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We recently got a juvenile tangerine leo from the pet store that sold us our adult leo, Barney, who died Nov 29th. The new juvenile tangerine is named Shadow and told she is 4-5 months old. (We don't know if it's a boy or girl yet since she's too young to tell, but since she's so pretty, we are calling her a she).

Shadow wasn't in the display case at the store so we didn't get to see her moving around, only showing lots of spunk trying to climb up sides in the small carrier when the pet store employee brought her out. My family was still very numb about the passing of our other leo so I didn't think anything could possibly be wrong with this one. Anyway, once we got her home and in the vivarium I noticed something not quite right with her front limbs. She seemed to crawl on her elbows instead of putting weight on her hands. The left front seemed the prominent "problem" limb.

We took her to the vet and he felt her left arm may have a fracture, so he splinted it. (He said she was too small for him to x-ray). The 1st picture is the first splint that didn't work; she would basically drag the arm behind her and step on it with her back leg. The splint actually moved down her arm after she shed over the weekend and she began biting at it. The 2nd picture is the 2nd splint that was put on this past Tuesday which the vet used small pieces of a tongue depressor and tape to keep the limb completely still and in the correct position. However, he said to bring her back in in two days if she didn't tolerate it. Well, Shadow basically stopped eating and hid all the time, so after a week and a half of splints, they came off. We agreed with the vet that it was more important for her to eat than to try to fix the arm and that nature may heal it on it's own. Her left arm now seems to be in a better position (more at a 45 degree angle) but she seems to be struggling with the right arm. I don't know if her right arm is just tired from all the use while the left one was in the splint. And yes, I have considered Metabolic Bone Disease but the vet didn't think she has Metabolic Bone Disease.

Shadow is eating much better (4 crickets this morning!) but still seems to have a hard time with her front limbs (last picture). She really seems to have to work hard to get her front limbs to move.

She is weighing in at 14 grams which is 1 gram more than when we first got her (Nov29). She just seems really small to be a 4-5 month leo. But I am a novice here and that's why I'm looking for advice. I have done numerous searches on the internet for limb problems and age/weight-length guides but to no avail.

TANK SIZE:
20 gallon

TEMPS/LIGHTING:
I am pretty confident that the vivarium temps are good. I have a digital thermometer that measures both the hot (79-83) and cool (73-75) areas along with measuring humidity (40%) on the cool side. Using a 75 watt white light for day and either a black or red light at night, combined with an undertank heater 24-7.

HIDES:
She has a moist hide on the cool side, a hide on the hot side, and a plant at the hot side that she likes to lay under. I haven't put cage carpet back in there yet because we were using "shop" towels during her time with the splints but typically use reptile cage carpet.

FOOD:
Small crickets (offered daily)-these crickets are gut loaded with calcium fortified cricket water and cricket food.
Giant meal worms-(offered occasionally) usually cut in 1/2 or 1/3 and removing the head
Wax worms-(offered rarely), only given once so far
All food is dusted with at least calcium powder and sometimes vitamin powder (she doesn't seem to like the vitamin powder). I have also found after shake/bake the crickets, I dip them in water and again in calcium powder and she really goes for them. I have found she seems to like eating more in the mornings than in the evenings. I am basically hand feeding her (with reptile tongs) since the tank is really large and due to her front arm problems.

It is more than likely the result of Metabolic Bone Disease, broken front limbs is one of the big ear markers, you could have blood drawn to check the calciumhosphorus ratio and confirm or refute the suspicions.

If left untreated Metabolic Bone Disease will only make things worse for your gecko and the limbs wont heal on their own.

I got a gecko a couple of years back with severe Metabolic Bone Disease that was never treated, now despite an improvement in his health he still has to crawl around on his elbows because they healed like that after treatment.

__________________

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

~Lacey~

My Photos

Thanks, Lacey. I guess it's another trip to vet! If it is Metabolic Bone Disease, is that something you have to keep treating with medication throughout the pet's life?

Do you have a calcium dish in the tank for her. You dont need the nighttime light unless it gets really cold at night.

__________________
MARSHA
A man without a woman is a bachelor, A woman without a man is a genius!.

We have enough youth, how about a fountain of smart!

There is a calcium dish in her vivarium. She seems to like the nighttime light. She lays under it at night behind her warm hide. Thanks for the continued advice, it's much appreciated.

UPDATE:
Shadow seems to be doing quite well. She's sitting tall on all four limbs and has a very big appetite. I've been feeding her twice a day, once at night and again in the morning when I change her lighting and clean the urate/poop from her vivarium. She's eating 6-10 small crickets at a time. How soon should I see her weight increase? We've had her right at a month and she's gone from 12 grams to 15 grams. Her estimated age is 5-6 months.

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Gladto hear she is doing better, just fed her as much as she will eat and you will see a weight increase in no time. Leopard Geckos are very good about not over eating.

__________________

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

~Lacey~

My Photos

Good job, glad to hear she is doing well.

__________________
MARSHA
A man without a woman is a bachelor, A woman without a man is a genius!.

We have enough youth, how about a fountain of smart!