New project - 3 leopard geckos with severe MBD...

[rainbow_crab]

Yes I hope he gets his things flowing and gets to eating! He has been doing well hate to see him slip back any. Yes this darn Ohio weather that never knows what it's doing....makes me want to move south some days.

[JulesRolyCrab]

He's so cute....

What range are you looking at for tanks?

Edit: I know literally nothing about reptiles (aside from what I've learned from this thread, of course) but are cages used as reptile housing? Or do they need better humidity, etc.? Lol, sorry if it's a dumb question.

[Sweet Pea]

Thanks for continuing to give updates on him. I hope this is just a small blip on his path to better health.

[wodesorel]

He ate last night. I think the problem is the lighting during the day - it's leaving him unable to see when it's on. It shouldn't bother him, but because he's staying out more now that he's feeling better and because his resting stance is with his head sitting straight up, I'm pretty sure he's been staring directly into the lights. I'm going to try a few days without any lighting and see how he does. He doesn't have to have the UVB, but it'll help him recover faster and better.

[Sweet Pea]

He needs itty bitty sunglasses!

[wodesorel]

Edit: I know literally nothing about reptiles (aside from what I've learned from this thread, of course) but are cages used as reptile housing? Or do they need better humidity, etc.? Lol, sorry if it's a dumb question.

Not dumb!! So many people make assumptions but it takes research into what you want to keep and it depends on the species as to what kind of tank works best. Just like with hermits, species that are tropical should often be kept in glass to maintain humidity. Some species need high air flow in order to stay healthy (many species of chameleons, but not all) or do better in big wire enclosures (iguanas and water dragons) or should have solid sides so they don't hurt themselves (turtles and tortoises).

I haven't heard of people keeping leos in screen tanks, but that's probably due to cost - screen tanks cost more to buy, and glass tanks are cheaper than DIY. I would be concerned with him in particular since he could easily get toes or a foot stuck and do more damage. Glass is safest as nothing can get caught.


In any case - I was overreacting on the cage requirements. A normal tank is going to work fine for him after all!

My husband spent the last week rearranging my critter room to make space for the Kid, and also so that I can do more without having to bend. My back has been ridiculously bad. I see a surgeon this week to find out if they can do anything to fix it, and also to clear up some stuff that was on the report from the MRI I had a year ago that my last doctor never told me about. It's been more than six years since the pain started, and four years since I've been able to anything I enjoy without pretty much screaming every time something needs lifted or is on the ground, and two years since I've developed scoliosis so bad that it's left me Z shaped. I'm sick and tired of it and it's time to find an actual fix and not be told I'm 30 and a woman and to deal with it. It's been acting up really bad the last couple of weeks. I'm basically stuck in bed, and it's been feeling like just walking will make it go out completely sometime soon. (Which constitutes laying in bed and screaming with every muscle twitch for the next month or so because it feels like someone strapped a live 220 volt wire to my back. It's happened twice already, two years ago and two years before that. I've been getting full on PTSD panic attacks if I think it's going to happen again, it was that horrible.) The doctor that has been treating it is off on maternity leave with no idea when she's coming back, and my family doctor left a message saying that "physical therapy won't help what you have" and then offered no ideas whatsoever other than going to the ER if it gets worse... Seeing a new family doc this week, too! I want my life back.

Anywhoo, that probably gives some idea why I'm so attached to The Scoliosis Kid.

Figured out that the vision issues were indeed from the metacam. Opioid use can cause spasms and issues with the muscles of the iris. He ended up with severe light sensitivity and pupillary constriction to light. He was blind whenever there was a light source. It's been four days since he's been off the drugs, and is attacking food again. It's a trade-off right now since I think he is still hurting, but I think the drugs are doing more damage. If he gets bad again I'll try him on a severely reduced dose, but I want to see how he does completely off of them for a while.







Got the cage moved up, so no more bending! Also got the feeders off the floor, so I can go through and get him his dinner in under 5 minutes, with very little pain. It's made a HUGE difference. I'm picking up a larger 20 gallon from Herps this week after my doctor's appointment, and hubby will get it set up for me this weekend. That will give him some more space, and I can fit two whole tiles in for him. At some point hubby will drag out the tile saw to cut them to size, but for now paper towels are working. He seems to really love the natural slate tile. ($1.47 each at Home Depot.)



That's his little feeding station next to the tank. I float the crickets in the cup of water so I can get them one at a time, inject them with the calcium and vitamin mix, and then tong them to him one at a time. The medicine bottle is his liquid calcium. I keep the small bottle that gets contaminated with cricket guts at his tank, and then a larger bottle to refill from in the fridge so it stays fresh.

[Sweet Pea]

Look at all the weight he has put on. And that face! I never thought I would say a lizard is cute, but that's exactly what he is. Thanks for the update.

[landlubber]

I am so happy he's doing so well! I have high hopes for him! The force is strong with this one.

But I'm so sorry about your frustrations and pain. I can actually personally identify with much of what you said about the Doctors (my H's doctors seem to love to pass the buck to other specialists-whenever something isn't black and white it seems they are resistant about treating it). Like I mentioned, since he has a TBI and PTSD neurologists always want to say symptoms are psychological and when he goes to mental health professionals they point him back to a neurologist. Maddening, because no one will DO anything about some of these symptoms that majorly affect his life but tests, tests, tests.

A downward turn in our health is a HUGE source of stress for anyone. I am not surprised if you got panic attacks or PTSD from the severity of your back condition and I hope you are getting some treatment for those which are NOT fun at all. Panic attacks can become much, much worse over time (as the brain generalizes stimuli related to one trauma to many other situations that have nothing to do with the original trauma and now suddently you are having a panic attack because someone is wearing a perfume that smells like the flowers that were by your bedside when you were in excruciating pain). They can get every bit as debilitating and uncomfortable as a physical, medical injury and I just hope you've discussed those panic attacks with your doctors as well. I actually think you sound like you're ready to fight and advocate for yourself which in your situation with all these Docs is very much needed. I know we don't know each other that well, but I don't live THAT far-if there is ever anything I might be able to help you with please let me know.

[Crabinski]

Not to hijack this thread but I, too, try to function with limited mobility and a lot of pain so I can empathize with you, wode, 100%. In my case, it's osteoarthritis in just about every joint, with the worst of it in my knees. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being normal person hunky-dorey, I'm ecstatic on days when I can reach a 4! Any night that I can get more than 5 hours sleep due to pain is a true luxury. I've had arthritis since my teens, had arthroscopic surgery at 30 (and was told I'd need new knees by 40) and had to take early retirement a few years ago as standing, bending and even walking became extremely difficult. Added to the mix is apparent damage to the tibia nerve in my left leg, treating me to those wonderful lightning bolt electric shocks down my shin, causing me to shriek and my leg to buckle. I have cortisone shots in both knees every 3 months and underwent the three-week series of synthetic synovial fluid injections last summer but still can't bend my knees to pick something up -- everything is done with legs straight and spraddled so I can lean over while hanging on to something to pick up whatever I've dropped. Most days, it's a mind-over-matter struggle to convince the left leg to simply hold me up! Just had a bone-density test (no osteoporosis! Yay!), new knee x-rays (space for injections is rapidly closing in the left knee) and saw a new rheumatologist today (not developing rheumatoid arthritis on top of osteo so a big "Yay" there) who now thinks a big part of my pain and immobility is due to my hips so more x-rays and perhaps a consult with a neurologist, too. As I always say to my GP and orthopaedist, they shoot horses when their joints can no longer hold them up but the only option I get offered is pain-killers? Feh!

[rainbow_crab]

Sorry that your feeling so bad Wode! And Crabinski living with constant pain must be horrible! I couldn't imagine not being able to live normally. I hope something can be figured out for your situations that will allow you to manage your pain and live a happier. As for the Kid he is looking so good! The weight he has put on is great, and that he is going after food is so exciting! Great job Wode your amazing!

[Candie]

How is the little one doing

[wodesorel]

Oh my gosh Crabinski - I had no idea! That is so much for one person to deal with. I'm so sorry!



The Kid is doing really well! I upgraded him to the 20 gallon we got from Herps and it's made meal times a breeze. No more having to sit on the floor with him. There's now room for a moist hide, and he's shed three times on his own. This last time I wanted to get it off his front toes while it was still moist, and he bit me so hard I actually yelped. (I don't think he was biting at me, I think he was trying to bite at his old skin and my finger was in the way.) So major improvements. We're doing a lot of waxworms since he's been going bonkers for them and they're all hitting almost-pupate stage at the same time. With the calcium injections they're healthy, just fatty. I'm watching closely how much he's getting as I don't want him to get too heavy. Healthy is good, overweight with those front legs would be just as bad as him being too thin. We can go a little bigger on his tail, but not much.

[Candie]

Wow he's looking soo much better, I'm so happy you found him when you could, I'm sorry about the other 2.

[Crabinski]

So alert and sassy-faced, a real 100% improvement from when he first arrived. Such a credit to your patience and dedication, wode.

[wodesorel]

He's been giving my husband the same exact looks whenever he pokes his head in the door.... And hubby has never fed or done anything for him. :roll: