# Urgent husbandry help for Gecko's



## Morgan_dragon (Jan 22, 2012)

Hi all,

Need some urgent advice...we won a silent auction that had a heap of racks etc 'and a couple of gecko's'.

Have just picked everything up - what we weren't told was the animals were in extremely poor condition as the guy had been away alot (there was a dead gecko in one of the tanks - others aren't looking to healthy).

Can anyone please tell me the correct husbandry for these guys so we can get them back to health as quickly as possible?

Nephrurus Sheai
Nephrurus Wheeleri
Ackie
Southern Spiney Tail

Thanks, all help is appreciated - most of these have dead mates etc and would hate to see these guys go the same way.

Yes the are quarantined away from other animals etc etc just need heating/lighting/food etc info.

Just one pm so far....come on guys, help us save these guys


----------



## PythonLegs (Jan 22, 2012)

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/general-reptile-discussion-42/ackie-setup-46443/
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-lizards-5383/first-time-gecko-owners-yet-140693/
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/general-reptile-discussion-42/geckos-171654/

Search function is your friend..really, though? Silent auction? Hm.


----------



## Rocket (Jan 22, 2012)

Are you able to post photos of the animals in question? When it comes to auctions and ballots, you can never be too sure about the validity of the identification of the species'. 

If people can see what state the animals are in, we may be able to give more direct advice...


----------



## Bluetongue1 (Jan 23, 2012)

If animals under the care of someone who has been away a lot have died, it is almost certainly to be from dehydration. So absolutely the first thing you need to do is get the animals rehydrated. As the body fluids reduce in volume, the kidneys remove electrolytes in order to maintain the correct level of solutes in the body's fluids. So dehydration also involves loss of electrolytes.

Use an electrolyte replacement drink. A good ones is Powerade, as well as Staminade or Lucozade. Dilute the staminade to one quarter strength with water i.e. one part Powerade to 3 parts water. Place in a saucer and put the snout of the lizard in the fluid for a few seconds. Take care not to immerse the nostril openings at the same time. The lizard should drink freely when released. Once they have had a drink, leave the lizards for a couple of hours and then repeat the procedure to allow them to top up if needed. The lizards can also be immersed in a 2 or 3 cms or so of the fuild, a couple of degrees warmer than their enclosure, for 10 to 20 mins, while being watched constantly. The vent area needs to be immersed for uptake through the wall of the cloaca.

If you have no luck first up, try again after say 30 mins. If after 3 attempts you still have no luck, PM me and I will post the details for forced administration of fluids.

Once the lizards are hydrated, do not launch into normal feeding. The digestive system is best eased back into operating. The day after rehydrating them they should be more active. There is a little glucose in the staminade to provide some ready energy. The idea is to boost that energy first before asking their digestive systems to work full on to provide energy from the usual sources. Honey or jam should be offered as a first meal and nothing else that day. That will give them the energy they need for several more days, during which, you can commence normal feeding. To be on the safe side, make the first two meals half size and then graduate to full sized meals.

Blue


----------



## traceylee (Jan 23, 2012)

Bluetongue1 said:


> If animals under the care of someone who has been away a lot have died, it is almost certainly to be from dehydration. So absolutely the first thing you need to do is get the animals rehydrated. As the body fluids reduce in volume, the kidneys remove electrolytes in order to maintain the correct level of solutes in the body's fluids. So dehydration also involves loss of electrolytes.
> 
> Use an electrolyte replacement drink. A good one is Staminade. Dilute the staminade to one third strength with water i.e. one part staminade to 2 parts water. Place in a saucer and put the snout of the lizard in the fluid for a few seconds. Take care not to immerse the nostril openings at the same time. The lizard should drink freely when released. Once they have had a drink, leave the lizards for a couple of hours and then repeat the procedure to allow them to top up if needed.
> 
> ...




I always love reading your posts; so detailed and I always learn something 

I have nothing sorry; but I just wanted to say good luck with the little ones. I'm glad they have gone to someone who cares for them.


----------



## Morgan_dragon (Jan 23, 2012)

PythonLegs said:


> http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/general-reptile-discussion-42/ackie-setup-46443/
> http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-lizards-5383/first-time-gecko-owners-yet-140693/
> http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/general-reptile-discussion-42/geckos-171654/
> 
> Search function is your friend..really, though? Silent auction? Hm.



Yep - silent auction. We were actually after the heat racks and thermostats etc that were in it and a pair of pythons. We thought there were a 'couple' of geckos so were obviously very suprised when we turned up yesterday as the guy made very little mention of them, the monitor or the frogs we have now acquired :shock: (after seeing the state everything was in we were not going to leave anything behind and did not bother to ask him about how to care for these guys).

Thankyou for the thread links - we did search yesterday but were searching under their scientific names that for the Shaei didnt turn up much.

One of those threads mentions climbers and one mentions ground dwellers, am I right in assuming the Nephrurus are ground dwellers? And these guys only eat crickets? Not fruit and vege like our beardies?



Bluetongue1 said:


> If animals under the care of someone who has been away a lot have died, it is almost certainly to be from dehydration. So absolutely the first thing you need to do is get the animals rehydrated. As the body fluids reduce in volume, the kidneys remove electrolytes in order to maintain the correct level of solutes in the body's fluids. So dehydration also involves loss of electrolytes.
> 
> Use an electrolyte replacement drink. A good one is Staminade. Dilute the staminade to one third strength with water i.e. one part staminade to 2 parts water. Place in a saucer and put the snout of the lizard in the fluid for a few seconds. Take care not to immerse the nostril openings at the same time. The lizard should drink freely when released. Once they have had a drink, leave the lizards for a couple of hours and then repeat the procedure to allow them to top up if needed.
> 
> ...



Thankyou!!

The Ackie launched into the water bowl as soon as it was placed in the enclosure and seemed to drink quite a lot yesterday, unfortunately hadn't seen your post so he/she did get to smash a few crickets once it had warmed up as well....although it is small it seems to be doing quite well and is alot happier in an enclosure instead of a draw in the rack.

I have put some staminade in the water bowls for the others although have not handled them yet - they have not been picked up or handled at all (a couple are really skittish and scared, the other one and the two pythons try to attack you as soon as you go anywhere near them).




Rocket said:


> Are you able to post photos of the animals in question? When it comes to auctions and ballots, you can never be too sure about the validity of the identification of the species'.
> 
> If people can see what state the animals are in, we may be able to give more direct advice...



Yep will post some pictures up shortly....wanted to pretty much just get them home and leave them alone yesterday.


----------



## Specks (Jan 23, 2012)

Please post photos
i would love to see these sheai that you say you have
cheers


----------



## PythonLegs (Jan 23, 2012)

Good score, if they stay alive-not too many sheai in the hobby. Good to see them in the hands of someone willing to do the research. And no, they don't eat any vegies..I'd reccomend dusting their insects with vitamin supplements, but I'm guessing you knew that already, so I won't.


----------



## Morgan_dragon (Jan 23, 2012)

Apparently the Shaei is a female....am guessing will be looking for mates for both it and the Wheeleri if they pull through.



PythonLegs said:


> Good score, if they stay alive-not too many sheai in the hobby. Good to see them in the hands of someone willing to do the research. And no, they don't eat any vegies..I'd reccomend dusting their insects with vitamin supplements, but I'm guessing you knew that already, so I won't.


----------



## raged (Jan 23, 2012)

I keep and breed sheai and I have never seen one as poor condition as that! Pm me I'm willing to help you..


----------



## KaotikJezta (Jan 23, 2012)

Wow, I saw that ad and I remember being disappointed it wasn't close to me. I don't know how I would have reacted being confronted with that. Good luck with them all, hope they are all ok.


----------



## Morgan_dragon (Jan 23, 2012)

raged said:


> I keep and breed sheai and I have never seen one as poor condition as that! Pm me I'm willing to help you..



Thankyou, have done so!


----------



## Bluetongue1 (Jan 23, 2012)

*Morgan-dragon*,
Sounds like the Ackie was not to serious and more on the thirsty side than dehydrated. That being the case, it is appropriate to recommebce normal feeding.

I was tired when I wrote post and have just added a couple of things. Powerade or Lucosade are bothe very good as well. You can also give a dehydrate reptile a bath in the diluted electrolyte at a couple of degrees above its normal cage temp. they can absorb it hrough he wall of the cloaca.

Sounds like they are going to be alright. I am pleased for you and happy to see the animals in loving care for a change.


*traceylee*,
Thanks and I am pleased they are having the desired effect. I don't have a huge post count because I prefer to post on subjects I knoe something about and provide the background understanding to explain the "why" bhind the advice. Unfortunately, they can get a bit long at times. Lol.

Blue

Additional Note: 
*Morgan-dragon*, 
Most geckoes are not good at drinking from water bowls. Some will but many will not, instead preferring to drink droplets of water running down objects after misting or water droplets placed on their snout/mouth area. They will also lick the fine spray from a mister used to wet their heads. So try getting them to drink by placing a spoon of water and staminade so that it wets their mouth or use a dropper to deliver one rop at a time to the mouth area. You can also try misting the head with the solution. And don't forget, there is the bath option.

Once they rehydrated, which will be evident in both appearance and level of activity, you should switch to pure water. Basically, they should not need more than one to three drinks of the electrolyte and water mix. Otherwise the kidneys will have to work to remove the excess electrolytes now being taken in and you want to avoid putting the animal under added stress while it is recovering.

My first post was general and I really wasn't thinking geckoes. Sorry about that.


----------



## Erebos (Jan 24, 2012)

Hey Morgan was that the silent auction with the Pygmy pythons? Did you get them. 


Cheers Brenton


----------



## DazTopEndPythons (Jan 24, 2012)

yes it was


----------



## Erebos (Jan 24, 2012)

darring said:


> yes it was



How where they what condition?


Cheers Brenton


----------



## Bluetongue1 (Jan 25, 2012)

The following links should help. I could not find anything specific on _N. shea_ so I suggest treating it the same as _N. amyae_...
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/basic-gecko-qs-87226
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/i-need-info-about-thick-tailed-geckos-86961
http://www.aussiepythons.com/general-herps/knotail-gecko-set-up-pics-please-63604
http://www.aussiepythons.com/general-herps/gecko-people-i-need-advice-64699
http://www.aussiepythons.com/general-herps/easiest-gecko-to-keep-71833?highlight=easiest+gecko
http://cc.usu.edu/~jgjulander/Knobcarepage.html
Geckodan ? Danny Brown ? Reptile Caresheets - Strophurus Species


Blue


----------



## DazTopEndPythons (Jan 31, 2012)

hi Brenton , they were underfed and dehydrated but now all seem to be coming good , we have been giving them plenty of attention


----------



## Erebos (Jan 31, 2012)

That's good. I hope you got a good deal I'm curious what you payed in the end if your happy to tell me plz pm. 


Cheers Brenton


----------



## Bluetongue1 (Jan 31, 2012)

darring said:


> hi Brenton , they were underfed and dehydrated but now all seem to be coming good , we have been giving them plenty of attention


That's really good to hear.

Blue


----------



## Morgan_dragon (Feb 8, 2012)

Some updated photo's for everyone.....

Thankyou to all that helped - these guys are now all feeding by themselves and putting on weight. Running around etc alot more, obviously alot healthier 


The Ackie chasing some crix through its new tank:






The Wheelerie checking out the lens, hunting around for more and looking alot brighter:






The Strophurus looking alot better and getting ready to go into its new permanent home:






And lastly the Shaei - who is finally eating on her own 

have including one of the pics taken a couple of days after we got her just for a giggle - and to show how easy it can be to force feed one 




the other ones are from today looking much happier:


----------



## Sezzzzzzzzz (Feb 8, 2012)

hahaha! How cute is she with her mouth wide open up on ehr tip toes! looking good!


----------



## SamNabz (Feb 8, 2012)

Great work Morgan and darring! They are looking a lot better and healthier, well done.

That shaei is stunning.


----------



## Manda1032 (Feb 8, 2012)

Morgan_dragon said:


> View attachment 235253
> View attachment 235254
> View attachment 235255
> View attachment 235256
> ...




For the love of all the future animals please report this person to the authorities. They don't deserve a license!


----------



## killimike (Feb 8, 2012)

Great to see them doing well!

How were you feeding the non-eaters initially?


----------



## Morgan_dragon (Feb 8, 2012)

killimike said:


> Great to see them doing well!
> 
> How were you feeding the non-eaters initially?




All except the Ackie were force fed to start with 

Lets just say it was a two person job - hubby holding them and when they arked up and opened their mouths to bite him (none had been handled either) I was putting crix down the back of their throats with tweezers. If they didnt ark up we had to get them to open their mouth...not a fun job by any means for either of us...or them.



Manda1032 said:


> For the love of all the future animals please report this person to the authorities. They don't deserve a license!



Seriously thought about it but considering they cancelled it and we took all the animals there wasnt much point.



SamNabz said:


> Great work Morgan and darring! They are looking a lot better and healthier, well done.
> 
> That shaei is stunning.



Thankyou - was alot of work but seeing them now running around healthier and happier it was definitely worth it. Wasn't sure how I was going to feel if they didnt pull through, really glad they all did. Wish the guy had gotten rid of them all sooner so there would have been more to save....


----------

