Reptile Experts, phone in (dead gecko)

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Reptile Experts, phone in (dead gecko) - 12/26/2013 7:37:56 AM

EasyE

Posts: 111
Joined: 12/18/2005
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Hi all.

Well Gordon my Leopard Gecko of 11 years bit the dust today. I got him back in 2003 from a pet shop. Since then he's lived with me, my mother, me at college, my brother, mother again, and now with me. I was gone over the past two days and I think a temperature spike got him. I have been having issues keeping it regular. I'm in Detroit and the temp has been fluctuating from 0's to 40's F. With the steam heat in the apartment and windows on both sides (high rise so big full length windows) been hard to keep him warm without getting too hot in the middle of the day, especially when the sun helps warm the cage. I had a heat pad and lamp, regulated the temp with towels or bulb changes. I was gone the last couple days and found this:

[warning its kinda gross]
Gordon

Do you think he cooked after death or can you say with reasonable surety that's what killed him. I kept him alive for 11 years which is a fair life for the creature. I'm just wondering if I F'ed up or he possibly died a natural death and just cooked bc he was dead.

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RE: Reptile Experts, phone in (dead gecko) - 12/26/2013 9:32:36 AM

DomKen

Posts: 19457
Joined: 7/4/2004
From: Chicago, IL
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I'm sorry for your loss.

Was he out in the open like that when you found him? If he was overheating he should have sought out the shade inside the faux log shelter. Where is the heat lamp in relation to where he was found? How hot was it getting inside the tank? Even with all the fluctuations was it really getting over 100F for long stretches? Was the lamp on a timer or is it possible the power went out? He might have gotten too cold and sought out the warmest spot, under the lamp, died and gotten cooked when the lamp came back on.

Or really he was 11 years old and that is quite old for a gecko. Keeping a gecko alive for 11 years is really quite an accomplishment so I doubt you screwed up very badly if at all.

(in reply to EasyE)

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RE: Reptile Experts, phone in (dead gecko) - 12/26/2013 9:43:47 AM

EasyE

Posts: 111
Joined: 12/18/2005
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Thanks for the reassurance. He was out by the lamp away from the shade of his rock (in the hot zone). It would spike to 80-90 for long periods and only one occasion did I see it go above 100.

He hadn't ate much lately and looked to be going blind. The only odd thing is he just shed, which tells me he was doing ok.

(in reply to DomKen)

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RE: Reptile Experts, phone in (dead gecko) - 12/26/2013 9:59:08 AM

SeekingTrinity

Posts: 1834
Joined: 5/29/2012
From: The 'burbs of Portland, OR
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I too tend to think it might have just been old age that got to him. Everything DomKen said seemed to be very plausible. Plus you said your little guy stopped eating very much, which is generally a good indicator that someone is getting ready to pass on.

I am sorry for your loss. It sucks to lose a friend

(in reply to EasyE)

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RE: Reptile Experts, phone in (dead gecko) - 12/26/2013 10:19:01 AM

DomKen

Posts: 19457
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From: Chicago, IL
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I really do think old age got him. It just doesn't sound like it got that hot in the tank, actually when you say spike to 80 to 90 it almost sounds like it was on the cool side in general (it should be in the 80 to 90 range during the day all the time).

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RE: Reptile Experts, phone in (dead gecko) - 12/26/2013 11:00:32 AM

DaddySatyr

Posts: 9381
Joined: 8/29/2011
From: Pittston, Pennsyltucky
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Sorry for your loss but for future reference: I do NOT advise the use of heat rocks or pads. They are usually controlled by some sort of resistor; many times, variable (think "volume nob") and if the resistor goes bad you can easily cook a herp.

I used to rescue iguanas. I had quite a "stable" of rescued pets because people didn't realize that while these animals can be smart, they can be extremely simple, also. There was one person whose heat rock failed and he figured that a radiator would be an okay replacement. The poor iguana wasn't smart enough to realize that that heat he needed so desperately was killing him.

Please, please, please I know Detroit is not known for stable weather conditions but avoid heat rocks/pads and stick with heat lamps which will not heat the animal so quickly that they can't move away, when they're warm enough.

I built a half wall in a bedroom in my place and had a large branch with two heat lamps near the top (separated by a bit of distance) so that the lower lamp could be "used" on warmer days and my lizards could get to the higher (closer to the branch) one on cooler days.

Good luck in the future.

< Message edited by DaddySatyr -- 12/26/2013 11:01:09 AM >

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RE: Reptile Experts, phone in (dead gecko) - 12/26/2013 11:05:34 AM

EasyE

Posts: 111
Joined: 12/18/2005
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You're right. I tried to keep him between on the low acceptable side 70 to 90. It would spike from 90-105.

If anyone in Detroit area wants some good bulbs PM me and you can have 'em.

(in reply to DaddySatyr)

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