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An unhealthy, skinny baby leo.

twee Oct 16, 2004 09:53 PM

My little brother has recantly bought a juvinile leopard gecko from Petsmart. I am worried about it, and so are our parents. It seems much too skinny, and is inactive, and dosnt bask at all. He is rather seclusive, and only comes out to hunt, where he eats anything that comes near his mouth, almost never taking the time or energy to hunt. I own an adult who I have had for three years, who has never had any health problems. I know regular leo behavour, and this isnt normal. Any help?
Image

Replies (20)

twee Oct 16, 2004 09:53 PM

Sorry, heres a picture that actually works, head only.
Image

LeopardGeckoMan Oct 16, 2004 10:00 PM

wow thats very disapointing taht pet storms can be that cruel. i went to a pet city and there was a 75% dead BD there, barly hanging on the twig, any how. Feed it 1 wax worm a week, and try to give it 6-8 crickets a day and offer it mealworm to fatten him up. Also use calcium thing to build up those bones. as for the moving around: i doubt he has a lot of energy seeing as how he is that small. It is a good thing to see him hunting though.

So the best information i can give u is to feed him nutricious and fatty insects until he gains some weight.

Hope it helps!
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Leopard Geckos ROCK!!!
Leopard Geckos ROCK!!!
Leopard Geckos ROCK!!!
Leopard Geckos ROCK!!! Leopard Geckos ROCK!!!
Leopard Geckos ROCK!!!
Leopard Geckos ROCK!!!
Leopard Geckos ROCK!!!

twee Oct 17, 2004 06:58 AM

Trer is a picture of his terraum. Thanks for the help. The mat is down to stop him from injesting sand grains. Just before I posted this, he started him on mealies. He doesnt seem to have any intrest in them. We offer them in a tray, and he didnt eat any. I will tell him to dust more often, which is what he is haveing trouble doing. Hes not big, only four inches. His head is huge compaired to his body, as I'm sure you could see His tail makes me wairy, for there is not fat in it at all. I will post a picture of his tail later. With his size, will he be able to eat a kingworm? I have never fed mine a kingworm, so I have no idea how big they are. Thanks.
Image

Buddy25 Oct 17, 2004 11:21 AM

The poor poor thing!
IS the little guy eating at all?

I'd say feed him right now a base diet of dusted calcium/vitamin dusted waxworms. HE needs some extreme nutrtrition so small silkworms would also be extremely beneficial!

Try some small crickets for variety as well.
Good luck on the lil guy, and please post updates
Steven
-----
Steven ,

and flock;
-1.1 Cockatiels(Buddy and Jake)
-1.1 Budgies(Chipy and Peaches)
-1.0 Orange cheeked waxbill

And slime/scales;
-1.0 Firebellied toad
-1.0 Japanese firebellied newt
-1.0 Leopard gecko
-4 leopard frog tadpoles

Fish, feeders and other wriggly things!

rhachodactylus Oct 17, 2004 11:38 AM

that leo NEEDS to be taken to a vet ASAP, its obviously sick, probably a worm, it may be to late for that leo anyways, take a fecal sample in to a vet and ask for a fecal exam, shouldnt cost no more than 15$,

geckos dont get that skinny from being underfed...

Snarks Oct 17, 2004 12:54 PM

I agree that that thing is definately sick, poor poor thing doesnt' even look like a gecko anymore.

It might be too far gone to save though, i would return it and never buy anything from there, personally i would never buy a leo that sickly even out of sympathy because it only proves that they can still sell sick animals therefore make a profit.
Check out Golden Gate Geckos for a slurry reciepe, make sure he's warm enough and he will not be active, he/she will want to hide, i would also try to cover up the sides of the tank to prevent further stress... ugh i dunno so many things but such a far gone gecko...

good luck

tim5580 Oct 17, 2004 11:46 AM

>>The poor poor thing!
>>IS the little guy eating at all?
>>
>>I'd say feed him right now a base diet of dusted calcium/vitamin dusted waxworms. HE needs some extreme nutrtrition so small silkworms would also be extremely beneficial!
>>
>>Try some small crickets for variety as well.
>>Good luck on the lil guy, and please post updates
>>Steven
>>-----
>> Steven ,
smash them up into a paste and put it on his mouth so he has to lick it off. or try ripping the butts off mealworms and sticking in his face i heard that works

>>
>>and flock;
>>-1.1 Cockatiels(Buddy and Jake)
>>-1.1 Budgies(Chipy and Peaches)
>>-1.0 Orange cheeked waxbill
>>
>>And slime/scales;
>>-1.0 Firebellied toad
>>-1.0 Japanese firebellied newt
>>-1.0 Leopard gecko
>>-4 leopard frog tadpoles
>>
>>Fish, feeders and other wriggly things!
-----
**********************************
Tim W. My Pictures
0.1.0 Dumeril Boas
0.1.0 Kittens
0.0.1 Leopard Geckos

It rubs the lotion on it's skin. It rubs the lotion on it's skin or else it gets the hose again.
Bleach and Ammonia make Ammonium Chloride = Dead you

twee Oct 17, 2004 01:26 PM

We thought it might be worms. I have looked at his fecies, and didnt see any, but I am no vet, and it is compleatly possable. He IS eating, in fact, quite a bit. He ate 5 mealies and 2 crickets last night.

When he was bought, he was not that skinny. In fact, he was a pritty good weight. Everything he is living in is brand new, so he must have recantly picked up the worm at the store. You would think Petsmart would be free from worms/viruses like that.

Thanks for your help. I will post updates for you as soon as anything happens. Wish him luck!

Below is a picture of my leo, Yoshi. I'm concerned, and just seeing her makes me happy.
Image

twee Oct 17, 2004 01:38 PM

We also lined the cage in dark construction paper, ans switched his lamp for my bigger, hotter lamp. We dont know if he'll make it, but were giving him a better shot. We are also giving him baths in luke-warm water, which seems to revive him. Any other advice would be appreciated.

rhachodactylus Oct 17, 2004 02:45 PM

you wont be able to see the worms in the feces, thats why you needd to bring the feces to a vet, keep yours seperate from the sick one and yours will be fine

it takes 3 months at least for anything to show up, and at least 2=5 months for them to become that skinny, so he's obviously been sick for a while

SpikeNsquirt Oct 17, 2004 03:22 PM

Do you have an under the tank heater? If you don't you probably should. That leo need a vet visit ASAP.

gurnham4 Oct 17, 2004 05:55 PM

I bought a gecko just that skinny from petsmart and he passed on 3 weeks later, if I were you I'd take him to the vet, my gecko was gaining weight but he still crashed (he was fine at 9 the morning and died in my hands when I came home from school at like 9 at night). See if you can get some meds for him if it is sick, and take in a fresh stool sample. If your having problems getting him to eat, pinch off the butts of mealies and waxworms and rub the guts on the mouth, it makes them really interested in their food. I have also read that baby food (turkey flavor) can give a leo a boost because of the high protien content. My personal opinion is this: take it to the vet and then I would just pinch the heads off the mealies and squirt the guts on its face (it's gross but i found my little guy had trouble eating whole mealworms and would puke them up, try giving him a baby food diet or mealworm guts*dab some on your finger and put it on his mouth. make sure it's not cold food but not too hot.*) maybe mix it with calcium to get his bones stronger

twee Oct 17, 2004 07:02 PM

At 8:02pm on October the 17th, Zig-zag passed on. He will be missed. Thank you all for your concern.

peachstategeckos Oct 17, 2004 07:08 PM

Awww..I'm sooo sorry! Are you going to try to get another one?? Try a breeder this time....Golden Gate Geckos, Leo Lovers Lizard Lounge etc.
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Katie
Peach State Geckos
Breeding Mealworms
My Email

twee Oct 17, 2004 08:26 PM

We live in Canada so shipping is too much, and some breeders dont ship out here. We are doing a very reliable breeder. It wasnt my gecko, it was my brothers, but I am still very sad. He wants to get an adult this time, as they are not as seceptable to diseases.

tim5580 Oct 17, 2004 09:13 PM

I'm sorry to hear that.

Some of the people on here are from Canada and they could tell you where they got their geckos.

>>We live in Canada so shipping is too much, and some breeders dont ship out here. We are doing a very reliable breeder. It wasnt my gecko, it was my brothers, but I am still very sad. He wants to get an adult this time, as they are not as seceptable to diseases.
-----
**********************************
Tim W. My Pictures
0.1.0 Dumeril Boas
0.1.0 Kittens
0.0.1 Leopard Geckos

It rubs the lotion on it's skin. It rubs the lotion on it's skin or else it gets the hose again.
Bleach and Ammonia make Ammonium Chloride = Dead you

gurnham4 Oct 17, 2004 11:06 PM

you said you've had your gecko only for a few weeks? demand your money back. There was a 2 week limit on my gecko but he passed on after 3 weeks and I raised heck (after reporting them to the ASPCA). I got my money back but I still miss my gecko

tim5580 Oct 17, 2004 11:10 PM

Yeah, I would report them to the SPCA too. Geckos with little tails like that aren't healthy. If there were sick or starving dogs in there they'd make them fix it and the same goes for reptiles too.

>>you said you've had your gecko only for a few weeks? demand your money back. There was a 2 week limit on my gecko but he passed on after 3 weeks and I raised heck (after reporting them to the ASPCA). I got my money back but I still miss my gecko
-----
**********************************
Tim W. My Pictures
0.1.0 Dumeril Boas
0.1.0 Kittens
0.0.1 Leopard Geckos

It rubs the lotion on it's skin. It rubs the lotion on it's skin or else it gets the hose again.
Bleach and Ammonia make Ammonium Chloride = Dead you

twee Oct 18, 2004 07:04 AM

This place has a 2 week return only polocy, and we had him for a month. I never want to buy another animal from there, but I will try to get money back, and will defantly report them to the SPCA.

gurnham4 Oct 19, 2004 09:51 PM

get on their butt about getting your money back. I mean when you invest 30-40 bucks on an animal you would think it would last longer than a month! raise hell or I'll do it for you

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