Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay, I have a very small girl named Sara. I got her from a pet store distributor a few weeks ago. When I brought her home, Sara was very active and ate very well. Lately she hasn't been eating, or even chasing food. She is housed alone. I just picked her up and was going to try using some Repti-Aid. Well from her front legs to her mid belly is almost black. I've read posts on here about that being very bad. I don't want her to be in pain, so what options do I have? I don't have the money right now to go see a herp vet, and at this point, she looks so tired, frail and thin I don't think she could be brought back. Any advice or info would be appreciated.

Jeff

The black abdomen can be caused by a couple of things. When they haven't eaten for a long time, their livers get clogged and swollen from trying to digest body fat. This is usually the case, but it can also be caused from internal bleeding from parasitic infections that have broken through intestinal walls.

Since you cannot take the poor little thing to the vet, the only thing I can suggest is to keep it warm and try to dropper feed it with some baby food... like veal and squash. Meat has the protein and squash has the carbohydrates. You already know that strict quarantine and fastidious disinfection is the protocol for this type of thing. If it gets to the point where you honestly feel like this little creature is not going to survive, then please do not let it suffer needlessly. Euthanize it humanely.
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Marcia McGuiness
Golden Gate Geckos
www.goldengategeckos.com

Thanks Marcia.

Any suggestions on syringe feeding? I've tried putting drops on her nose, she doesn't really lick it, what is the best way to go about getting her mouth open?

Jeff

that should be the last option, imagine someone 50 times your size trying to force open your mouth, it can be very damaging physically, and very easy the break the leos jaw...

I would keep trying the dropper on the nose

I don't recommend force-feeding, because it only adds to the stress and trauma they are experiencing in the first place. May I ask what food you are trying to syringe feed? If you put a drop on it's nose, it will ultimately have to lick it off. It does take a LOT of patience and time to accomplish this task, especially when they are fighting it. After a while, they will actually realize they like it, and it will become easier. Just prepare yourself to sit down and hold this little gecko without confining it too much, and put drop after drop on it's nose until it has taken in at least 1/4 of a dropper full of food. The other option would be to tube-feed it directly into it's stomach, which is a last resort.
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Marcia McGuiness
Golden Gate Geckos
www.goldengategeckos.com

Jeff when i got my littlest one Peatree from sumone in Queens.She was really fragile and small.She still is.She didnt eat for about 3 weeks.I kept tryin to feed her gatorade mixed wit beef baby food thru a syringe,She hated it.After a while she started realizin thats the only food source she has,cuz she didnt drink water at all.I started droppin baby crickets dusted and never seen her eat But when i opened the rubbermaid case i keep her in i sumtimes found them gone.Yesterday was the first day i really seen her eat.And i got her in early January.Her tail is growin back healthy.I thought she was gona die,But she pulled thru after all.
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Jae from Jer'z

my reptile collection and their names..
1.0.0 normal ball python [1½ ft.] Jumangi
leopard geckos
1.0.1 tremper albinos [juveniles] Yoshi & Laly
0.2.0 albino [babies] Peatree & Little Foot
1.0.0 hypo [adult] Tigga
0.0.1 normal [seems pregnant] Queens

You's be surprised how strong herps can be. My chameleon lost about 2 inches of her tail tip to a fungal infection (I had a problem with the humidifier in my house and the landlord didn't tell me so it caused a major fluctuation in the overall humidity) She came back strong after about 3 months of what must have been intense pain. Never underestimate the herps.
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The universe is vast and we are so small.
There is only one thing we can truly control.
Whether we are good or evil.
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0.2.0 Normal Leopard Gecko's
1.0.0 Patternless Leopard Gecko
0.1.0 Veiled Chameleon
1.0.0 Bearded Dragon

Hi

Another thing you could try with the baby food mixture you are try to feed, is to hold the syring under warm water for a little bit, so the food is warm and not cold.

I had to feed a gecko a baby food mixture before and the gecko wouldn't take it out of the syring, so I put it under warm water for a little bit and then the gecko gladly took it.

Take Care, TLB