Rescue baby

[cinderbird]

Yesterday i stopped in a BigBox pet store to grab some hairball remedy for one of my cats. I usually stop by the reptile section just to see whats going on and I saw one baby leopard gecko who obviously was in need of some TLC. I stopped by the cashier and told her that I thought someone should take a look at him and maybe separate him from his much larger room mates. I as assured someone would take care of him and she would notify the floor manager herself.

I went back today after talking to my fiancee about it and he said I should ask them if they would adopt it out to me instead of letting it die. Great idea! When I went in, of course he was still in the cage with the larger geckos.

Long story short, I spoke to several people who kept going to the manager above them and was eventually given permission to adopt the gecko officially. I went to pick him up after work today. This is what I brought home.



"he" weighs 3grams and has already eaten 2 meal worms with calcium. I'm assuming its a normal leo. I cant tell what babies are most of the time. I've desired, if he lives he's got a forever home with me OR with a close, local friend if i can manage to give him up.

The story I was given is as follows:
He lost his tail, then started getting skinny, then skinnier, then regurging. I'm 90% sure this is a case of stress. He's now off in a cage by himself at the right temps and a little bit of extra humidity (his skin was very wrinkly).

If he can keep those two mealies down (one was fresh molted) he'll get another one tomorrow. He's not lethargic at all, which is surprising how skinny he is. He is relaxed and relented to me giving him a really good look over and weighing.

I have high hopes for him, but even if he does pass away I know someone tried to help him.

* The reason I'm not naming the store is because this store really does try to make their animals healthy. I've never seen a hamster on the sale floor with wet tail, no tiny malnourished bearded dragons, always fat healthy frogs, etc. I don't want to bash them for allowing me to take him in (i did NOT pay for him). I think that he just deteriorated too quickly for them and they just weren't sure what to do.

Wish me luck with this baby. I'll post updates

[BPelizabeth]

awwww skinny lil guy! I think with all your expertise and love he will do quite well. Good on you for saving the lil guy!!

[ballpythonluvr]

He is just to cute! Good Luck with him.

[cinderbird]

Thanks guys I really hope he makes it, i think he has the fight in him, his little body just needs to get on board.

Update 11/3 -
He regurged the two mealies sometime early this morning. I changed his paper towels and gave him some water. After putting a drop on his nose he drank it. I also think he passed a urate and some liquid urine. (seperate pile from the regurge).

I think that the constant regurges at the store have messed up the flora in his gut. I'm going to offer some "insect eating gecko" supplement later tonight. I think hes having trouble digesting things. Do you think thats a good course of action?

Im wondering if i should pick up something like nutribac to reset his intestional tract. Do you need to wait to feed geckos that have had a regurge like you do snakes? Ive only ever had one gecko regurge and it was because she just got a hold of a few to many mealies at once.

[Rorschach]

Hey good luck to you

Most of the geckos at the big boxes look like this, I have seen some at P******T that do look very healthy, but their competitor's always look terriblly skinny and sick.

Also try feeding the small phoenix worms, super duper high in calcium and should put your little friend back on the right track.

Again, good luck I wish you the best

[cinderbird]

Hey good luck to you

Most of the geckos at the big boxes look like this, I have seen some at P******T that do look very healthy, but their competitor's always look terriblly skinny and sick.

Also try feeding the small phoenix worms, super duper high in calcium and should put your little friend back on the right track.

Again, good luck I wish you the best

are the phoenix worms easy to digest? If they are i'll pick some up as soon as i possibly can. There is a reptile show saturday that I was already going to if i cant get them to ship fast enough.

[Boanerges]

Good luck with him!!! Did you try giving him the slurry?

[cinderbird]

Good luck with him!!! Did you try giving him the slurry?

I gave him a bit of slurry around 5pm and as of 9:30 he has kept it down. (I just checked on him, I think he was sleeping and I woke him up, he looked very angry haha). I just wanted to make sure he didnt barf in his hide.

If he keeps this down, when should i give him some more? Feeding him wasnt very stressful, I just kept on putting it on his nose and he kept licking it off. I was really afraid I would have to actually force feed him.

I also just ordered a more sensitive gram scale so i can keep a better track of his weight. Mine does whole grams only. Should be here in a few days.

[Boanerges]

I gave him a bit of slurry around 5pm and as of 9:30 he has kept it down. (I just checked on him, I think he was sleeping and I woke him up, he looked very angry haha). I just wanted to make sure he didnt barf in his hide.

If he keeps this down, when should i give him some more? Feeding him wasnt very stressful, I just kept on putting it on his nose and he kept licking it off. I was really afraid I would have to actually force feed him.

I also just ordered a more sensitive gram scale so i can keep a better track of his weight. Mine does whole grams only. Should be here in a few days.

Glad to hear he ate the slurry mix!!!!! Here is a thread all about the slurry (renamed gecko soup) for you too check if you have not seen it yet: http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=54742

[cinderbird]

Glad to hear he ate the slurry mix!!!!! Here is a thread all about the slurry (renamed gecko soup) for you too check if you have not seen it yet: http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=54742

OH thank you!

Update for everyone: He kept the slurry down, passed a urate, some more liquid urine and the tiniest poop I've ever seen come out of anything.