Last Monday March 10th 2014 I went and got my Male leo crickets he usually eats about 15-20 maybe a lil more give or take a week. hes kind of a piggy lol. Well last week I dropped his crickets in his tank and he has the walnut sand stuff... I didn't know it was bad for them... and when he went to get his crickets he ate two big bites of the sand. I read up on it and Later that night I counted his poop... weird I know but hes on top of a dresser and I'm a week shy of being 9 month pregnant and cant climb to clean it my husband has to do it. Well he didn't eat anymore crickets the rest of the week... or hasn't pooped... and yesterday 3-17-14 he shed again for the 3 time since February, So we cleaned out his tank and took all crickets left the sand without food and I put him in a ten gallon tank with crickets and wax worms... and only paper towels in the tank. My juicy boy has NEVER ate worms he doesn't like them and was never interested... Usually when I drop the crickets in there in less than 5 mins he eats 3-5 crickets... I couldn't get him to eat the crickets I got him to eat 2 wax worms and he stopped so then I gave him a warm bath because that is not his usual amount of food he eats then I got him to eat 3 more wax worms... his tail has thinned out I can start to see his spine something isn't right. I want to save him but I just don't have the funds to send him to the vet... I am about to have a baby at anytime I don't know what to do help me please!! he is not himself I need to get him better!! Also all he keeps doing is licking the calcium dust... he wont even go near the crickets...
Welcome to the forum, I'm sorry this issue has brought you here. Here is our caresheet - http://reptileboards.com/threads/leopard-gecko-caresheet.59997/ Please review it and make sure you are providing proper husbandry. If you haven't already, the crushed walnut substrate needs to be thrown out immediately. Not only does it pose an impaction risk, but it can cause cause internal damage from the sharp edges if consumed, making it particularly hazardous. Consider paper towel for now, or, for something more aesthetically pleasing, try slate tile or non-adhesive shelf liner (the 'rubbery' kind) for a non-particulate, safe bedding. Do you have any pictures of the gecko? Ideally, a picture of the belly (perhaps shot from under a piece of glass) and of the back or side where the spine can be observed? From you describe, an impaction is probable... I would encourage you to give him a warm bath, just barely warm to the touch of your forearm, so that the water comes just up up the middle of his sides. This can aid in hydrating him and help to loosen any stool by taking water through the vent. I would do this at least once daily. You can try to get him to consume a few drops of mineral oil as well to help lubricate his digestive tract. Be sure you are supplementing properly as well (refer to caresheet link above). Metabolic Bone Disease may cause deformities in later onset, but I don't suspect this is the case if he has access to calcium and no other signs have been seen.
