Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My father refuses to take my geck to the vet. He was riding around with me in the car all day and we just got home and I was getting out of the car and he was in my pocket. he jumped out and under my foot. I felt somthing under my shoe and it was my gecko. i picked him up and he was bleeding all over and something was hanging out of his vent. My dad shoved it in with a Q-tip and refuses to let me take him to a vet. My dad said maybe it was a hernia and he would be okay. He crawled in his hut and has been walking around. I am very very scared. I love the gecko and he deseves vet care. maybe they couldn't even save him. Does anyone have any sugestions or know if he has a chance or what it is?
casidhe

That is very sad that your father won't allow you to take him to the vet. j/c, how old are you? How long have you had the leo?

I'm assuming that you're pretty young... So if your dad won't take him to the vet, unless there is someone in your community who will take him in and get him the care he needs, there isn't too much else you can do. Just wait and see. Don't try to ship him to anyone, though - that will just cause extra stress and won't be helpful.

Good Luck.

~~Dusty Windom
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So Many Alleles, So Little Time...!
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~~The Gecko Barn~~

I am 16 and he is an adult, I have had him for three months and he has been doing fantastic. I have an adult savannah monitor, adult kingsnake, and some frogs. He has been living in a 100 gal reptarium with lots of hides, crickets, vitamis, water, heating... he was doing so great. I love that gecko. If i had only left him in the cage this morning...

Do you have a Biology teacher at school? Many Bio. teachers (even English teachers, as I am evidence of) will gladly take in reptiles. I know it's the weekend, but you should be able to look up your teacher's email address on your school's website address. Then email your biology teacher and ask him/her for suggestions.

~~Dusty Windom
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So Many Alleles, So Little Time...!
@
~~The Gecko Barn~~

Is there a vet in your area that you can call? I know many vets will offer advice over the phone. or if you can find a vet that will just take a look at your little guy for free, maybe one that dosent always deal with exotics and needs some experience? also, can you get some pics of his injuries up here? somebody might be able to get you a little more info.

Also...it would probbaly be best to get him in a 10g hospitol tank; paper towel, moist hide, dry hide, water dish, and no loose crickets.

GOOD LUCK! keep us updated!
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Check out my site ~ www.freewebs.com/stephsgeckos

Yes, he does need vet care, but you shouldn't of been carrying him around with you all day, it's not like taking a cat or dog with you.
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theamphibianboard/

what were u thinkink putting your leo in your pocket? pretty stupid in my opinion..... try telling your mom... moms usually give in easier.

Look people she's young and she made a mistake. We've all made stupid mistakes before wether it be with a pet or something else but its over and done now so don't make her feel any worse than she already does about it. She realizes that her gecko needs vet care but since she has no way of getting it there without help at least she's trying another alternative rather than just waiting and hoping. She wants help not a lecture or reprimand for her actions which in this case I commend her for caring about the well being of her animal. Instead of telling her that she made a mistake lets actually try to help her. I know I'm probably really far away from where she's at, I'm far away from pretty much everyone and everything, but if I wasn't I'd be going to get her gecko and take it to the vet myself because I actually care about the well being of all animals and I know what she's going through so please for her gecko someone help her.

There's a good question... What area do you live in cti? (You don't have to say in this public forum) I'm in San Antonio, TX.. Perhaps someone in your area could help you out?

~~Dusty Windom
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So Many Alleles, So Little Time...!
@
~~The Gecko Barn~~

I agree with you nicole, sometimes people come across pretty harsh, but it is also important that people realize when they are doing something that couldbe potentially dangerous for their animals, such as carrying them around all day. But I suppose there are nicer ways to say it....

My two cents...

Try your best to get your leo to the vet and if you cant just keep a realy close eye on him and leave him compltely alone except to feed, water,and turn the lights on and off, for awhile. GIve him a chance to recover.

I have to agree though, reptiles are not the kind of animals to be traveling with you. One reason for this you have already discovered, physical trauma. But also, and equally as important, reptiles are cold blooded and need to be kept heated to the proper temps, they cannot do this if they are carried around in your pocket all day. If you need to transport your gecko (which should only be done if he is being taken to the vet or other lkewise trip) be sure to place him in a secure, ventalated, heated contanor.
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Yes, I am very sorry to say that your gecko does not have a high chance of survival after that description. The most humane thing will probably turn out to be to have him put to sleep. If your father will not pay for a veterinary visit, then I recommend you contact a local reptile rescue, explain the situation to them, and give them the gecko so that they can get it immediate veterinary care....it is the humane thing to do. If there is no local reptile rescue, then contact your local humane society. The gecko is obviously in great pain, and suffering, after such a serious and probably terminal injury. No animal deserves to suffer in pain that way. He may hang on for a long time with very serious injuries, but he will not recover from what you have described on his own, if at all--that is a virtual certainty.

I also recommend that you do not get another pet until/unless your parent agrees to provide proper veterinary care for it if it should become ill or injuried, or you have made enough money that you, yourself, can afford veterinary treatment for it. That is a sad thing, but if you truly love these animals, you will understand why it should be so. To fail to provide medical care to an injured pet is considered neglect, in some cases animal cruelty, and it is illegal in most states in the US...subject to confiscation of the animal by animal control/humane society, and possible fines.

Alas, adults are not perfect, and that includes parents. Your father probably does not consider a reptile to be a feeling creature...many people don't. You may know better, but if you are a minor, there is little you can do about that. You could work to change his attitude, but with his wallet at stake, there is no certainty of your being able to do so...and it would not be in time for your gecko. You should also educate yourself, so that such an accident can never happen again--a leopard gecko is not a pet that should be carried around in a car loose, and your parents should have made certain that both they and you knew that ahead of time. It's not responsible for a parent to give a child a pet without doing research on its care themselves...many children are very responsible, but they often trust the adults around them to know what they are doing...and that isn't always the case. Many of us have heartbreaking stories of losing reptile pets when we were children, and the reason is that neither we nor our parents knew how to care for them. As children, we expected our parents to know, or the pet store owners to tell us, all that we needed to do to care for them, and they did not.

If a parent will not provide transportation for you to relinquish the gecko to a rescue or humane society, you may be able to get a local humane society or animal control to pick it up--simply call them. I am a parent, and wouldn't normally suggest a child go around doing things behind a parent's back, but in this case, there is a living, suffering being involved, and the behavior of your parent is both immoral and illegal, though it may not be deliberately so. If they won't drive you, call the humane society on your own. That may sound harsh, but it is the truth. Be sure to explain the seriousness of the gecko's injuries, so that it will receive immediate veterinary care when it arrives at their center.