Nostromo has developed...skin problems??

OK. I'm not sure exactly what the lesion like thing is, but I see several things wrong with your husbandry that is not going to help your leo.

You NEED to switch to heatpad. The red bulb is going to do nothing but bother your leos. Leos need belly heat to digest their food properly, and a bulb isn't going to do that.

Whenever you think a leo that is sharing a tank is sick, you MUST remove it. Its called quarantining. So that if what one leo is contagious, the other leo can't get it. You need to seperate them ASAP.

You need a probe thermometer not a stick on. A probe thermometer measures the ground temp not air temp. Ground temp is what is important for leos, not air temp.

The temp of the hot side actually has to be between 88-95*F. (31-35*C Approx.) not around 80*.

Hopefully can help you with the lesion problem, but you really need to get the general housing/husbandry taken care of. Check this out.

Good points kathryn.. I'd also like to add the lesion could be stuck shed that is causing necrotic skin beneath the stuck shed, also could be a skin infection from an abrasion he may have gotten rubbing to assist a shed. Also just an fyi, if its gettin worse you need to see a vet. Id clean the area with betadine or some other mild astringent wound cleaner, preferably not peroxide. If its bacterial peroxide won't help. Keep it clean in the habitat. Disinfect everything so if it isn't an infection it doesn't turn into an infection because of habitat. Id also so a soak or 2 just to be sure nothings stuck there. Don't leave feeders in your viv, they'll only make it worse, they'll nibble and harass your leo adding stress.

Please keep us updated. Good luck

Ok, update. I've seperated my leos, and while Nostromo's new quarters aren't what I want them to be hes a trooper. I checked him last night and some of it scabbed off. So I'm thinking it might be a stuck shed or something. You suggested a soak?

I always take them out to feed, so there is no chance foodz got into their space. The little cave thing I got as their moist hide was shoddy, it was cracking inside and out, so I'm thinking he might have scratched himself that way. That hide has been trashed.

I'm earning money by helping my aunt, and I'll be getting heatpads, but is there anything I could use for a plastic viv? Its temporary for now until I move Ripley back to the 20gallon and Nostromo will get the 10gallon.

now that I have moved Nostromo into his own tank its like he never had a problem! im very relieved!

i am really glad he is better! when it comes to plastic i think that a T-rex cobra heat mat would work well because they wouldn't stick to the plastic and it is always at 100 degrees.

thank you I'll keep that in mind. but I finally got Nostromo in his own 10 gallon tank with a heatpad and several hides. It came with tile too, and he seems happy with it so I might try tile in Ripley's tank as well, whom I also got a heatpad for. also, Nostromo is veeeryyy slowwly getting used to being handled, and I have to say he has GORGEOUS eyes!!