My gecko had a seizure. Can I help calcium deficiency at home?

As you probably know MBD is a metabolic disease due to lack of Calcium. Treatment must be done properly at your local vets, while prevention (or cure of mild forms of MBD) can be achieved by following these recommendations: Gut load live food prior to feeding making them more nutritious, dust live food with Nutrobal, Calcium, and/or Calcium D3, use correct UVB light, avoid excessive phosphorous in a diet (most fruits are high in P and low in Ca).

Check the temperature in his enclosure. Low temps can affect appetite in reptiles. If he isn't eating or not exposed to high quality UVB lighting, he can become calcium deficient which could account for the tremors. If he is less than 30 inches long, confirm a basking temp of around 115 F. If he is bigger, bump basking temp to between 125 F and 135 F. Multiple lower wattage lights over a larger area are recommended over one high intensity light source. Try to get him to eat and offer a calcium supplement. If you can get a liquid supplement, that would be best right now. Zoo Med and Fluker's offer such a supplement.Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte to treat or prevent minor dehydration. if he doesn't eat or if the tremors worsen, have him examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles as soon as possible.

Hi there. It sounds like Aang could have the beginning of a Vitamin A deficiency. If you are feeding the same feeder insect all the time (crickets and mealworms only) you are at risk of causing hypovitaminosis A. Not only do you have to vary the types of insects you are feeding her, you also have to preload or dust the insects with Vitamin A before you feed them to Aang. This is a product you would want to get: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=31924 Follow the feeding instructions on the bottle. Double check all your husbandry. You didn't mention the temperature in the cage or the lighting. You need to make sure this is correct. This article should help: https://www.thespruce.com/leopard-geckos-1236911 Best wishes to you. Hope this was helpful! Dr. Amber

An immediate check up at your local veterinarian would be essential to make sure right supplementation of calcium is given to cure MBD. Diagnosis requires often a radiographic study to make sure MBD is affecting him. Generally speaking full-spectrum UVB-producing bulbs should be used within the terrarium and calcium and vitamin D supplements can be given through plant material or insects. I would suggest anyway to have him checked before start any supplement (as toxicity from overdosage of Ca and VitD are quite common as well!). Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Most house geckos are nocturnal and do not require UVA/UVB lighting, but it won't harm them. Ideally, Dartzilla should be examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose illness or injury. The paralysis may be compounded by constipation, especially since there has been no stool recently. Soak Dartzilla in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored Pedialyte for 15-20 minutes. This will provide warmth and hydration. Both can aid in digestion and promote GI motility. A gentle abdominal massage, front to back, during the soak may stimulate defecation. Offer appropriately sized prey, no bigger than the space between his eyes. Gut load them for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. You can use a quality fish flake or high protein baby cereal for this. Rep-Cal Herptivite and Rep-Cal Calcium with Vitamin D3 are the gold standards for vitamin and mineral supplementation. You can find them online or in the local Petco. Follow label directions for dusting prey.

Hello, I’m glad you are taking steps to correct the MBD. Oral calcium is important as well as vitamin A and hydration. I like Repashy vitamin A dust on crickets every 2 weeks and calcium powder dust with every other feeding. Make sure the humidity stays above 50-60%. This is very hard inside in the winter so it will be a constant battle. Gut load and dust all insects fed, if you have a drip or misting system, ensure that is working well. The UVB light should be changed every 6 months. MBD lizards are at higher risk of infections and fractures so keep a close eye on his appetite and activity. Pad branches and lower branches if he seems unsteady. Most of all, be patient. Reptiles take a long time to get sick and take just as long to recover. It can take several months for him to bounce back, and any distortion or trauma to his bones may always be noticeable. If you’d like to discuss this more, don’t hesitate to request a consult. Take care!

Soak once or twice weekly in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte. Feed lower protein prey (mealworms, nightcrawlers, crickets). Avoid high protein prey such as locusts, dubia roaches and waxworms. Blood work may need to be monitored to track progression. Further treatment (steroids, phosphate binders, calcium supplements, fluid therapy) will depend on status. The waxy substance may be normal secretions from the pre anal pores. This is used for marking branches and letting other geckos know who is in the area.