HELP - my gecko is sick!

[Liccy]

I bought a pair of smooth knob-tails 2 weekends ago...

The sick one in question ate 2 meal worms the other night, and then the next day vomitted them up. since then he has eaten another 2 meal worms... and has not been very active...

I jsut looked in the cage and he was flipped on his back with his legs splayed... I flipped him back over and he cant walk straight - leaning to one side and stopping....

at the moment he is laying on his belly - legs splayed and not moving... i read that they can die easily from dehydration, so i misted him... the other one moved and flinched, and the sick one didnt even care.

I can't get to a vet till Saturday - anyone have any ideas? - im thinking its urgent!!

Liccy

 

[hornet]

you fed it mealies after it vomitted the first lot up? I really have no idea whats wrong, not good whatever it is.

 

[Rocket]

Do you not know the risks of feeding mealies? Why would you feed it mealworms after it was sick because of them?

From now on (if it survives) I suggest that you feed it Crickets.

 

[Liccy]

I didnt think it was the mealies that made it sick!....

thinking more along the lines of stress from being moved to a new house?

and no-one could give me any information on them?.... the only info i got told was mealworms and crickets?

 

[hornet]

nope, what your guy has is way worse then the stress of a move

 

[Liccy]

is it possibly and environmental thing from the enclosure? ie. too humid or something?

 

[Rocket]

No way, knobbies can handle a move very easily! Who gave you the impression they would get that stressed?

Feeding it mealworms is my guess at what the problem would be. Why feed mealworms, they can be dangerous and have poor nutritional value.

 

[Liccy]

They didnt seem to be able to catch the drickets very well - read articles on feeding mealworms... never saw any warnings anywhere?

He has his mouth a little bit open as well?

 

[hornet]

read up more, you will find warnings everywhere, very high in fat but its the chiton content that blocks the herps up and can kill them

 

[Liccy]

So if he makes it till Saturday - anyone know of any good reptile vets in the windsor area? Rob Zammit is spose to be a godo vet - think he does reptilies too?

 

[Rocket]

Just because you couldnt see them catch the crickets doesnt mean they cant. If your that worried, pinch the hoppers off. Hornet is right, there are warnings everywhere especially if Mealies are going to be the bulk of the diet.

 

[junglepython2]

While I don't feed mealworms to geckos some o/s breeders do it with a lot of success, I doubt that feeding him two mealworms that he has regurgitated anyway would have caused those symptoms. Unless you have fed him alot previously.

 

[Liccy]

i read another post just now where a beardie has tensed, flipped over and its back legs didnt seem to be doing much and it had its mouth half open... sounds the same - only not the same lizard of course...

someone suggested it could be backed up and to soak it in a little warm water to see if it 'shoots' one out...

i know its a long shot - is it worth a try?

All he has eaten (unless he ate some crickets) is the 4 mealworms, which 2 were regurgitated...and wat looks like maybe another one tonight in the cage?...

ive only had it a bit under 2 weeks

 

[hornet]

well in that case sounds like mbd, unfortunatly the 3 times i have had that i lost the lizards

 

[sparticus]

just feed them crickets and woodies..Keep away from the mealworms..there might only be a small chance something can go wrong,but why take that chance..make sure you have a good heat spot for them so it will aid in digestion of there food..

 

[Rocket]

Are you leaving the mealworms in there? If the mealworms is what is responsible, why leave them in there at the risk of the other gecko?

Soak it in water- No! Geckos are so different to beardies in most respects and handling the sick one could even lead to a quicker death.......

 

[jordo]

While I don't feed mealworms to geckos some o/s breeders do it with a lot of success, I doubt that feeding him two mealworms that he has regurgitated anyway would have caused those symptoms. Unless you have fed him alot previously.

Yeah I have to agree with that, many people seem think mealies are the spawn of satan but I doubt only two weeks of feeding on mealies would result in these symptoms.

 

[Clairebear]

Give Liccy useful comments, not ones that make him/her look incompetent, like he/she would know... (lots of people feed mealworms with no bad effects).

Give facts instead of judgements like 'why would you do that?' - obviously if the person you bought them off told you to feed them mealies you would. ( i know the internet is unforgiving in the fact you can't tell people's intentions but still...) It just sounds like you're getting mad at Liccy... people need to learn ok? And the only way i know that mealies aren't good is because the breeder i got my Storr's off told me some horror stories.

And i'm sorry Liccy i can't be more helpful. It's going to be a long wait for you i'm sure you're anxious.

 

[Clairebear]

That was at the first few posts not the last ones just before my post... i took ages to type sorry!

 

[mecoop]

i know this must sound silly but could it be dehydration,
Have you been misting the tank for it to drink as they do not like drinking from a bowl.
Also what temps are they at

I am no expert but has similar problems with my pygmy beardies

cheers
Aaron