How to find a good vet?

My gecko seems to have fallen ill and instead of trying to find answers online as per usual I'd love to just take her to vet and know for sure what is wrong. Unfortunately I have a very hard time finding an exotic vet that actually knows what they are doing. My first vet killed my other gecko, the 2nd one seemed to know even less than I about geckos (he told me that poop stuck on her butt was bones sticking out), the 3rd vet was able to rectify the poopy butt situation but told me she was a he and in fact it was her male thing coming off. Jasmine has lain eggs and is in fact not a male.

However does one find a herp specialized vet that actually knows more about herps than just as a side project to cats and dogs?

I can give the details also if anyone wants to know the issue with my baby girl but I am just pressed on time right now and can't fill out the whole caresheet right now.

Short gist is that I feed her crickets and waxworms as treats. About 5 days ago we got waxworms and the pet clerk seemed hesitant at first to sell them but gave them to us and I looked at them and they seemed fine so I didn't think about it again. She ate a couple wax worms that night but didn't seem as crazy interested as usual. The next day almost all of them were dead. She is now refusing to eat and seems to be very irritable. She swung her head around tonight looking like she mike puke and then licked her butt. I soaked her and checked her butt, there was a little bit of poop stuck there but I got it off. She has not had a full poo for at least 3 days. I am worried I was given bad worms!

I have been going to this pet store since I moved here.. they are not a chain, always high quality. I have never been disappointed in any purchases there until now.

Sounds like you might have got a hold of a bad batch.

Look for a herp vet specifically. They'll advertise it pretty heavily that way so that people understand thats what they do.

If you want, you can provide the city you're in and I do a little digging.

harrison ohio 45030

There's two in Harrison, Veterinary Wellness Center and Harrison Animal Hospital.

I don't see specifically that they deal in reptiles, so it would be worth a call because the closest one that deals in "all small animals" is in Miamitown close to the Kentucky border with is Miamitown Pet Hospital.

If the local pet store you go to specializes in reptiles, they may have some suggestions. That's how I found mine, and he is fantastic!

harrison animal hospital is my #2 vet that seemed very ignorant of geckos.
I am not sure about the veterinary wellness one.


I have been eyeing the one in miamitown already.. seem to have a lot of good reviews.

Thanks for the help so far! <3

No problem! I didn't really look at reviews, I was trying to stay in Harrison for you of at all possible haha.

I don't mind driving if its a good vet... just tired of having my time/money wasted and possibly jeopardizing my geckos health.

wow im sorry you have had such a horrible time with vets. if i were you i would call the vet before driving all the way there and ask them what qualifications the vet has in treating leopard geckos. a few things to do for your leo, is to make sure you have your temps on the hot side around 95 degrees, the cool side shouldn't go below about 70. if you have sand as substrate that can cause impaction so replacing sand with paper towels will work well. if you don't have a digital thermometer or laser thermometer you might want to get one. the little circle dial thermometers dont work very well. making sure your leo has 2 or 3 hides, a warm hide, cool hide, and moist hide. remember the floor is what needs to be warm under their warm hide. good luck keep us updated on how it goes.

I did find a herp specialists.. a little bit of a drive but worth it.
He actually owns 3 leopard geckos himself at the clinic and showed me one that was bigger than mine! I've never seen one bigger than Jasmine.

He wasn't positive what is/was wrong with her. He ruled out parasites or anything serious. He said she may just have a bad reaction to that batch of worms or it may begastro-intestinal (sp?) and treated her for that. He also fed her and hydrated her and gave antibiotics with no extra charge.. I was floored. He even called me before I made the appointment to try and figure out if a vet visit was even needed. I've never had a vet offer free advice before, ever.

Some conflicting things tho... I always thought hot side was 85-95 also. He said no. He said 80-85. He thinks my temps are too high making her lethargic. This was the only thing he said that conflicted with my previous knowledge of geckos. I did lower the temps on his advice and she is sleeping on that side again. She has been on the cool side this whole time.

I'm supposed to call him with updates on her... nothing new except she actually slept with her head down. She's been holding her head up since feeling ill.

They are the vet, but I've always heard from every where an average 92F (give or take 3 degrees) for a hot side.

Good to know you found a good vet.

im glad you got a good vet! and that is odd that he said that. i know that every one here tells you to put them at around 92-95 but if he said that then i would put it in between so about 90, but that's just me. i know my leo loves her moist hide most of the time because i think its around 85-92 and her hot hide is 95, she goes in her hot hide when she needs to heat up good. other wise if she gets to hot she goes to the cool side, i also believe its a leo's preference. so good luck with her i hope she feels better! ^_^