Constant Diarrhea

Poi · Jul 28, 2014

Hello there,

One of two of my juveniles that I had purchased six days ago from a local P.S. has had constant diarrheaish/ slimy/ liquidy bowel movements ever since I got them. She (I think it's a female) even sometimes has complete liquid bowel movements but that's usually after she drinks water for 15 seconds straight.

However she is fairly active (at night), stands up strait, seems alert and is always looking around. But sometimes she closes her eyes while standing (assuming sleep) for a couple of minutes and wakes up again.

She eats some food but not a lot. First and second day she ate a couple of meal worms. Third day she shed and ate it but regurgitated it with traces of the previous meal worms; she ate couple of meal worms but I don't remember how many. Forth day she ate two crickets. Fifth day she ate nothing. Haven't fed them today yet. The other one on the other hand will eat 4 times as much as she does and has healthy looking bowel movements.

They live in a 20 gal. with paper towel (for potty training). She also tries to climb up the glass a lot (I heard this was an indicator of stress). The P.S. I bought them from was new too so they probably just got these geckos in not too long before I bought them. Plus they are supposedly vet checked in store before putting up for sale.

She hasn't had any healthy looking stools since I got her so I don't know what's up.

Here are some pics of some her poop over the course of the days that I had her:

Fourth Day:

Fifth Day:

Sixth Day (Today):

So what do you think is up with my new leo? Does she have extreme stress? Parasites? Please help, thanks.

DrCarrotTail · Jul 28, 2014

I'd get a test done for parasites and one done for crypto. I don't know anything other than one of those two things that would cause such runny stools. you can send away for a crypto test to avianbiotech.com. The kit is free and the test should cost $30-35 with shipping. You'll have to find a vet to do a parasite check.

Poi · Jul 28, 2014

Thanks for the input, should I put her in a temporary enclosure so if she is infected, she won't spread it to the other one? She is under the 14 day warranty of P.S. and I will see if she recovers/ adjusts within this time period. If not I will either have to get the tests done or return her.

This is her currently. (She was sleeping under a rock bridge.) Does she look healthy? Too skinny? She is a juvenile.

Arizona Leos · Jul 28, 2014

She doesn't look %100 percent healthy to be quite honest. I would get a fecal sample done. Was she originally housed with your other one?

Poi · Jul 28, 2014

At the pet store they were housed together with six total in the viv. Now the two that I got are housed together in a 20 gal.

Poi · Jul 28, 2014

About your leo:
- Sex..................................................................................Unknown (Possibly female).
- Age & Weight....................................................................Unknown (less than 5 months).
- How long have you owned your leo.....................................Six days.
- Where was he/she obtained ..............................................PetSmrt

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo.......................................Three times each since I got them.
- Is your leo acting any different today? If so how does he/she normally act which differs from now.
..........................................................................................Acted the same since I got her.
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe
..........................................................................................None that I know of.
B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal)............................All bowel movements are runny (since I got her).
- When was the last time he/she went...................................Today in the morning.
C) Problem
- Please briefly describe the problem and how long it has been going on
...........................................................................................Runny stools for the time I've had her.

Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size...................................................................................20 Gallon Tall (two levels)
- Type (ex. glass tank)..........................................................Glass
- Type of substrate ...............................................................Paper Towel over reptile carpet.
- Hides, how many, what kind ................................................Two hides/One humid hide.
B) Heating
- Heat source........................................................................8w UTH
- Cage temps (hot side, cool side)..........................................Cool: Low 80s, Hot: 94-99.
- Method of regulating heat source .........................................Light Dimmer
- What are you using to measure your temps...........................Digital Thermometer
- Do you have any lights (describe).........................................No
C) Cage mates
- How many (males, females).................................................One other (possibly male)
- Describe health, or previous problems ..................................Healthy

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding (how often, how much) .........................Crickets/Meal worms everyday in evening (Female: Avg 2 meal worms/day) (Male: Avg 4 meal worms & 4 crickets).
- How are you feeding (hand fed, left in dish, ect).....................Free roam (controlled).
B) Supplements (describe how often)
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands).................Rep Cal multivitamins & Flukers calcium.
- What are you gut loading food with.......................................Nothing yet.

Poi · Jul 28, 2014

Here are some other pics of her:

Standing; notice black dot... (I think it's an organ).

While she is awake...

acpart · Jul 28, 2014

My advice: return them both and get another leopard gecko from a reputable breeder, after you totally disinfect the cage by:
throwing out anything that isn't glass, ceramic or metal
soaking everything including the cage in an ammonia and water solution
(this is in case the geckos do have crypto)

Check out the banners at the top of this website for breeders in CA.

Aliza

Poi · Jul 28, 2014

Do you guys think it could be due to stress? I mean She was recently shipped to the pet store and had to adapt to their viv. Couple days later, she gets bought by me and now has to get used to my setup. I could imagine she is really stressed although they do seem calm. But they do always try to climb up the glass which I heard was a sign of stress.

Dinosaur! · Jul 28, 2014

Sounds like it could be parasites. Definately get a fecal done, because you need to start treatment ASAP if you want her to survive (if she does have parasites). Seperate her from the other one too. Whatever she has could spread to him. I personally would go with Aliza's advice. She knows what she's talking about. But if you want to try, be sure to quarentine her from the other one, and handle her last. You need to make sure that he doesnt contract what she has (if he already hasn't). And I would definately start gutloading the food. Wheat bran or oats, with carrots or apples for moisture works great, and the extra nutrition might help her out. I hope she pulls through, and if you have to take her back in the end no one will blame you.

indyana · Jul 29, 2014

Definitely not caused by stress. I'm with Aliza on this one.

Poi · Jul 29, 2014

So is the Sixth day's stool the "cottage cheese" diarrhea that is associated with Crypto? Has anyone ever seen that before?

favrielle · Jul 30, 2014

I acquired a young gecko with Crypto (confirmed through a PCR test from AvianBiotech), and she had many of the symptoms you are describing. At the very least, there is *something* wrong with your baby more than simple stress, and they should *both* be tested for all parasites ASAP, assuming you aren't going to return them before the 14 day warranty is up.

Here's a link to my FB album with photos of my little Bella's symptoms: https://www.facebook.com/GamerGecko...56462438653.1073741854.483455278392106&type=3

DrCarrotTail · Jul 30, 2014

I recently picked up a gecko that had really icky stool that reminded me of cottage cheese. It turned out to be loads of pinworms. I think crypto is more of a liquid stool but either way there's something going on and it would be a good idea to test or return them.

P.S. I agree - not caused by stress.

Poi · Jul 30, 2014

Here is her newest stool..

It is in a plastic bag in the refrigerator as a possible sample for the vet. There are tiny brown dots in it; are those possible eggs of some sort?

Do you need to make an appointment for a fecal exam at a vet or can you just walk in and give it to them?

Poi · Jul 30, 2014

So do you think my gecko has an enlarged organ with excess fluids? (Based on the pic in your album.) My other one doesn't have as big of a dark spot.

DrCarrotTail · Jul 30, 2014

That poo does not look like what I experienced. I would be worried. Looks more like really watery poo with a bit of urate in it.

I'm not sure who/what picture you're referring to in your post.

Poi · Jul 30, 2014

favrielle had a link to a crypto-infected gecko and one of the pics had a large organ similar to my sick one.

I circled the objects that I think could be eggs. They are less than a millimeter big (the pic is magnified with macro lens).

Also she does drink a lot of water so I don't think she is dehydrated for long periods of time.

Do you need to make an appointment to get a fecal done or can you walk in and give the sample to them?

DrCarrotTail · Jul 30, 2014

I would call the vet ahead of time. Some will require an office visit some will not.

Most parasite eggs are too small to see with the naked eye. You need a microscope. I think what you're seeing are pieces of fecal material and not eggs.

A lot of times when a leopard gecko has not eaten in a long while, as often happens in cases of crypto, their stomach appears to enlarge and turns most of their belly appear dark. Once they get to that stage they are often too far gone to save.

Poi · Jul 30, 2014

Ok I'll try to call a vet here in a little while.

Hopefully she doesn't have Crypto; she did eat 1-3 small crickets last night but no poop from that yet. Maybe early stages? I hope not.

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