Worried about my leo, seems lifeless

[Lewis28]

Ok people, dont be so harsh. Yes I would say your leo needs to go to the vet tommorow, but you have done the right thing, you have identified a problem and instantly seeked help from a place where you know that fellow lizard owners spend their time.

You are also caring for your pet correctly, and for all the people moaning about you not having much money, at least you are spending what little money you do have on food for your gecko!

Consultations are usually about £15-£25, which might sound expensive, but you have to remeber that sorting a problem out at the earlier stages will be of a help to your animal and will also be a lot cheaper in the long run.

I would say that tonight you might be best to bathe your leo in some warm (not hot) water, this encourages them to poo, therefore helping (not curing) a possible impaction.

[freekygeeky]

leos should never ever ever want to lay upside down my go crazy and squeeek..


its thin, very thin, its seems to have a swelling/open on its ''private parts''


and im sorry, harsh but true, if you cant afford vet bills you shoudlnt of got it, infact you are breaking the law.
It NEEDS to go tonight, honestly, or tomorrow at like 7am...if it lasts that long.

[Geckogirl_88]

yeh, was gonna say, try not to have it on its back as they cant breathe that way. Dont worry, u didnt know (im assuming), just dont do it again as he looks really weak as it is It may be he has had paracites since before u got him. Is this ur first/only reptile?
If you give ur vet a call, they can usually sort something out for you payment wise. They're not gonna let him die just cos ur a bit skint. It may be that, as he's so weak and so young, that they recomend putting him to sleep. This usually costs about a tenner so worst case synario, if u cant aford treatment, borrow a tenner from somewhere, as its kinder than letting him suffer a slow and possibly painful death.

Chin up
Keep us posted
xx

[Keir64]

So someone buys what at first seems like a healthy pet and then it turns ill out of the blue and he asks for help and all he gets told is that he should be ashamed of his self etc. :censored: hell?
Agree with lewis28 good luck matee

[joeyboy]

Originally Posted by Keir64

So someone buys what at first seems like a healthy pet and then it turns ill out of the blue and he asks for help and all he gets told is that he should be ashamed of his self etc. :censored: hell?
Agree with lewis28 good luck matee

unfortunately it's the norm here....

I little more tact would help, if the person starts to become aggressive or arrogant and denies your help then yes maybe you can be a bit more forceful in your comments but telling someone they should be ashamed and the like isn't going to help, no wonder you see threads where the OP asks for help, posts their set-up and after 2-3 pages of the same comments insulting them and ripping them apart as a keeper they never respond again.

[Breadrun]

Originally Posted by joeyboy

unfortunately it's the norm here....

I little more tact would help, if the person starts to become aggressive or arrogant and denies your help then yes maybe you can be a bit more forceful in your comments but telling someone they should be ashamed and the like isn't going to help, no wonder you see threads where the OP asks for help, posts their set-up and after 2-3 pages of the same comments insulting them and ripping them apart as a keeper they never respond again.

I agree, if anything the people who post these things should be ashamed of THEMSELVES! the should get the out of this forum because this forum is for advice and suggestion, fair enough he should have researched more but it does happen, u buy a seemingly healthy pet and they start to go downhill because of their previous owner, the pic tho is tuggin at my heart strings because it does look dead allready, i am hoping for you daniel and hope it makes a quick recovery, what is important is to LEARN from this, if god forbid the little mite doesnt make it then learn from yor mistakes and if EVER you decide to get another pet do some research months in advance, thats what i do, i read numerous books and numerous articles online and make sure i know the needs of the animal before i get it, please get to a vet first thing tommorow without fail, you have done the right thing by asking for help and noticing a problem (allbeit maybe too late), good luck

[joeyboy]

Originally Posted by Breadrun

good luck

aye. Thing is though has it always had a tails so thin? If so it might be parasite or illness related, though it sounds like it's gone downhill though, maybe an infection or parasite which has taken time to take hold.

I fecal sample really is needed. As said an online place does them at very reasonable prices. I think something like £10 or so for a basic one(parasites) or £25 for one which covers parasites and some diseases including Crypto. They mail you a kit, you get a poo, put it in the bag/bottle thing and post it back.

[maddragon29]

Originally Posted by daniel101191

Hi there, its quarter to 10 now, and i have noticed my leo being really quiet recently. He is about 10 weeks old roughly. So for the first time in like a week (had him 3 weeks), i went to pick him up, and he seemed lifeless, he was breathing, he barely opened his eyes, and when i got him and tried to pick him up then, he was super quick. Recently he has not been eating crickets, and he is just on mini mealworms, and was planning on trying hoppers tomorrow (pay day). I have taken a picture of the bottom of him, just to see if anything sees anything unusual. Im really worried, because he looks like he is on his way out, and i have only had him 3 weeks.. im scared he has eating something he shudnt have. Substrate = kitchen towel. and there is calci dust in a pot. I did forget to change his water around 3 days in a row by accident, and when i did, i noticed floating little furry bits in it, cleaned it out asap. and that has only happened once. HELPP :P any advice is appreciated. Can't really afford to take him to the vet... see if the picture gives any clues away..

Thanks in advanced

image

This is what people should be ashamed of... coming out and saying they cant afford to take an animal to a vet. Sorry if my previous comment sounded harsh (and i will edit it now to prevent more people getting upset - Edit: I cannot now but this is me apologising for upsetting anyone!) but its also the norm on here for people to come onto the forum, ask for help and say "i cannot afford the vet"... and i for one think it's sick.

If people cannot afford the care of an animal, they shouldn't have it. A forum full of people, even if they are experienced, can only tell so much from pictures and help very little in situations like this. Yet still people buy animals then come on here when theres problems thinking they can be solved without them having to spend a penny.

/rant.

I hope that the animal pulls through, or is put out of his misery asap, whichever is best. However the OP also said that they have noticed "recently" how recent is recent i wonder? A young animal should really be taken to a vet at the first signs of something being wrong, and i (hope to god not!) fear the OP has left it too late to take action, as three weeks can be a long time to a sickly baby animal.

[Breadrun]

yes agree'd they should be ashamed but most of us "cant really afford to go to the vets" although most of us responsible owners will do anything to "be able to afford it", personally id sell the very clothes on my back to care and support my animals and i know if every i need to i will find a way (wether it means borrow or pawn a bit of gold for a month)

personally i think there should be a restriction on under 18's not being allowed to buy animals (well i think there already is but most people and shops dont implement this rule), that way either the person should have more "life-experiance" to be able to asses (forgotten spelling) the animals need or the under 18 will have to get parents permission and therefore the parent should be prepared to pay for vet bills/housing etc, I know quite a few "parents" who think reptiles are easy/hardy pets to keep and like i always say a reptile is one of the hardest pets to keep, when i was about 12 i had a berber skink and one week i got my pocket money stopped and when bringing up the food my step-dad simple said "its a lizard, it can go a few weeks without food there used to it", luckily the berber was fine but it just proves how many adults (not just kids) dont understand the nesscesities of what a reptile needs

[Mal]

Danial, Im afraid people are right in saying if you cant afford to take an animal to the vet you shouldnt have the animal. That said, there are times when even with the best intentions in the world, when the time comes we, have trouble funding a vets visit. Thats the time to review your finances, do without things, beg and borrow from relatives or go and wash a few cars or any other little job that will raise money. Any reputable vet should be able to work out a payment scheme if you cant afford to pay up front. It is against the vets version of they hypocratic oath to let an animal suffer needlessly. Contact your vet and speak to the practice manager or receptionist, explain your predicament and they may be sympathetic and help.

Now to the gecko. I think the first thing you need to do is completly review your setup and check everything is ok. What are your temps at the warm end ? They should be 88 to 90 F. You say you are using paper towel as substrate so that will have reduced the likelyhood of impaction. (It can never be 100 % free of impaction risk). When did the gecko last poop and was the poop normal ie solid & formed with a blob of white urate at the end?. If you can get a vets appointment and you have any fresh poop in the viv take it with you to the vets. Have you weighed the gecko ? Ideally you should have weighed it on the day you purchased it and every couple of days after that. Have you actually seen it eat and if so how much had it been eating. A hatchling of that size should be clearing about 20 mini mealies a day. Have you been dusting with calcium and vitamins ?

Looking at the leos underside I wouldnt be as eager to rush into impaction remedies. Its abdomen doesnt look distended and it looks like it has a problem around the vent. A warm bath would possibly help for impaction but that little gecko looks in such a state of extremis the shock and stress of the bath may possibly be too much for him. Im sorry to say but the fact your gecko will lay on its back on an open hand without any form of restraint is a very very bad sign. No matter how sick a gecko is, its survival instinct would automatically kick in and it would try to get back on its feet and break away. It doesnt look like your gecko has any fight left in it Im afraid. Having said that, dont give up hope yet. Im afraid you will have to be very realistic when you go to the vets. It may be that the vet suggests you have the gecko put to sleep. It may be kinder on you both rather than than struggling to save it when its chances of making it are very very slim.

Its easy to beat yourself up over something like this but it is possible your gecko may have had underllying problems from before you purchased him. Its a hard way to learn but if things dont work out for this gecko, you may have gained some knowledge and experience that will help you become a better keeper if you get another gecko. Im sorry if this post upsets you but it would be wrong to give you too much hope when in reality the situation is very bleak.