BeWild Reptile Rescue

FOUND GECKO - PLEASE SHARE!

Bobbit is an adult male leopard gecko that was found outside an apartment complex in Chapel Hill. A couple had been watching and trying to catch him for days and finally got him last night! He had been outdoors during several nights in the 40’s, and would have been an easy snack for outdoor predators.

Bobbit is a little thin but in decent shape considering the circumstances. If this is your gecko, please message us with picture and location evidence!

Orca is an adult male leopard gecko who was surrendered this evening. Orca is emaciated and has apparently not eaten in 2-3 months. He has evidence of a vitamin A deficiency, characterized by a buildup of keratinaceous material over his eyes and hemipenes. He is a super snow morph, which we very commonly see presented with vitamin A deficiencies. Anecdotally, this morph seems to be more sensitive to nutritional deficiencies.

We gave Orca subcutaneous fluids, oral multivitamins, flushed his eyes with saline, and applied lubricant. We removed a moderate about of material from each eye socket. Due to his emaciated condition, Orca unfortunately has a guarded prognosis. While we have rehabilitated geckos in his condition, we can also see irreversible organ damage with cases like this. Refeeding syndrome is also a very real threat in this case, so we will prioritize rehydration and start him on very diluted amounts of liquid diet.

As with any thin gecko, we always worry about cryptosporidium and other parasites. We will be sending out a PCR and doing an acid fast stain on a f***l smear. We have strict rules with our rescues in terms of PPE (personal protective equipment) and sanitation, and transmissable diseases like this are why!

If your gecko is having health issues or is not eating, check out ARAV.org to find a veterinarian that has experience with exotics in your area.

We’ve had some great adoptions recently, but last night was the icing on the cake! Two twin boys came to meet the leopard geckos, and one fell in love with Swan while the other with Dr. Strange. The family decided to adopt both, and we’re so happy both geckos were able to find a good home!

Are you interested in adopting? We only have a few (!) leopard geckos up for adoption right now, but many bearded dragons, ball pythons, and other fun species! Head to our website to learn more or schedule a meet and greet.