My crested gecko has blackish spots on him that weren't there yesterday.They cover his tail and he seems lethargic.Any ideas what it could be, and how to treat it?
Hello, Are the black areas raised at all, or level with the rest of the skin? What temperatures do you maintain on the warm and cool sides of the cage? What is your city (nearest larger town if yours is a small one) and state, in case we need to recommend a vet? Thank you for the additional information. anna
The Black is level with his skin, I'm not positive about the temperature, I live in Hollister,CA, and thank you so much for responding.
Thank you for getting back to me. Since your gecko is lethargic, I'm going to give you a first aid step to take right away. Get some Pedialyte (made for human infants and available in pharmacies and discount stores). Prepare a warm shallow bath consisting of 1/2 Pedialyte and 1/2 water. soak your gecko in the bath for 20 to 30 minutes. I'll check on vets and send you some other information in a few minutes, but I wanted to get this first aid info to you quickly. I'll be back shortly. anna
Thank you for your quick response. Will do as you requested and wait to hear from you. I know of one vet in the area who works on reptiles; Dr. Moran, DVM of Family Pet Care Center Inc. Should we make an appointment with them?
Yes, if Dr. Moran is familiar with reptiles, that would be a good idea. Otherwise, it looks like you may have to drive a bit to get to one. That's not unusual because there aren't a great many reptile vets. Here are the ones I found in your general area: Jeffrey Bryan Irving Street Vet Hospital XXXXXSan Francisco 94122 (NNN) NNN-NNNN Lynn Dustin Bay Area Bird Hospital XXXXX San Francisco 94116 (NNN) NNN-NNNN Alex Herman All Pets Hospital 269 S Van Ness Ave San FranciscoNNN-NN-NNNN(NNN) NNN-NNNN Dr. Gruden Ocean Animal Clinic XXXXXSanta Cruz 95060 (NNN) NNN-NNNN Kenneth Stocks San Joaquin Vet Hospital 4333 N. Blackstone Ave Fresno 93704 (NNN) NNN-NNNN Unfortunately skin color changes and lethargy can be symptoms of a number of different conditions. You won't be able to provide proper treatment until you have a definite diagnosis. I'll give you some of the possibilities. It could be a thermal burn caused by the gecko getting too close to a heat lamp or resting on a heat rock. There is a fungus (yellow fungus, though it's often black or other colors) that is becoming more and more common so it's a definite possibility. A bacterial infection or an injury are also possible. I do recommend that you see a vet. The soak that I gave you instructions for above is helpful no matter what. Sick lizards are often dehydrated, and they can absorb electrolytes through the vent when soaked. I also recommend that you get a digital probe thermometer so you can check the temperature in the cage. Being too warm or cold leads to many different problems. Day temperature should be in the high 70*s F to the low 80*s F. Temperatures over 85*F are bad. It would also be a good idea to check to make sure all the other conditions you’re providing for your gecko are right. The following site has a care sheet that you can use as a checklist to be sure. http://www.crestedgecko.com/cg_care.htm I would be sure all conditions are optimal for your gecko, soak him twice a day, and make a vet appointment to get a definite diagnosis. If you have more questions, just let me know by clicking on REPLY. I hope this problem will clear up quickly. Anna
Thank you very much for you analysis. Have made a vet appointment. May God bless you with a great and a Merry Christmas. :-)
You're welcome. I hope this turns out to be something easily treated. There's no need to click on accept again. Thank you for accepting above. A very Merry Christmas to you, as well! Anna