# Leopard gecko losing use of back legs



## Spider Call (Mar 23, 2007)

One of my young geckos has lost the use of her back legs. I bought her a few months back after watching her not grow over months in a shop. I assumed her lack of growth was due to not enough food at said shop. 
Over the months she hasn't grown in length, she bilked out in body, but her tail never got as fat as my others. 
I just kept shrugging off her lack of growth, assuming she would catch up to my little uns of the same age. 
She has been perfectly healthy up until now, happily eats a diet of crickets, locust, a few mealies and the occasional waxworm. 

Her set up is the same as all my others. Exo terra small hides, small circular wet box, water bowl, calcium bowl and worm bowl. She is kept on kitchen/toilet paper the same as all my other youngsters which rules out impaction. 
She toilets regularly, though needs help with shedding. 

Last night she came over as usual and ate her dinner, had a drink and then returned to her hide. This morning she was sat behind her wet box as she always does. I got her out a little while ago to show her to a friend who also keeps leopards. She was in shed but hadn't even touched it which was odd. She also didn't climb up me like normal. 
When I picked her up I noticed straight away that she felt rather squishy on the stomach, and she wasn't gripping with her back legs. 
After a closer inspection it seems as though she is full of fluid around where you would see eggs from underneath on a gravid leopard. 

Her tail has feeling in it, and she can move that which baffles me even more. I've checked her legs and there are no problems, not dislocated or broken from potentially getting herself stuck. Nothing. 
One day perfectly healthy, dashing around to... Well, this. 

Has anyone else come across anything like this?

Naturally we are off to the vets in the morning.


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## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

Has the gecko ever had any fecal tests done to rule out paracites? The lack of growth even though she is eaten as normal would indicate this, and then the lack of energy on top of this too.


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

Sorry to hear that the little'un is not well. I have never experienced what you describe but from what I have read the loss of movement in the back legs is most likely due to 3 things:

MBD - what is your supplementation regime? - especially as this gecko had a poor start in life

Impaction - I know you don't use a loose substrate but a heavy parasite load can also cause an impaction. As can eating moss from the moist hide, insects too large if temps are not spot on.

Injury - this may not be in the legs but more likely the back. Does your Leo climb?

I hope the vet can sort this out for you. Please let us know how she gets on.


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## Spider Call (Mar 23, 2007)

I use calcium 5 days a week and nutrobal 2 days. I also have a little pot of it in her tank that she licks. 
I use paper or strips of towel in my moist hides after finding one of my big girls happily pulling wax worms out of hers, and managing to eat it at the same time. 
No parasites, but yes she does like to climb. She gets on top of things and also hangs off of the side of her tank. She thinks she is a crested gecko.


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## Spider Call (Mar 23, 2007)

Sorry for the fail at updating this. 
My girl is currently still alive. We THINK she damaged some nerves or something along those lines after falling/getting wedged in her tank. 
She can't feel her back legs at all, but her tail she can which rules out a break in the spine. She doesn't react at all when you touch her legs. 

Anyway. I am giving her a chance. She is still wandering round like normal, popping her head out when I come in the room. 
She is eating, drinking and toiling fine... So we shall see.


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## Andy84 (Sep 5, 2011)

I suppose that as long as she is not pain then you may as well give her a go.


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## Spider Call (Mar 23, 2007)

This is my thought for now. We shall see how it goes over the next few days. If she deteriorates at all she will be going to the vets to be pts.


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