Almost.

[NickyChameleon]

my 15 or so year old leopard gecko is finally getting too old. I woke up this morning to find him lying on his back, barely breathing. I gave him this calcium stuff that I used on my other leopard gecko a year or so ago when HE got sick, and it worked fine. One of his cheeks sunk in. He has a big tail still, but he is so thin you can see most of his backbone. He won't open his eyes. He doesn't respond to a proven force feeding tactic that I have used before. Hoping the best and knowing the worst.
Almost RIP Leo....you were awesome buddy.
-Nicholas Etheridge, reptile keeper since 2006

 

[MissMeela]

Sorry to hear that! RIP Leo!

 

[NickyChameleon]

Sorry to hear that! RIP Leo!

Eh. Pretty much at this point.

 

[NickyChameleon]

Eh. Pretty much at this point.

Leo is getting progressively worse. He was in a coma-like state and was just sitting in my hand for 10 minutes, with me petting him, until he woke up and was like "Why have you woken the Great Dragon, puny human?" And I was sad because I thought he was dead....well cheers to you you old geezer of a gecko.

 

[wodesorel]

A vet will be able to tell you for sure if it's just old age, or something else going on. They'll also be able to make sure he isn't going to suffer if it's something that isn't treatable. There is no reason to watch him continue to get worse and starve to death.

 

[carol5208]

I would take him to a vet and have him put down if he is dying slowly. I had to do that with two of my chameleons. I did not want them to suffer.

 

[NickyChameleon]

I would take him to a vet and have him put down if he is dying slowly. I had to do that with two of my chameleons. I did not want them to suffer.

He seems to have a gecko version of ALS. He's slowly losing his muscles. I agree that he should be taken to a vet. I don't feel like explaining how my mom feels that if they die, they die. That's why I'm a reptile enthusiast and she isn't....I may not know everything, but I have their every discomfort in mind. If it gets worse, I might do it myself. It's painful to watch him slowly deteriorate.

 

[wodesorel]

Your parents just spent hundreds of dollars on your cham, and according to you will be spending that much more for an upgrade. They really won't take the time, or the small bit of money, to put down a pet you've had in the family for 15 years so it doesn't suffer?

 

[NickyChameleon]

Your parents just spent hundreds of dollars on your cham, and according to you will be spending that much more for an upgrade. They really won't take the time, or the small bit of money, to put down a pet you've had in the family for 15 years so it doesn't suffer?

Hey I wanted to do it they are not the sharpest knifes.

 

[Onemorecast]

He seems to have a gecko version of ALS. He's slowly losing his muscles. I agree that he should be taken to a vet. I don't feel like explaining how my mom feels that if they die, they die. That's why I'm a reptile enthusiast and she isn't....I may not know everything, but I have their every discomfort in mind. If it gets worse, I might do it myself. It's painful to watch him slowly deteriorate.

Please dont put down your own animal...and if its the way im thinking of the whole freezer thing thats been floating around the internet for years...DONT. Bring it to a vet, thats why they are vets and we are just privelaged to care for them...care being the prime word.

 

[DaChameleonKing]

^

 

[wodesorel]

Hey I wanted to do it they are not the sharpest knifes.

Didn't you ask them for the chameleon though? I read your original thread(s). I'm having trouble understanding why you would ask for another pet if they won't take care of the one you already have. You had also said before you were saving up money to buy things yourself by babysitting, and then your parents bought you everything you needed including the cham. As an owner, this is where that money you make needs to go - to get your leo the treatment he needs (one way or another) and to get your chameleon checked since it looks like she has a foot injury. Would buying something for yourself be more fun? Yep. Is taking care of the animals you own more important? You bet. It's ultimately your responsibility since you wanted them, not your parents'. Welcome to growing up - it sucks big time. My idea of treating myself to something special these days is buying the right hides, or setting up bigger enclosures. I'd much rather be spending it on things like hair dye (oh gray hairs, how I hate thee), but that ain't happening anytime soon. But that's the responsibility I took on by taking in these animals.

 

[NickyChameleon]

Didn't you ask them for the chameleon though? I read your original thread(s). I'm having trouble understanding why you would ask for another pet if they won't take care of the one you already have. You had also said before you were saving up money to buy things yourself by babysitting, and then your parents bought you everything you needed including the cham. As an owner, this is where that money you make needs to go - to get your leo the treatment he needs (one way or another) and to get your chameleon checked since it looks like she has a foot injury. Would buying something for yourself be more fun? Yep. Is taking care of the animals you own more important? You bet. It's ultimately your responsibility since you wanted them, not your parents'. Welcome to growing up - it sucks big time. My idea of treating myself to something special these days is buying the right hides, or setting up bigger enclosures. I'd much rather be spending it on things like hair dye (oh gray hairs, how I hate thee), but that ain't happening anytime soon. But that's the responsibility I took on by taking in these animals.

Obviously I need to clear things up. They bought the chameleon. I blight everything else, and as I was surprised by the chameleon, had to spend the money I had saved up on crickets supplements, and other necessities. Also they agreed to take me to the vet if I knew it was dire....yeah well as soon as I can I'm moving out and setting up for myself (5 years) because this is crazy.

 

[NickyChameleon]

Obviously I need to clear things up. They bought the chameleon. I blight everything else, and as I was surprised by the chameleon, had to spend the money I had saved up on crickets supplements, and other necessities. Also they agreed to take me to the vet if I knew it was dire....yeah well as soon as I can I'm moving out and setting up for myself (5 years) because this is crazy.

Also to whoever decided this was animal cruelty,
1) How?
2) this lizard is 15+ years old what do you want me to do? I can't put him down, unless by my own hand, because my parents don't consider animals important enough and wont take me to the vet.

 

[Onemorecast]

Also to whoever decided this was animal cruelty,
1) How?
2) this lizard is 15+ years old what do you want me to do? I can't put him down, unless by my own hand, because my parents don't consider animals important enough and wont take me to the vet.

Which is exactly why we said you need to put away at least a few hundred dollars STRICTLY for vet bills. Since its too late (unfortunately) for the leo, please do so for chsm...it is inevitable it will need a vet visit at some point in its life

 

[JaniP]

Also to whoever decided this was animal cruelty,
1) How?
2) this lizard is 15+ years old what do you want me to do? I can't put him down, unless by my own hand, because my parents don't consider animals important enough and wont take me to the vet.

That would be me who dropped the cruelty bomb.

You listed it out yourself. You want to end him by your "own hand" instead of a vet. Taking on animals that you cannot care for is cruel. If your parents won't take you, maybe you shouldn't have got another animal. You are going to ignore that statement because you can't argue it. You were not and are not fit to take on another pet and you let the Leo suffer.

You can take a lizard on a bus to the vet, you know. If you are so mature like you say, surely you could have formulated a plan to get him there.

There is zero point sugar coating for you at this point.

 

[JaniP]

That being said, I'm sorry you lost your pet.

Please read the chameleon care sheets. It is painfully obvious that you have not. Do not argue that because you are asking numerous questions about basics, that my daughter could recite to people just from listening to me (she's 5 btw). I'm out for real this time. Peace out. Good luck.

 

[NickyChameleon]

That being said, I'm sorry you lost your pet.

Please read the chameleon care sheets. It is painfully obvious that you have not. Do not argue that because you are asking numerous questions about basics, that my daughter could recite to people just from listening to me (she's 5 btw). I'm out for real this time. Peace out. Good luck.

K well. I did read it but I didn't memorize it. Also thanks. I buried him along with my mountain horned dragon and emerald swift from 3 and 4 years ago.

 

[NickyChameleon]

K well. I did read it but I didn't memorize it. Also thanks. I buried him along with my mountain horned dragon and emerald swift from 3 and 4 years ago.

RIP Leo, Minerva, Sevvy, and Chuck, the collared lizard, along with the anoles and house geckos I've cared for over the years, not to mention those two tree frogs who hid under their water bowl and killed themselves, as well as my 1st grade aquatic frog.