Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently rescued a horribly sick leo today, and I'm not too sure if she's going to make it.

She is VERY VERY thin - bones with skin on it - and horribly dehydrated. Most of her toes are gone because of unshed skin - I soaked her in warm water and got rid of the skin that was left on. Her belly is dark purple like a bad bruise, and her feces (some were stuck on her cloaca) are yellow-whitish and a bit watery. On her side near her back legs there's a hardish lump. I'm pretty sure she's calcium defiecient, as the crickets aren't given/coated in any calcium supplements or vitamins.

I'd get her put down.. but I think she has a chance. She's been rather feisty, and I gave her some saline with calcium/vitamin powder mixed into that. She swallowed/licked off a few drops of it and then gnawed on the end of the syringe. I'm just about to take her to the vet to get some saline injected into her..

She's about 5 inches long, and the thickest part of her tail is maybe a quarter inch thick (5 mm).

Help?

It doesn't sound good, but don't give up yet. It's a good thing you are taking her to the vet... she probably has a parasite load, too. The dark area on her stomach is her liver, which enlarges when they have been off food for awhile. Don't force-feed; try dropper feeding her with some baby meat mixed with some baby squash (stays in the intestines longer than fruit) and some dilute pedialite and or Ensure (not chocolate.) DO NOT give saline orally!
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Marcia McGuiness
Golden Gate Geckos
www.goldengategeckos.com

she's gone.. poor thing..

why not saline orally?

Hi

Sorry she didn't live long enough for you to be able to try and give her a fighting chance. But at least she didn't pass away in a petstore or with those people who didn't care about her, instead, her last moments with you were good one's for her with someone who cared.

Take Care, TLB

n/p
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Marcia McGuiness
Golden Gate Geckos
www.goldengategeckos.com

I did an autopsy.. as callous as that may seem..

She died of impaction. Her intestines were nearly black and almost filled up her entire body cavity.. the lump in her side was a piece of bark. I found several pieces of bark in her.. some partially digested, but most of it still intact. I believe the geckos are being kept on 'Lizard Mulch' or whatever they like to call it..

So.. yah.. paper towel is the way to go..