Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey Everyone!

I have just adopted a terribly emaciated leopard gecko!

According to his previous owner he hasn't in months! He has literally no fat on his body! HELP!

He seems interested in food but doesn't do anything. He has slittly runn poo but that could just be from the stress of being shipped?

I have had him since yesterday and have left mealies and waxworms... nothing! Any suggestions?

Thanks
Brandon

Not a good idea to take in an animal is such bad shape. I hope you were not foolish enough to pay for it. Best case, you spend a fortune on vet bills. Worse case, it has a disease (which it sounds like it does) that wipes out every reptile you own or ever will own.
My very good advise is to freeze it or send it back where you got it. Don't let it in your home!

Well, before everyone freaks out I am a very experience rehaber, I quaruntee all of my animals period!

Secondly, I have had a great deal of experience dealing with ill snakes just not leos.

I would never pay for something in this shape! It was rescued, so to speak!

I was just hoping somebody woould have some good recomendations!

Also, the vet said there's nothing you can do! I just can't help but try! He seems like he's trying!

Since your vet flaked out on you, here's what I would do. I can't say I have an incredible amount of experience though.
1. MAKE your vet test the leo's poo. If he can't do that he got his/her license in a crackerjack box. Even a dog/cat vet should be able to do this, the meds are identical.
2. Hydrate the animal before you begin feeding it. I'd use pedialyte and drip it on the little guy's nose. He should lick it up and begin to look better.
3.If he really won't eat on his own you'll have to assist feed. I use meat baby food and ensure with cricket dust, there are a couple other things you could use, but I've found that works pretty well. Try dripping that on his nose, hopefully he'll lick it up. Prying their mouths open is a step I don't like to take, but if you think you should, be gentle and don't use very much!
4.Hopefully he doesn't just throw all this up, and the vet will have some medicine for you and everything will turn around.
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

The vet said at this point many leos loose their ability to swallow, or rather the reflex to swallow.

He also said that force feeding would probably stress it too death.

All in all the vet is a good guy and he did just give up he just said there may not be much he could do!

Thanks

Its still alive! If you were sick, would you like to be thrown in the big freezer just so no one has to deal with you? Freezing is EXTREMELY painful, poor thing...please dont freeze it. If anything, take it to the vet to be euthanized, which should be free.

ugh.

~Crystal
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Crystal Light (Yes..that's my real name)
&
Dusty Windom (Yeap..that's my real name, too)

*Whenever you lose a gecko, just think of it as God building on his own Leopard Gecko collection

The Gecko Barn

Its going to be very hard to tell if its not eating because of stress from being shipped or if its not eating because its sick. No gecko (or any reptile for that matter) that i've brought home has eaten within the first week of being moved, but the runny stools is a sign that it is sick. I've never heard of stress causing diarrhea. Somebody correct me if i'm wrong, but if i were you, i would wait a week and if it still hasnt eaten take it to the vet to force feed it. A vet visit is probably a good idea even if it starts to eat. Also, i hope you chose to quarentine. Dont try to force feed it yourself, unless you have experience, you may want to have the vet show you how you do it so you can feed it if it continues to not eat. I may be overestimating the seriousness of your situation, so somebody please correct me if i'm wrong.

There is a chance that it's due to shipping but runny poo and his emaciated condition almost guarentees that he's got some sort of parasite or bacterial infection. So if he passes another lose stool or fails to eat soon take him in for a fecal. Since it sounds like he's already really emaciated, unless this is addressed promptly he probably won't make it.

I've rehabbed starved geckos before, and even though they were just skin and bones they produced solid poos. They also readily / eagerly took food. They usually required hand feeding the first few times. I'd crush the head of a mealworm, squeeze out some guts, offer it on forceps and let them lick it. After a quick lick, they would eagerly take the mealy. The first few feedings I'd only give them 5 mealies at most, otherwise they tend to vomit because they ate too much (I guess their tummies shrank) than I gradually work up until I could give them all they could eat.

Good luck, I really hope you can save the little guy!
Alice

Thanks for you help!

I was able to get the poor guy to eat 2 waxworms off the end of a toothpick!!

He didn't seemed interested at first but after a little persistance he finally licked the waxworm (which was a little goey from being impalled) and then ate it right up!

Any thoughts! He didn't seemed interested until he licked it! His eyes are squinted from being deydrated, maybe he's blind?

Any thoughts!
Thanks

Hi

Hydration, Hydration, Hydration. You just really need to get fluids in him, so you can try and get his veins and so on to open up and his system to start absorbing liquids again. Once his system starts to take in water again, his veins hopefully will start to re-expand and then food should go down easier for him.

Keep up the good work!. Like you said, he still looks like he is willing to try, and you are willing to work with him, he will feel that coming from you and know that he isn't alone in his fight.

Take Care, TLB