night and for tomorrow to record the temps and humidity.
What i need to know is this: what is the optimal temp and humidity zone? What could possibly be wrong with her? Is there anything more i shiould be doing now?
I'm going to give her a few days to put some weight on. if she looks worse at all i'm getting her into the vets asap.
Thankyou for the help everyone! It's greatly appreciated!
~Lindsay

np

pet store rescues are often infected, sometime with some very dangerous parasites (like crypto- always fatal in leos) or coccidia. It could also have a bacterial infection, other protozoans, worms, or be impacted due to being kept on sand at too young an age (pet stores commonly do this). It's also possible she was just not fed well or kept too cold or some other horribnble basic conditions, but usually it is more than that in these cases.

Many of these parasites can affect other reptile species, so it is very important that you quarantine her *in a seperate room* from any other reptiles (some breeders have had their whole colonies wiped out by crypto brought in on one leo, kept in same room as other herps, and swear they were careful not to allow cross-contamination), and never handle your cham directly after handling the sick leo, even if you wash your hands (and do wash hands after touching the rescue, every time...some of causes of illness can affect you, too)
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Sarah Stettler aka Starling
Sarah@stargecko.com
StarGecko.Com COMING SOON! Star Quality Leopard Geckos
Specializing in Hypotangerine Tremper Albinos

ok thankyou
she's in my room right now the same as my cham
i have her all separate though.. she has her own crix and eyedroppers and etc. I will move her to a different room tonight. the only thing i was worried about is that the rest of my appartment is kinda cold. i keep my room like the tropics for orion lol. it never falls below 78 and her humdifier keeps it nice and damp. I'll figure something out though.

The optimal temp is 88-90 on the warm side, but I find that with sick leos, it helps to bump up the temperature to just slightly over 90 degrees. I would also try using a heating device that will give heat directly to her belly, such as a heat pad or an under tank heater.

Instead of making the whole enclosure humid, make only the hide humid. You can do this by taking a plastic butter container, cutting a hole in the side, putting moist paper towels (although my leos have a preference for peat moss), put on the lid, and then place the container about 1/3 on the heat source and 2/3 off. Younger leos need more humidity than adults, and this will also help to keep her hydrated.

You do need to take her to the vet, by the way. The sooner you can accurately diagnose the problem, the better.
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chickabowwow

3.2.3 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)