Something wrong my gecko?

[EightLeggedFrea]

I attempted to feed my leopard today, but he wasn't interested. The temps are 83-85 during the day (can't get em any higher because of this winter, unless I find a more shallow cage of similar width/length) and in the lows 70s to mid 60s at night. I noticed also has had any bowel movements since I've had him. He can't be impacted can he? Or is it that he's just not hungry?

In the days I've had him I feed him every other day on mostly B. lateralis roaches but I did give him a couple of dubia nymphs. I used the B. lats because they got better responses out of him.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

It sounds like you're using a heat lamp - where are you putting the thermometer to check cage temps? Sometimes people forget to measure on the *floor* where the animal is, so that's always something I ask about with lamps now.

Anyway, how long have you had your gecko? If he has eaten and not had a single bowel movement, he could definitely be impacted. That's pretty serious and can be fatal. Do you see any signs of bloatedness in the gut area?

I'll also ask where you got him and if you've had him checked for parasites, just to round out the "just in case" options.

 

[EightLeggedFrea]

It sounds like you're using a heat lamp - where are you putting the thermometer to check cage temps? Sometimes people forget to measure on the *floor* where the animal is, so that's always something I ask about with lamps now.

Anyway, how long have you had your gecko? If he has eaten and not had a single bowel movement, he could definitely be impacted. That's pretty serious and can be fatal. Do you see any signs of bloatedness in the gut area?

I'll also ask where you got him and if you've had him checked for parasites, just to round out the "just in case" options.

I got him from a dealer on the the boards, from a Logan O'Malley (josh_cloud). Yes I've got an infrared on him, with a 50W bulb (thinking about getting higher wattage one, BTW the lamp has an adjustable knob so I can control the temps), but I didn't think about this floor temp thing as the thermo gauge is on top of his stone cave hiding place, which is where the warmer half of the cage is.

I haven't had him checked anywhere. He looks fine to me, but I'm new to this herp thing.

What do you think?
http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/KingBaboon_2008/?action=view&current=DSC_0202.jpg

Oh I've had him for perhaps a week.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

I'd skip the lamp entirely and pick up a good undertank heater. Lamps mean replacing bulbs regularly, minor fire hazard risk (my mom has seen regular house lightbulbs start smoking once or twice even if they don't break), and they really lower your humidity. Leos don't need tons of humidity, but even with a proper humid hidebox (have you got one of these, btw?) it doesn't hurt to keep things from drying out TOO much.

And back to the heat issue, it's more efficient if your heat source is UNDER the tank...all the heat goes up towards the lizard, since hot air rises, instead of hoping your lamp's heat reaches down far enough to be worthwhile.

Your gecko doesn't look too bad, although I've seen fatter tails. (However, keep in mind that internal parasites cannot be diagnosed visually until they've gotten extremely advanced, and even then you still have to have a fecal check done. So don't take this as a guarantee there are no parasites.) If you've only had him a week the issue may just be stress. Do you offer calcium supplement?

 

[EightLeggedFrea]

I'd skip the lamp entirely and pick up a good undertank heater. Lamps mean replacing bulbs regularly, minor fire hazard risk (my mom has seen regular house lightbulbs start smoking once or twice even if they don't break), and they really lower your humidity. Leos don't need tons of humidity, but even with a proper humid hidebox (have you got one of these, btw?) it doesn't hurt to keep things from drying out TOO much.

And back to the heat issue, it's more efficient if your heat source is UNDER the tank...all the heat goes up towards the lizard, since hot air rises, instead of hoping your lamp's heat reaches down far enough to be worthwhile.

Your gecko doesn't look too bad, although I've seen fatter tails. (However, keep in mind that internal parasites cannot be diagnosed visually until they've gotten extremely advanced, and even then you still have to have a fecal check done. So don't take this as a guarantee there are no parasites.) If you've only had him a week the issue may just be stress. Do you offer calcium supplement?

OK. ASAP I will find a 10-gallon undertank heat mat. BTW if I place this on the floor (my floor is carpet) will the heat mat cause a fire hazard? My gecko's cage is on the floor. I'm just more familiar with heat lamps because I also have scorpions.

And yes I DO have a humid hide (with peat moss that stays moist in it) and DO offer supplementation. The last time I fed him I dunked his food in Reptivite without D3.

And if he has parasites, what can these do to him and how may he have contracted them?

Thanks for your help. I hope he's OK.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

OK. ASAP I will find a 10-gallon undertank heat mat. BTW if I place this on the floor (my floor is carpet) will the heat mat cause a fire hazard? My gecko's cage is on the floor.

It shouldn't be a problem if you prop the tank up on something so there's about half an inch to an inch of space, to let air circulate a little. However I would advise getting the tank off the floor anyway, that will also help your temperature problems a little (or a lot, depending on how drafty your home is and what the circulation's like).

And if he has parasites, what can these do to him and how may he have contracted them?

Parasites are contracted by direct or indirect contact with other infected reptiles, or ingested by consuming prey that has parasites (even captive-bred prey items can have these if it's a crappy dealer). I would say they are often also seen in wild-caught specimens, but I don't think there are many wild-caught leos in the pet trade.

The most common internal parasites in the reptile hobby tend to cause animals to stop eating, or to eventually seem to waste away even if they ARE eating. So if your gecko's weight/appetite/digestion stays peculiar for an extended period of time, that's definitely a possibility and I would strongly suggest finding a reptile vet that can do a fecal check for you and get your animal on meds.

But for now I'm more inclined to think it's a combination of cool tank temps and a new environment since you've only had him a week. The only REAL immediate concern is to keep an eye out for poop, if he's eaten anything at all. Once that happens you can safely rule out any kind of impaction issue.

 

[EightLeggedFrea]

UPDATE

When I got back home tonight (from an hours-long evening class), I noticed poop behind the humid hide, so he's not impacted!

Most of the feces was brown, but part of it was white. Is this a concern? Like I said, I'm new at this. All the same I will try to find a vet that will see herps ASAP. I've also afixed a heat mat to the bottom, under his hiding cave, and set it to a timer.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

The white stuff is called urate (or urate salt). Birds and some reptiles essentially urinate without passing water, especially species from deserts or other dry areas. I don't know if leos can ALSO pass liquid urine sometimes, I know my python will occasionally do so. But yeah, that's all that is. Good to know impaction's ruled out!

 

[EightLeggedFrea]

One more thing

Are you sure he won't overheat from the mat? Before I left home today, the gauge (which is now placed on the floor) read around 93 degrees. Should I just put more paper towels (substrate) on the warm side, or will he just move to another location if he gets too hot. The only other hide I have for him right now is the humid hide.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Sounds like you'll need a thermostat to turn it down a bit.

 

[EightLeggedFrea]

Sounds like you'll need a thermostat to turn it down a bit.

Where can I find one?

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Pet stores of any real size usually have them, or you can look online. Lots of results and info here: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=reptile+thermostat&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=