HELP - my gecko is sick!

[Glider]

It probably looks damp because she said that she washed the sand thoroughly before putting it back in. IMO it can be damp as long as it's dry on the hot side.


Edit my previous post too- I thought it was the small 30cmx30cm tanks. The 1.5ft one is plenty big enough

 

[Aslan]

How did ur ackie loose part of its tail aslan?

Skin Constriction - I was keeping him too cool - about 45 - 50*c (which at the time I thought was scorching) I now know better, he eats better and sheds better and seems far happier...

...unfortunately, being my first Monitor he sort of suffered from Guinea Pig syndrome while I tweaked my husbandry - again, very unfortunate as he is an otherwise brilliant looking little Ackie, but I believe it certainly helped me learn quite a bit about husbandry...

 

[JasonL]

I can see a problem, you have a magnetic hide, it's unheated. Geckos will choose a safe hide, over sitting out in the open to heat them selves up every time. Your enclosure set-up needs a hide (or several) that the gecko can thermo-regulate themselves without leaving. you need to heat half the groundspace with hides running from the hot-end to the cold end, PVC pipe is good for this, just cut lengthways so it is a long cave type hide. Get ride of the magnetic hide.

 

[Liccy]

Ok, went to see Robert Johnson today - this is what he said:

* He thinks i have done nothing wrong - not even the meal worms
* He believes that as the other one is so much bigger it dominated the little one in which it took all the food
* He also said that the sick gecko was severly malnourished - resulting in a slow degeneration of its Kidneys which in turn led to neurological problems - this was possbily enhanced with stress from the move - which topped him off
* There was nothing I could have done in 2 weeks to either prevent it or make it any worse...

I took in photos of my enclosure and had a good discussion about humdity, heating, UVB etc...

And providing i get a decent hide for the heated section - all should be well... the living gecko is in excellent health...

Yes - in the pic the sand was damp as yes - it had just been washed... (thanks Glider)...

Another person on here as PM'd me and lives very close to me - she suggested we catch up and look at each others enclosures... i think this would be an excellent idea.

Thansk for all your help - i am much relieved to know there was nothing i could have done...

Alicia

 

[JasonL]

I believe it died from hypocalcaemia, it is a common death from some sp. of gecko in southern states. Under heated geckos loose calcium from their blood, creating muscle problems, uncordination, and eventually dieing in a fit, just like bearded dragons. I believe this is also a problem in snakes, often being put down as IBD - OPMV.