Why are my gecko's legs swollen? What's the best way to help?

The swollen leg may be due to injury, infection or nutritional deficiency. Ideally, Rainn should be physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose and treat the underlying cause. This may require x-rays and lab work. Review his diet and environment with your veterinarian. The basics required include a 10 gallon tank (at minimum), UVB lighting, a heat lamp focused on a basking spot, 2 hides (one on the coolside, one on the warm side and a shallow water bowl. The heat lamp should provide a temperature gradient across the enclosure. Substrate can be reptile carpet, slate, paper towels or wood chips. A balanced diet of appropriately sized prey (crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, Phoenix worms, etc) and fresh greens and vegetables should be offered daily. Vitamin supplements and calcium supplementation should also be provided. You can review dragon care at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html

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.

Thanks for reaching out about Spyro and including photos. A common malady in insectivorous lizards is abnormal shedding and secondary infections around the eyes, usually related to low vitamin A in the diet. Insects need to be varied and gut loaded with green and yellow/orange/red vegetables (a source of vitamin A). A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. An injection of vitamin A, irrigating the eye area withy sterile saline and topical medications can help. If the cornea becomes dry, the eye could be lost. Good luck.

Make sure any prey is appropriately sized, no bigger than the space between his eyes. They should be gut loaded for at least 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. Consider adding LaFeber’s Emeraid for Carnivores, Oxbow’s Carnivore Critical Care or Fluker's Repti-Boost to get weight on him. Submit a stool sample to your herp veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites. If there are cryptosporidium in his stool, they may be responsible for his condition.

Make sure any prey is of appropriate size, no bigger than the space between the eyes. Confirm again that temps are within normal ranges. Low temps will affect appetite in reptiles. Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 20 minutes daily. You can supplement with Fluker's Repta Boost. Find it in the local Petco. Look him over for any signs of injury or infection. This may include redness, swelling, discharge, bruising, bleeding or odd lumps/bumps. If he doesn't begin eating, you will need to have him physically examined by an experienced herp vet. I will include a link below to find one as well as a link to review leopard gecko care. http://www.anapsid.org/leopardgek.html https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661

Bump the temperature up to between 26 and 28 C. It's a small change, but 25C may be a bit to cool for Gargoyle geckos. Low temps can affect appetite and activity. The heat mat should be on one half of the tank. Lights can be turned off at night, but the heat source should stay on if nighttime temps drop. Makes sure the diet contains adequate amounts of vitamin D3. Without it, he is at risk of developing metabolic bone disease (MBD). A recommended diet is Repashy Crested Gecko diet. It is a powdered diet that can be reconstituted as needed. It can be found online or in most pet stores. The locusts fed should be gut loaded 24 hours prior to feeding. If he has a healthy appetite, submit a stool sample to your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose intestinal parasites. An exam with an​ experienced herp veterinarian would be strongly recommended to diagnose metabolic bone disease and to begin treatment. Supportive care may be indicated in light of the recent rapid weight loss.

Check the temperature in the enclosure. Low temps can affect appetite and digestion in reptiles. Soak her in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte to provide warmth and hydration. Confirm appropriately sized prey, no bigger than the space between the eyes. You can offer crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms and phoenix worms. Gut load all prey for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. Submit a stool sample to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites. If she will allow, look in and around her mouth for any signs of injury or infection. This may include redness, swelling, discharge or bleeding. If you see anything suspicious, have her physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose and treat any underlying causes.