Not a Cham, but need help

[Ambilobe123]

Sooo my friend’s brother has a crested gecko. He has had her(?) for 5ish years, and she’s not in good shape at all:

She lives in a 10 gallon tank lined with reptile carpet, with a couple little plastic plants. She is only eating mango at the moment, with no supplements. There is no heat or lighting, and until recently this tank wasn’t cleaned.

When I first saw her she had a severely deformed spine/rib cage, several layers of stuck shed on her toes, a fungal infection not visible in the photo, a warped and spongy jaw, and could barely move.

I carefully removed the stuck shed from the toes, but she still would barely move.

I’m guessing severe MBD, and malnutrition.

How can I help her? I recommended getting a uth and a uvb fixture, as well as seeing a vet if at all possible, and if not getting liquid calcium and using painkiller free polysporin on the infection.

 

[bbyoda]

This poor gecko. She is probably in so much pain. Is her owner committed to doing what is needed to heal her and get her healthy? If not perhaps you can convince them to rehome to you if you're open to helping her. Unless they take drastic action and go to the vet, change their husbandry, they really shouldn't keep her or any other reptiles.

 

[MissSkittles]

OMG! This poor animal! She needs a vet asap. My concern would be is if she is and will remain in constant pain from such deformities and if euthanasia would be the kindest.

 

[Ambilobe123]

This poor gecko. She is probably in so much pain. Is her owner committed to doing what is needed to heal her and get her healthy? If not perhaps you can convince them to rehome to you if you're open to helping her. Unless they take drastic action and go to the vet, change their husbandry, they really shouldn't keep her or any other reptiles.

I haven’t met the owner of the gecko, my friend’s brother, but it sounds like he has not been caring for it at all. His mother has feeding her, and his sister (my friend) has been doing her best.

Despite not caring for her, the brother is still attached to the gecko and has become angry at his sister for “spending too much time with her” (she was cleaning her tank). I suggested they let me take care of her until she is healthy, but the brother will not allow it.

I don’t think he realizes how bad it is.

 

[Ambilobe123]

The brother almost certainly won’t agree to humane euthanasia unfortunately.

If that was the case, they would probably just get another crestie without changing anything

 

[Tkrd69]

He's lucky no one reports animal cruelty

 

[MissSkittles]

Perhaps show him pics of healthy cresties to compare.

 

[bbyoda]

Mom needs to help explain that his current approach is akin to abuse and step in. It's ultimately her responsibility if her child isn't taking care of an animal. Imagine if it were a cat or dog with a broken, twisted spine, slack jaw, and infection. Mom or dad would be responsible for vet visit and addressing the issue.

 

[Beman]

This honestly breaks my heart.... Makes me absolutely sick how horrible people are. I simply do not understand how people can look at a creature they took on to care for, house, feed, etc and not do right by it. I do not care if it is a damn praying mantis, a reptile, a dog, a cat, a hamster... THEY are ALIVE. So how the heck do people think this is normal and ok?

I think someone needs to have a talk with the mother... I am not even familiar with this species and I can look at that picture and see how disfigured that animal is and know how much pain it must be in.

 

[Ghostbirb]

Sooo my friend’s brother has a crested gecko. He has had her(?) for 5ish years, and she’s not in good shape at all:
View attachment 325887
She lives in a 10 gallon tank lined with reptile carpet, with a couple little plastic plants. She is only eating mango at the moment, with no supplements. There is no heat or lighting, and until recently this tank wasn’t cleaned.

When I first saw her she had a severely deformed spine/rib cage, several layers of stuck shed on her toes, a fungal infection not visible in the photo, a warped and spongy jaw, and could barely move.

I carefully removed the stuck shed from the toes, but she still would barely move.

I’m guessing severe MBD, and malnutrition.

How can I help her? I recommended getting a uth and a uvb fixture, as well as seeing a vet if at all possible, and if not getting liquid calcium and using painkiller free polysporin on the infection.

Oh poor baby! She’s looking horrible! I hope u can help her, or at least get the family to help her.

 

[Tkrd69]

If his parents treated him like that they would be in jail. He needs to learn about his pet and the responsibility that goes with it or not have one at all.

 

[Ambilobe123]

Thanks for all the replies.
My friend told me she’d try to reason with her brother, and hopefully he agrees to let me supervise her care.

The parents are pretty clueless with herps, and probably just see her as something like a dog or cat. They leave pretty much everything up to the brother. I don’t know them well at all, but I told them how bad it is. Hopefully they understand.

Are there any suggestions on what they could do to make her more comfortable in the meantime?

 

[kinyonga]

It looks like it might be a male...which is a good thing...if there can be anything considered good with it. It's hard to be sure since it so twisted. I hope they will let you help it.
Definitely MBD and I'm sure other nutritional issues.

 

[Tkrd69]

Can the poor guy even move? The vet would probably suggest putting him to sleep to ease the suffering. Sorry you found him in this shape, needs lots a TLC from someone. Hopefully they let you help and educate them.

 

[DonKeesh]

Yes the only humane option is euthanasia. There is no recovering from this.

 

[Taco the chameleon]

Sooo my friend’s brother has a crested gecko. He has had her(?) for 5ish years, and she’s not in good shape at all:
View attachment 325887
She lives in a 10 gallon tank lined with reptile carpet, with a couple little plastic plants. She is only eating mango at the moment, with no supplements. There is no heat or lighting, and until recently this tank wasn’t cleaned.

When I first saw her she had a severely deformed spine/rib cage, several layers of stuck shed on her toes, a fungal infection not visible in the photo, a warped and spongy jaw, and could barely move.

I carefully removed the stuck shed from the toes, but she still would barely move.

I’m guessing severe MBD, and malnutrition.

How can I help her? I recommended getting a uth and a uvb fixture, as well as seeing a vet if at all possible, and if not getting liquid calcium and using painkiller free polysporin on the infection.

I would bring her to the vet and try to get her calcium and vitamins. when my chameleon was sick I would have to feed him by opening his mouth I would do that to give her nutrition. Please make sure that it’s getting the right needs. Poor baby.

 

[Lindasjackson]

This just horrifies and saddens me. This child is being selfish and his parents need to step in and take the gecko to the vet for euthanasia.

 

[Lindasjackson]

And then not allow him to have any more animals!

 

[bbyoda]

OP thank you for trying to help. I think it's time to escalate to your friends mom. It might make things awkward with you and your friend or her and her brother but it will be the right thing to do. If the parents are clueless they need to be clued in. Their child is abusing an animal via neglect.

 

[Ambilobe123]

Well, the gecko died earlier today.

If the family decides to get another gecko, I will advise them on the proper care, and hopefully that one will live a better life.

I’m not really sure what to say. At least it is no longer suffering, but at the same time it is unfortunate that the gecko had to die.

I want to assume the best, that the owner just didn’t know how to care for a gecko. Sadly this is far too common in our society as we have all seen on this site with many new cham owners. I am trying my best to inform my other friends who have herps, and I have found a friend who loves learning about these creatures as much as I do.

At the end of the day, it is the parents’ decision whether or not to let their son get another pet, though I will most definitely help them give appropriate care if they do.

Thank you all.