New to gecko parenthood

[Margi San Diego]

I acquired a female leopard gecko unknown age with a severe infection with overall lumps, ulcers, and swellings esp on feet. After vet visit gave her 30days antibiotics, calcium, and heat. She is much better but not perfect. Feet are still a bit misshapen, maybe permanent.

She seems happy and somewhat active with a 20 gal tank, small heat rock and a regular heating pad around one end of the tank. She hates the infra red lamp and will hide if I turn it on. I was hesitant to invest more until she recovered. She now eagerly eats 5-10 mealworms per day. I get her small crickets when they are available and she seems to enjoy the hunt. She has a half log with moss inside on “ceiling” which she has never entered as well as a clay 3 level hide which she does use. I have a terrarium liner to replace the sand she came with.

Does anyone have advice on what more she needs? A good book (for me, not her!) It seems difficult to get reliable information without traipsing back to the vet. This isn’t a project I planned on starting but I’m attached to the girl and want to do my best.

 

[Margi San Diego]

 

[acpart]

Glad you were able to help her. Don't worry about the infra red light; it's not really needed for a nocturnal gecko. Ideally you're using Vitamin D3 as well as calcium. The D3 helps to metabolize the calcium. I recommend you google "leaped gecko care" and read some care sheets to see what advice there is in common. Another interesting book is "The Leopard Gecko Advisor" by Ray Roehner, who used to have a store specializing in leopard geckos. I wrote a review of it for Gecko Time here: http://www.geckotime.com/book-review-leopard-gecko-advisor/.
I also notice that in the picture there is some stuck shed on her toes (front right toe). If it's still there you should try to remove it.

Aliza

 

[Margi San Diego]

Glad you were able to help her. Don't worry about the infra red light; it's not really needed for a nocturnal gecko. Ideally you're using Vitamin D3 as well as calcium. The D3 helps to metabolize the calcium. I recommend you google "leaped gecko care" and read some care sheets to see what advice there is in common. Another interesting book is "The Leopard Gecko Advisor" by Ray Roehner, who used to have a store specializing in leopard geckos. I wrote a review of it for Gecko Time here: http://www.geckotime.com/book-review-leopard-gecko-advisor/.
I also notice that in the picture there is some stuck shed on her toes (front right toe). If it's still there you should try to remove it.

Aliza

The shed is a problem. It was worse before. All that’s left seems to be on the actual nails and I can’t get it off without pulling harder than seems healthy. It’s actually on all four paws. She has been soaking in her dish the last couple of days so maybe that’s a sign she wants to work on it. I’ve just been dripping water on it. Is there anything else that might soften it? I am ordering the book. Thanks so much!

 

[acpart]

If she will let you handle her, you're going to have to use your fingernails to pull it off. When I have to do this, I hold the gecko at about waist height and put my shirt tail over its head, so it kind of thinks it's hiding. Then I get one foot to stick out and use my nails pretty energetically. If the gecko starts struggling, I stop, let it walk a little bit and then start over. It's a pain in the neck (well, not really the neck . . . ) but eventually it gets done and then under your good care it won't build up like that again!

Aliza