Bloated toddler

[Dottie]

Dottie, 1 & 1/2 months, seems to be bloated. She has a large dark spot on her tummy. She doesn't seem to be pooping as much as she used to. Her appetite is great but she is only eating crickets. She went off little mealies right away. She's active, alert, and does all the things adults do only in miniature and it is so cute. I have had to give my adults mineral oil on rare occasions to get them going but what is appropriate for a toddler gecko? She's on paper towel, UTH, dry hide, moist hide, day lamp, water dish, and calcium dish. Temps -80 at night and 90ish during the day.
Thanks
Dottie's mom (Dorcas)

 

[Jeremy Letkey]

The first thing that I would suggest is to make sure that she has a heat source that heats from below. ie. a heat pad or heat tape. Belly heat is fairly important for their digestion process. Also leaving the heat the same for daytime and night would be my next suggestion. Just make sure to have a thermal gradient. You want one side of the tank to be about 90 f at all times. Place the heating source on this side. The other side of the tank should be room temp. 84 or less for room temp. The gecko will move from one side to the other to regulate it's temperature.

 

[Dottie]

She does have a heat pad - she spends quite a bit of time lying on it. I wonder if I need to get a bigger one. Don't know quite how to keep the heat the same when the day light goes off. And her tank has a warm side and a room temp side.
Dottie's mom

 

[LadyGecko]

What size is the uth ?
As long as the 90 degrees is maintained all of the time on the area over the heat pad/uth on the bottom of the tank then the air temps can be allowed to fall with the cooler night ambient room temp
Get a digital thermometer with a probe on the end if you don't already have one and see what the temp right over your uth reads

If the uth that you are using is not maintaining a 90 plus reading then you do probably need a bigger uth
It is necessary as Jeremy said to have a gradient with both your air temp and your floor temp so that they can regulate their body temp but that one area over the uth does need to stay at least 88-90 degrees all of the time

I think that olive oil/vegetable oil might be gentler on their system then mineral oil

Sandy

 

[gko reptiles]

Mineral Oil vs Vegetable Oils

The reason mineral oil is used is because it coats the feces internally which helps it "slide" through the intestines to be discarded as waste. Olive oil and other Vegetable cooking oils are absorbed by the body and are useless as a lubricant. I know that this doesn't really have much to do with the post, but I thought I'd throw that little piece of information out there!

 

[LadyGecko]

Ahhhhhhhhhhh...............so that's why ipeople usually say to use mineral oil
and yeah-it has plenty to do with the post
She did ask what type of oil would be best to use as a lubricant-LOL
Thanks for the info

Sandy

 

[Dottie]

Guess I'd better get a bigger heat pad. All 3 of my enclosures go down to 80 at night over the heat pad and I'm assuming the probe is working since they all have one and they all read about that right now. So do you think a tiny drop of mineral oil would be okay for her? She's probably 4 inches on the body, couldn't give you a weight. She looks normal for her age except for the cricket belly. Thanks all. Dottie's mom

 

[Jeanne]

Before you do that, try giving her a warm water soak. That usually helps them empty out. Just put about 1/2 inch of warm water in a tupperware or kritter keeper. And let her soak in it for about 20 minutes-ish.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I think the warm water soak is a good idea, and perhaps even a very gentle tummy massage in downward strokes. It's important that the temperatures in the enclosure are measured on the surface at belly level, and there is a 90-92 degree spot and a cool spot that is at least 10-15 degrees lower.

I think sometimes little ones eat too much in one feeding and get constipated. Having a good thermal gradient will help their GI system and metabolism function optimally.

 

[gko reptiles]

I agree. Soaking Dottie is the first step. If that doesn't work, I'd go to the mineral oil; and yes, just a drop or two should do her just fine. One thing to remember about soaking is to not let the water get too hot and to make sure that you remove her when the water gets too cold. I'm having the same problem right now with one of our babies. Good Luck with yours!

 

[Dottie]

I guess I wanted to do the mineral oil since it is quick and she is not yet ready to be handled - so is it less stressful to give a quick drop of oil on the lips or a 10 minute soak with a squirming, wriggling, fighting toddler? I do not know. Maybe she'll like a soak but I doubt it. I've only held her to check her tummy and that doesn't take long. She actually is more mellow than other hatchlings I've had but is just not liking being held yet. She's not yet used to the giant god hand that feeds her actually reaching out and touching her - little heathen! Great Input - thanks for all your replys. Will do a check up at evening feeding time. BTW, her parents don't take to soaks very cheerfully. (I know, how cheerful can a leo be but....)
Dottie's mom