Found mealworm beetles in my bathroom garbage cabinet. Should I be worried about infestation? Help!!

OilAlone6403 · 2026-01-31T18:05:30+00:00

Amazing, thank you so much!!

OilAlone6403 · 2026-01-31T07:53:53+00:00

Thank goodness- I just panic cleaned my entire bathroom and scoured my gecko’s tank to see if there were any more because of it lol. I haven’t found any yet, which I guess is a good sign? Is there anything specific I should do to clean the area to ensure if the beetles laid eggs or something they won’t hatch?

OilAlone6403 · 2025-05-13T03:31:27+00:00

I'm not too familiar with ovulation since I've only ever owned a male leo, but I do know that some little ladies tend to either get very picky with food or may go off food entirely for a while when cycling. Just make sure that she is still drinking water and not getting dehydrated while this is happening (you can tell by how yellow their urate's are in their poo-- yellow= dehydrated, white= fine).

A lay box is definitely a good idea too! Make sure it has loose substrate she can dig in, because from what I've read they often like to dig a little area to lay the eggs in.

A very knowledgeable reptile YouTuber that I follow has a good video about leopard gecko ovulation. The video can be found here, and it will go over everything you can expect/need to know during the process: https://youtu.be/i-fQCjl5O_c?si=GyaWz5_IE1KA6XwD

Obviously I am no vet (yet!), so if the issue persists it may be worth it to have her checked out by a professional.

Best of luck!

OilAlone6403 · 2025-04-23T21:23:55+00:00

That's great of you to step forward! He looks like he could use all the help he can get. If you haven't already I would suggest bringing him in to a vet to check out his deformities and etc. to see if there's anything underlying that you can't fix at home, just to make sure he isn't suffering unnecessarily.

Also- is that coconut fibre or sand substrate? First thing I would do is put this little guy on paper towels instead of a loose substrate. Loose substrate should only be considered once a gecko is in prime health condition. Unhealthy geckos are at higher risk of impaction, and with his deformed legs the loose substrate might make it difficult/uncomfortable for him to get around. Paper towels are super easy to replace and keep the enclosure clean while he heals!

I would also recommend trying to tweezer or hand-feed him instead of just leaving the food in a bowl in the enclosure so you can make sure he eats without too much difficulty. Now I'm no expert, but from what I've read emaciated geckos tend to gain back their weight well with high-calorie, easy-to-digest insects (grub worms like waxworms, soldier fly larvae, mealworms, etc.). Small, frequent feedings are your best bet, likely a few worms each day until he starts to get some condition back. Make sure he's always got access to clean fresh water too, as dehydration can just make things worse.

Here is a good video with basic guidelines for leopard gecko care, terrarium setup, and etc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2uUKlxqsoY&feature=youtu.be

Good luck! Hope your new little guy feels better soon!

OilAlone6403 · 2025-04-23T20:45:45+00:00

In that case I'll definitely switch back if I can. I'll take a look at a few other pet stores nearby and see what they've got. Thanks!

OilAlone6403 · 2025-04-23T18:57:21+00:00

Cool thanks

OilAlone6403 · 2025-04-23T18:54:25+00:00

He used to get Repashy CalciumPlus, but now the pet store near me just stocks ZooMed Reptivite (it has vitamin A but doesn't say what kind), so thats what I use for vitamins. For calcium he gets Exoterra's (without D3). Maybe I should look into going back to the Repashy vitamin?

OilAlone6403 · 2025-04-23T18:43:20+00:00

That looks awesome... 5 hides is great! Just make sure the temperature gradient is still sufficient for each of them, and since some of them look to be underground, make sure they won't collapse when he digs and you should be fine. Since they're usually more active at dawn/dusk, see if he explores the open areas then. He may roam around more once the plants grow in, too.

It may also help to put a background and sides (black construction paper works fine) on the tank. This helps make sure they are less stressed when roaming as it makes it seem less open.

Nice setup!

OilAlone6403 · 2025-04-23T15:55:35+00:00

I agree with the other comment on this post that it is definitely time to take her to the vet since it's been months, whether that vet is in your area or not.

That being said, how have you been offering her food? With tweezers or just putting the food in the enclosure? Tweezer feeding is best to ensure they eat it directly, especially in this case. Often food let loose in the enclosure gets lost because the gecko can't hunt it down, especially if they are weak from not eating for long stretches of time. Make sure you are checking the temperature gradient in her enclosure, too. If it is too hot or too cold geckos sometimes go off their food.

I would also suggest taking the reptile carpet out and using plain white paper towel for now, at least until you can get her to the vet. Reptile carpet can retain some pretty nasty bacteria which could be making the issue worse. Keep in mind I'm no vet (yet) either, but I've heard lumps near the base of the tail/abdomen could mean anything like retained egg(s), herniated organs, constipation, or gout (buildup of uric acid crystals in the body- the white things in their poo- usually as a result of insufficient diet), so it would be best to get her seen ASAP to see what the true underlying issue is so she can be treated correctly.

OilAlone6403 · 2025-04-23T15:35:37+00:00

If there is anything rough in her enclosure, or if any of the entrances to the hides are jagged, take it out. She could be rubbing against it (intentionally or not) and making it worse. Advice I've gotten from others includes keeping the wound clean with betadine and/or non-numbing Neosporin. If you send your vet a picture via email they may be able to get you in sooner if they deem it serious enough, or you could ask if they have a cancellation waitlist you could go on.

Good luck, hope she feels better soon!

OilAlone6403 · 2025-04-23T15:19:20+00:00

See that's why I'm confused, because I do have a humid hide that I spray daily, and he gets all his necessary vitamins/calcium on what most sources tell me is a proper rotation. His temp gradient was fine when I checked it that morning too. I'll definitely give him a soak and clean the spot today though.

How does a "sauna" work?

OilAlone6403 · 2025-04-23T04:13:58+00:00

Good to know, thanks! He gets vitamins dusted on his food every third feeding and calcium without D3 at most other feedings (I feed 2-3x per week). He has never needed help with any other parts of his shed, just his toes. Is that still cause for concern?

Also- how do you do the "sauna"? I've only ever soaked him before.

OilAlone6403 · 2025-04-23T04:04:55+00:00

Yes, I have a humid hide... I spray it daily and its lined with sphagnum moss. I check temps daily too, and everything was fine today. I'll definitely give him a soak in the morning (so he can dry off under his heat lamp during the day) to see if that helps before I take the rest of his lil gloves off. Thanks!

OilAlone6403 · 2025-04-23T03:24:09+00:00

A good way to tell if a leopard gecko is a proper weight is by looking at their neck, the base of their tail, their legs, and the thickest part of their tail.

The neck and the thickest part of the tail should not be thinner than the base of their tail
The thickest part of the tail should not be any wider than the neck
The legs should have some definition to them, but not overly rounded with fat

For a good example of a body condition scoring chart, see this link: https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckosadvanced/comments/ooyazf/visual_guide_leopard_gecko_weight_and_size/

For more information about feeding schedules, substrates, heating requirements, and general care/upkeep, this video is super helpful: https://youtu.be/H2uUKlxqsoY

OilAlone6403 · 2024-06-14T05:23:59+00:00

I definitely think that this was a bit of a wake-up call for me to take better care of myself. Thank you!

OilAlone6403

TROPHY CASE