# Anole Lizard - Paralysed Back Legs



## lewisfuggie (Jul 30, 2007)

Hi, my son has 5 Anole Lizards and the larger male one looked very strange last night, staying on the bottom of the vivaruim. Thought nothing o it at first, but checked again today and he seems to have lost the use of his back legs, dragging imself everywhere and of course can no longer climb. Dnt know what has caused it or whether it is permanent, i am having to had feed him at moment, he even let me pick him up and did not move at all. He did manage to kick his legs back, but that was it !! No further momement, he just lay there and closed his eyes. i have managed to get some water down him and he did manage to eat one mealworm that i hand fed him. 
Has anyone else EVER heard of this as i dont want him to suffer and dont know what to do next. PLEASE HELP !!!!!


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

that sounds very strange..


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

Hiya.. and :welcome1: to the forums.. sorry that your first post is such an unfortunate one.

If the legs are broken, or the back is broken, I am not sure there is a lot that can be done, as there are not really pain medications that can be given to lizards that size.. and they will quickly go off their food. It might be best if you could get him in to see a vet, who unfortunately may advise if he can't walk, can't feed himself etc. it is unlikely he will live a full and happy life.. and might be put to sleep.

Or they might have some other alternatives but it really sounds like a job for the professionals to me.


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

has he not had any movement in them at all? try rubbing his bottom or tummy, any movement in the legs?


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## lewisfuggie (Jul 30, 2007)

Athravan said:


> Hiya.. and :welcome1: to the forums.. sorry that your first post is such an unfortunate one.
> 
> If the legs are broken, or the back is broken, I am not sure there is a lot that can be done, as there are not really pain medications that can be given to lizards that size.. and they will quickly go off their food. It might be best if you could get him in to see a vet, who unfortunately may advise if he can't walk, can't feed himself etc. it is unlikely he will live a full and happy life.. and might be put to sleep.
> 
> Or they might have some other alternatives but it really sounds like a job for the professionals to me.


Dont know of any vets in area that may deal with lizards


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

have you tried rubbing his tummy/bottom hun for any movement?? i have a few ideas

what area are you in? ill help find you a vet


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

??? hope ur ok


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## Emz118 (Nov 22, 2006)

Our velvet gecko has bouts of the same problem. The vet suggested calcium defficiency, and so we put a UV on his viv and he seems a lot better.

Take him to the vets to be sure though IMO.


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## lewisfuggie (Jul 30, 2007)

Thanks for that, just got him out and have rubbed his tummy and his bum and he can seem to move his legs slightly. (felt a bit mad doing it, theres not many times you rub a tiny lizards bum). The one leg seemed better than the other. They have stuff sprinkled on there food for calcium, and he was always the one that sped round the tank, eating all the baby hoppers in about 7 minutes, so to see him just lying there with his eyes closed, s not like him. On his one foot, he has a calous like lump, not massive, but knobbly and bigger than other foot.


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

right theres a similar problem in other lizards and its an infection to do with the stomach...can even be ingestion. the fact he is moving his legs is good...im still asking around some vets i know.

where do you live hun, so i can help find your nearest reptile vet?


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## lewisfuggie (Jul 30, 2007)

Solihull, West Midlands, about 2 miles from Birmingham Airport


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

yhi hun, heres some solihull/birmingham ones.

608, Warwick Rd, Solihull, West Midlands B91 1AA *0121 7053044* 
108, Widney Road, Bentley Heath, Solihull, West Midlands B93 9BL *01564 774246* 
139, Westley Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, West Midlands B27 7UW *0121 7061870* 
58, Sheaf Lane, Sheldon, Birmingham, West Midlands B26 3HA 
39, Lordswood Rd, Birmingham, West Midlands B17 9QT

Right as far as i know they all do reptiles, if they cant see you ask them where the nearest exotic pet/reptile vet surgery is and they will hapilly tell you one.


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## ian_lawton (Apr 19, 2007)

does tht viv have a uv light in it, i know its simple but you know, sorry if i course any offence


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## lewisfuggie (Jul 30, 2007)

Thanks for that all the ones i called did not do lizards


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## saj1985 (Jun 30, 2007)

*hey...*

i heard of a specialist reptile vet in solihull i should have the number somewhere, when i rang my local vet they said they can have a look at lizards but this vet in solihull is a specialist, ill ave a look n try n get it 4 ya!


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

let me know how you get on with those contacts for vets hun oh and ive added some numbers


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## lewisfuggie (Jul 30, 2007)

ian_lawton said:


> does tht viv have a uv light in it, i know its simple but you know, sorry if i course any offence


No not a UV, rptile shop we had them from said dis not need one, but after reading up, getting one tom. Also want to get them a bigger viv as there are 5 of them in a tank thats about 12" x 12" x 20" which again the shop said was more than adequate, but again on researching, it states is not big enough, but dont know how big to buy


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## ian_lawton (Apr 19, 2007)

oki dokie well the uv would help my lizards go strange without it 4 a day? lol

never belive pet shops haha

loads of people on here have or still have anoles


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## lewisfuggie (Jul 30, 2007)

Thanks, were told they were a good starter lizard, but some people think otherwise, dont know andnot heard from anyone else who has Anoles though


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## Lewb (Oct 27, 2006)

Sounds like it could be an impaction? paralysis of the back legs and spine is one symptom.

Try amicus exotic vets in shirley, just off the retail park. Sorry havn't got a number atm..but they do reptiles and all exotics.


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

Lewb said:


> Sounds like it could be an impaction? paralysis of the back legs and spine is one symptom.


thats what i first thought and thats why i said rub the tummy and see if theres any movement of legs...so it could well be as he moved his legs


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## lewisfuggie (Jul 30, 2007)

He can move his back legs slightly, if i stroke his bum or tummy


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## saj1985 (Jun 30, 2007)

lewb i tink thats the 1 i heard off! heard dats a gud vet if thats d same 1 im tinkin!


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

straight to the vets hun!!


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## lewisfuggie (Jul 30, 2007)

babygyalsw2 said:


> straight to the vets hun!!


took him to the AMICUS VETS IN SHIRLEY today who said that he seemed to be a runt egg and his gut had not developed enough, as he did not have enough yoke to live from when he was very young. He was only about half the weight he should of been, this was evidently because his gut was not digesting food properly, so no matter how much you fed him, he would never put weight on. Evidently because he had not got enough weight on him, he had seemed to of allen off a branch and hurt his hips, which were swollen and pressure put on his nerves which stopped his back legs working properly, they could give him a anti inflamatory, but as he had and would not eat due to the pain, it was doubtful that he would eat enough or agin in time to stop him starving to death and the vet recommended he be put sadly to sleep. My son is devestated !!!!!


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

damn thats absolutely terrible news hun. did you get him put to sleep?


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## ditta (Sep 18, 2006)

awww really sorry to hear that rip little anole


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## lewisfuggie (Jul 30, 2007)

babygyalsw2 said:


> damn thats absolutely terrible news hun. did you get him put to sleep?


Yes sadly had to have him put to sleep tonight, could not bring him home as would of made son worse. He just lay there in my hand looking at me, felt ever so guilty, but it was for the best. Still have the 4 girl anoles to lok after, but wont be the same without him.


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

aww im so sorry sweetheart. must of been a horrible experience. i remember when i had to put my first ever leo to sleep and i held her for hours, couldnt even part with her to bury her...i know its soo hard...how old is your son?


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## lewisfuggie (Jul 30, 2007)

He is 9 years old and wanted a bearded or water dragon, but was advised that anoles were the best starter lizards. Would not mind but he has only had them for 1 month.  He was really upset.


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

awww so young too. its always hard letting a pet go when you're young


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

sorry to hear that mate..

Im sure th elittle guy will be happy knowing that hi sgirls will get a bigger viv and uv though...
its common knowledge that diurnal lizards need uv.. not your fault but any shop that sells reptiles of course should know the basics, this sort of thing happens quite a bit, althoguh if it had nothin to do with all that fair enough, but something was a miss besides his gut or he wouldnt have lasted as long as he did.. still..
A bearded dragon would have been the better starter lizard.. strange shop you have there, but if they were goin to give you miss information it may not have ended well either.

Sorry for your loss, and your sons, and of course for the little anole.


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## Bonkers! (May 27, 2007)

Sounds like what happened to my first anole just before he died


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## sall (Jan 2, 2007)

i am so sorry hun i no how much it hurts for some reson i went in to my Green Anole yday looked down and my 4 year old was dead dont no how it bloody killed me tho


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## rob-stl-07 (Jun 3, 2007)

feel sorry 4 u m8, btw i found out its better to talk to people on here then listen to pet shop info. every1 here knows there stuff. hope your son does well with his anoles. like me when i started i was 10. first salamander died. i'm only a few years older then him an all, i know how it feels.


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