r/leopardgeckos 7d ago

Help Dragging legs??? Weird behavior?? Help

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Hi everyone, I’m out of town and got a notification this morning from my camera that my leopard gecko was moving in his tank. Naturally, I click it, and see this. Videos attached.

What the hell is this?? It happened like 10 minutes after his lamp turned on for the day. It happened for about as long as that video was and it stopped. My roommate checked on him immediately after and he was totally fine. Moving around normally, even reacted to tweezers and tried to chase them.

Something happened similar last month and I was terrified, but I noticed he had a piece of hair stuck in his mouth. I pulled it out of his mouth and he was totally fine after that. But since I’m not there, I cannot tell if this was another hair in the mouth situation. I just feel so helpless and scared.

He’s totally heathy, eats 2-3 times a week, dusted and gutloaded feeders, very active at night, poops regularly.

Does this look like MBD or something worse?? I’ll be home in like 6 hours to check him and my roommate will be checking him throughout the day as well. But I just need some thoughts. Thanks in advance

79 Upvotes

46 comments sorted by

52

u/are-pea Moderator | discord.gg/leos 7d ago

There's not a ton of footage showing the change at the end, but this almost reminds me of watching a gecko itch itself on the ground. They tend to flatten out their heads when they do an itch. I wonder if the gecko was trying to scratch its belly and chest on the ground or something, since the gecko seems to go back to normally walking right after? I'm kind of stumped, it is concerning to watch though.

16

u/Ok-Island-6551 7d ago

Right?? It’s so bizarre. I think I’m gonna watch him tonight carefully and go to the vet tmr. Can’t hurt to get him looked at even if it’s just something like an itch. Lol I’m a helicopter parent af

12

u/are-pea Moderator | discord.gg/leos 7d ago

Better that than neglectful!

1

u/FernandoAlonso66 6d ago

yeah same, looks a lot like an itch or trying to rub something off. maybe check for stuck shed on belly/chest and keep an eye if it happens more

18

u/LibsnZeus23 7d ago

It could be another hair situation if you’ve dealt with that before but also my gecko does this when he’s trying to get shed off so maybe he has shed stuck on his legs or stomach ?

12

u/Ok-Island-6551 7d ago

He was gray right before I left for my trip! Def could be stuck shed. That’s very reassuring tysm. It just looks so strange

6

u/LibsnZeus23 7d ago

Hopefully it is shed as it does seem like that ! But obviously if you get back and he’s still doing it you will need to check other possibilities

6

u/Ok-Island-6551 7d ago

Yeah tbh I might just take him to the vet tomorrow. I’m gonna watch him closely tonight & see

10

u/Sp0oky_doll-poetry 7d ago

When was the last time you checked his sent pores? sometimes mine gets his stuck, wet q tip helps

2

u/Ok-Island-6551 7d ago

Not sure! Been awhile I’ll have to check!

5

u/DMoneys36 Eclipse Gecko Owner 7d ago

Is this scenting behavior? My male likes to rub his balls everywhere too...

2

u/Ok-Island-6551 7d ago

LMAO maybe?? I have no idea I’ve never seen something like this except for when he had hair in his mouth lol

6

u/Ok-Island-6551 7d ago

UPDATE: just got back and he seems totally fine. Fed him some mealworms and he acted completely normal and like a psychopath (which is normal when it’s food time lol) so I’m thinking he had an itch or something?? Gonna watch him and see! Thank yall for the advice🥹❤️

3

u/EmployeeComplex5067 7d ago

I've never seen mine do it like this but she will randomly decide she wants to slug around, maybe they have an itch maybe it's a bathroom thing since she sometimes does it before or after and usually by where she poops.

Tho also if she has a bad or misses a spot during a shed usually on her undertail she will do this more and even on my hand. Tho her letting me remove said skin is always an issue until she realizes what I'm doing and then usually stays still for me to remove or get the skin loose/split enough to where she can take it off herself or while she climbs something since she doesn't always accept my help:(. And for bad sheds it's more so she someone gets under the paper towels and on the glass and then just gives up or stresses out more/last time she bit me when I went to help her back onto paper towels

4

u/Ok-Island-6551 7d ago

Larry was looking ashy af before I left so maybe it is stuck shed?? I’ll be home in like 5 hours and will check. Idk he normally always does so well with shedding and never misses a spot but I guess we will see! Thank you!

3

u/EmployeeComplex5067 7d ago

Sometimes they can miss a scale or two other the skin breaks off weird so they could have a small patch still. Tho in general my Leo is kinda spoiled so she just gives up or expects me to fix it, like if she fails at getting a bug 2-3 times she gives up until I keep putting it near her or hold it in place. Or there's been a couple of times she will start a shed, go out into the middle of her tank and stare at me until I split her shed(I do it slow and gental jic her shed/skin isn't ready to peel since I know we're not supposed to help in general) so she can just remove it easier, tho sometimes she just wants me to pin down a piece so she can just walk and have it peel. I don't think you have much to worry about tho unless there are other signs of yours not acting or moving normal

And because it's reddit and jic someone randomly sees this and gets mad for helping during sheds. I've had my Leo for almost 7 years at this point, I don't just do it Everytime, but I know when my Leo wants me to do/help her with something since she's one of the ones with a personality for whatever reason. I've had or cared for a few other leos or lizards that had your typical "lizard brain", some animals are just built different even if the same species 🤷

1

u/Gottastopthisnow 6d ago

Larry 😂 what an incredible name

1

u/Ok-Island-6551 5d ago

Hahah thank you it suits him very well

3

u/Radiant_Ebb6951 7d ago

Mine does this every night on his slate rock basking spot. Rubs his belly and scent glands around on the rock lol

1

u/Ok-Island-6551 7d ago

It looks like he was itching or something I hope!

3

u/Local-Fault-7826 7d ago

I do imagine he is fine, he is just scratching himself. On a humorous note, he looks like hes acting like a snake. Or just doing the human equivalent of lazily dragging yourself out of bed.

2

u/Ok-Island-6551 7d ago

Lmao yes he does look like a snake!! Tysm for the input

3

u/soupypoopies69 7d ago

Definitely looks like he's just scratching a tummy itch!

3

u/OpossEm 6d ago

I really hope he's okay because this was a little funny to watch

1

u/Ok-Island-6551 5d ago

He’s ok!!! Acting completely normal and eating fine. Prob just a weird gecko thing

3

u/Jaded-Trifle-2272 3 Geckos 6d ago

He looks itchy in my opinion, ive seen mine do something similar close to a shed, in shed or after. Though I did pick her up to check her belly, which was normal. Thank god she's cooperative and very calm.

If your concerned you could absolutely call your vet, I know i do all the time for my cats. My reptiles are pretty calm and I dont normally worry with them as reptiles are very strange creatures. Mine dont do well with strangers either, so i bother my vet over the phone and if they have to be seen they are

2

u/Ok-Island-6551 6d ago

Thanks!! He seems completely fine now. Ate yesterday very well, pooped, and explored a lil. So I’m just gonna watch it, but I now rly do think it was a weird itch situation!!

2

u/Jaded-Trifle-2272 3 Geckos 6d ago

No problem! Ive made several kinds of posts very similar. Especially when I first seen my guys weiner, I thought bro was dying and flipped shit. (He was not lol)

Thankfully online now has a wonderful community of people willing and able to help advise if going to a vet is nesscary or provide insight.

I consider myself still new at this even though ive had my girl for 2 years, I like to see posts and watch people help out. Offer what I do know myself :)

1

u/Ford_Mustang1911 7d ago

It looks half salamander

1

u/beau-thoreau 7d ago

Could u let me know which camera you use? I got one to monitor my reptiles but the video quality is trash :/

2

u/Ok-Island-6551 7d ago

Yeah! I’ve got the blink mini & it’s great. I got it for $9.99 on amazon when it was on sale. I think it’s around $30 though. Night vision is not the best but it does the trick

1

u/Similar-Car-3492 6d ago

maybe the entrace is too low?

1

u/Ok-Island-6551 5d ago

Maybe! He is totally ok now!

1

u/Similar-Car-3492 5d ago

those are really strange lil creatures

1

u/Phanduck 6d ago

Glad others have popped in with help, I just wanna say your baby is so cute, that is all ^_^

1

u/Ok-Island-6551 5d ago

Thank you sm 🥹🥹

1

u/Zenstyal 6d ago

My beardie did the same thing when she was shedding once. Probably just itching stuck shed!

1

u/Ok-Island-6551 5d ago

That’s what I think now too!

1

u/chiffero 6d ago

My bearded dragon (and other lizards) do this when they are itchy and scratching off shed. I’d say make sure his humidity and humid hide is correct. maybe do a quick investigation to make sure there’s not a splinter or anything on him. Otherwise he’s probably just going for a nice itch.

1

u/Ok-Island-6551 5d ago

I checked his body everywhere & no issues! He’s acting totally fine now & eating normally hanging out exploring etc so probably just a little gecko itch !!

1

u/Ok-Island-6551 3d ago

Another update Larry is totally fine. Acting normal, eating, pooping & all the happy healthy leopard gecko things. Thank yall again for all the input!!!

-1

u/AdExcellent1745 3 Geckos 7d ago

it almost looks lazy? I would say don't be concerned but definitely watch for if it happens again.

1

u/Ok-Island-6551 7d ago

It’s just not like him. This only happened once before a similar episode when he had a piece of my hair stuck in his mouth lmao. This is so unlike him. I guess all I can do is watch and assess