Meet Tripod, the special needs leopard gecko.

[Tim Benzedrine]

A) "t'was my boss that assigned that name, and B) That has been established already, and C) If not for you, I wouldn't even know what you are referencing, as you may recall!

Not sure who you were talking to, but I'm also a member there and they definitely are friendly and helpful. Just not the most active forum. Leo's are pretty well represented though.

Yeah, it was you that I recognized while browsing the forum there.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Okay, I'm not sure how he managed this, but I'm glad he did, because it drew my attention to the fact that I placed the hide's entry hole against the wall of the tank!

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Okay, here is a puzzler. @CWilson1351 (or anybody else watching this thread), ever see anything like this? it started as a small nub, and is growing. It ALMOST looks like it's trying to regenerate another tail! In reality, I'm guessing that it may be scar tissue running a bit amok. They certainly don't regenerate limbs, of course.
One full body shot for a sense of scale, and a close-up to show its appearance a little better. This will probably require a visit to the vet for possible removal, I hope it can wait until after the upcoming holidays, because I'm sure it will not be cheap. Ideally, I'd like to wait until warm weather returns so as to not have to take it out into the cold, but I'm not too sure if I will have that luxury. It has grown fairly quickly and I imagine the bigger it is, the more costly it could be to remove. I'd actually like to not have it done at all, the available vet deals with reptiles, but they aren't dedicated exotic caregivers, so I'm not sure how reliable they might be in a case like this. Maybe with a little luck, it will drop off on its own without any ill effects.
The rear right leg looks a little odd, but that's just the way the gecko is holding it. It has a very healthy appetite, and has begun to accept small crickets from my fingertips.

 

[CWilson1351]

Okay, here is a puzzler. @CWilson1351 (or anybody else watching this thread), ever see anything like this? it started as a small nub, and is growing. It ALMOST looks like it's trying to regenerate another tail! In reality, I'm guessing that it may be scar tissue running a bit amok. They certainly don't regenerate limbs, of course.
One full body shot for a sense of scale, and a close-up to show its appearance a little better. This will probably require a visit to the vet for possible removal, I hope it can wait until after the upcoming holidays, because I'm sure it will not be cheap. Ideally, I'd like to wait until warm weather returns so as to not have to take it out into the cold, but I'm not too sure if I will have that luxury. It has grown fairly quickly and I imagine the bigger it is, the more costly it could be to remove. I'd actually like to not have it done at all, the available vet deals with reptiles, but they aren't dedicated exotic caregivers, so I'm not sure how reliable they might be in a case like this. Maybe with a little luck, it will drop off on its own without any ill effects.
The rear right leg looks a little odd, but that's just the way the gecko is holding it. It has a very healthy appetite, and has begun to accept small crickets from my fingertips.

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Certainly strange... If Tripod lets you, try a cursory feel check. If it's hard at all I'd definitely take him to the vet and see what they have to say. If it just feels like soft tissue I'd leave him be for now and just monitor closely to see if it impedes him at all.
The growth can just be from Tripod growing too, the remaining bone under will of course keep growing. It could just be pushing further out and make the scarred area look different.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Good idea to touch it to feel for solidity. If it will allow me to do so. I did consider that it might be bone growth. It looks a bit fleshy, though. It has an appearance of the "tubercles" that their skin normally sports over their bodies. I guess we'll just have to see how it plays out with a bit more time.

 

[CWilson1351]

Good idea to touch it to feel for solidity. If it will allow me to do so. I did consider that it might be bone growth. It looks a bit fleshy, though. It has an appearance of the "tubercles" that their skin normally sports over their bodies. I guess we'll just have to see how it plays out with a bit more time.

Could be that the fleshy part is remnants of what didn't come off originally. After zooming in I do see what you mean about the flesh having the raised bumps. Keep us updated for sure! We all are rooting for Tripod

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Somebody offered the opinion that it was tail regeneration in the wrong place. I'm not sure of the validity of that, they said that it has happened. Leave it to me to get some sort of X-gecko mutant.
If anybody has heard or read any accounts of such a thing happening, let me know. Searching has revealed no incidents of it taking place, so I'm skeptical. Though I'll admit it has a bit of a "tail-bud" shape.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Due to hand feeding, Peggy T. is becoming rather tame. Not difficult to pick up. and remains calm.



Today, she made "hand-feeding" literal when she misjudged the small cricket's position between my thumb and index finger and grabbed the finger instead. I can testify that small geckos can apply a fair amount of jaw-pressure. It did not help that I had a recent small cut right where she latched on, which actually made it hurt enough for me to let out a yelp. She was in no hurry to let go either. She probably figured she had struck gold.

 

[CWilson1351]

She looks pretty healthy, all things considered.
I've been nipped by both of my Leo's. They definitely can apply some pressure lol Arya is more prone to getting me than Apollo. I figure if they are biting me hard enough for me to feel pressure, they've got to be in good health.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

She's in an advanced stage of shedding now. I'm going to wait and let her get as much as she can off on her own, and then give a short soak in Shed-Ease because I think some areas could be problematic. I'm uncertain how well she can reach back and pull off skin given her "handicap".

I've come up with an idea for a new style of humid hide. I'm leery of moss due to impaction concerns, paper towels seem to dry out too quickly, and eco earth is messy. I'm wondering if cutting a thin layer of sponge or foam to fit a hide would be advantageous. What do you think? Maybe put a layer of paper towel over the sponge and the sponge would replenish it as it dries...

 

[CWilson1351]

Much like is said regarding sponges in tarantula water dishes, they harbor bacteria.
What are you currently using as a humid hide? Is the entrance on the side or the top? My experience with sphagnum miss is that as long as it stays moist there isn't a big risk of it coming out of the hide and being available to be ingested.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

That's a good point about the sponge. I've been using sphagnum moss with a layer of paper towel over it lately. I lifted up the warm side hide where Peggy T. spends most of her time to see that all visible skin had been shed and obviously consumed, but I will need to examine her more closely to be sure that the skin is gone from the legs and toes entirely. And still may give her a short soak in case I simply don't notice any remaining removed it last week. Her toes are still quite small and it might be easy to overlook problematic areas.

 

[CWilson1351]

That's an interesting addition to the moss, never considered a paper towel on top of it. As long as she is shedding fine I wouldn't change anything yet. Toes are usually the hardest part for the gecko to completely get she'd off of, it sounds like everything is going well though

 

[Najakeeper]

Shedding issues are a problem with these guys so I have always provided a hide with damp moss on one end, never had an issue with impaction neither with adults or the babies I have raised. Didn't lose a single toe after the introduction of the moss. Just monitor feeding time and make sure they are not ingesting copious amounts.

Great job on raising this one. Leos are resilient lizards and this is a good example.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Thanks. I'm rather pleased with the progress I've had with this one. The growth on the stump remains to be a slight concern, and depending on the possible impact that makes, I'll be taking her to a vet. If it doesn't seem to be hindering her and seems to be a benign abnormality, I plan on waiting until clement weather. Apart from that, she seems to be very healthy. The growth rate has slowed, and I hold hopes that it will not grow as she does and resolve itself by perhaps atrophying and dropping off on its own accord, as I believe that would be less traumatic (and far less costly) than a surgical solution.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Took a shot tonight and decided to combine it with two earlier ones. These span from September 27th, 2017 to December 1st, 2017 and finally to February 10th, 2018.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Guess I better add the new addition to this thread. This is "Lurch". if you saw him (or her, I'm currently unsure) trying to hurry forward, you'd think "He picked the perfect name for this one!". At a normal gait she travels as well as can be expected, though, and will improve like Peggy did, I imagine.

SO I now have TWO three-legged geckos, one with a missing front leg, the other with a missing rear leg and tail. All I need is one without a head and my collection will be complete!

This one I actually purchased in spite of the injury. (She was on sale, anyway, so I did not haggle or adopt her for free). I had much success with the rehabilitation of Peggy, the original subject of this thread, so thought I'd try it again. This one doesn't need to be hand fed as I had to do for Peggy, but I do injure her prey a bit to slow them down.
I do hope she retains her spots into adulthood, something Peggy rather failed to do. But, Peggy looked similar to this one when I got her, so I am not going to count on that.