Constipation....

[scotlandgecko]

About your leo:
- Sex: Unkown
- Age & Weight: 3 Months & 8.2g
- How long have you owned your leo: 2 Months
- Where was he/she obtained (ex. Pet store, breeder, wild caught, friend): Pet Store

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo : Daily
- Is your leo acting any different today? If so how does he/she normally act which differs from now. Sleeping more the last few days, not eating
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe. No
B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal) Usually long brown pellet with small white bits, now just small white bit mostly
- When was the last time he/she went: properly week or 2
C) Problem
- Please briefly describe the problem and how long it has been going on

suspected constipation, swollen belly

Housing:
A) Enclosure: Plastic glass enclosure
- Size: 700mm x 300mm roughly
- Type (ex. glass tank): plastic
- Type of substrate: sand
- Hides, how many, what kind: 2, one half cocounut, 1 artificial rock outcrop
B) Heating
- Heat source: heat mat
- Cage temps (hot side, cool side): hotside 90F, Coldside unkown
- Method of regulating heat source: none i think
- What are you using to measure your temps: in tank thermometer
- Do you have any lights (describe): no
C) Cage mates
- How many (males, females): none
- Describe health, or previous problems: na

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding (how often, how much) small/med crickets 7-10 once daily
- How are you feeding (hand fed, left in dish, ect): crickets dropped in tank, gecko left to get them on its own
B) Supplements (describe how often)
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands) : KOMODO calcium cricket dust
- What are you gut loading food with: na



APOLOGIES FOR NOT READING THE STICKY, A BIT WORRIED AND IN A RUSH AS I AM SURE YOU UNDERSTAND:


For about a week now my young leopard gecko has been struggling to poo, has still been eating up until today maybe. There also seems to be a small lump on its lower stomach. I have watched it try to poo and you can see it trying to come out, but when i rub his stomach you can see that the poo in there is just too big to come out.........he has been on aloe vera juice for two nights but no bowel movement.

Is it time to take it to the vet?

What can the vet do in a situation like this.....?

The gecko is about 3 months old and is currently in a terrarium with sand...

 

[DrCarrotTail]

I'd get him to a vet ASAP. If he is noticeably straining and on sand there is a good chance he is impacted. A vet may be able to give him more appropriate medications and possibly give an enima to break up the poo and get it out (if that is indeed the issue). It's not something I would try to treat at home.

Arav has a good tool for finding qualified reptile vets in many areas.

 

[scotlandgecko]

HEY, THANKS......

I was unaware of what impaction actually was but after seeing images of impacted geckos and reading about the sand, I can definitely say that's what it is.......I feel so bad, we were advised that this substrate was OK, there was no mention of the depth it should be etc.......

I personally believe there may be too much sand in there..........not happy.........

so can it be rectified easily by the vet, it would seem very difficult just by the size of the wee guy..

thanks again....

 

[sausage]

as already said sand is not recommended for young leos. you can try giving a few drops of organic olive oil to try help disperse any blockage combined with warm water soaks. but i would seek a vet asap

 

[scotlandgecko]

Took the gecko to the vet and they said as it was still reasonably energetic and still passing feces all be it small amounts that it would be OK for me to treat medically at home.

I have been given a nutrient powder to dissolve in its baths and some laxative powder also........

will keep up with that and monitor its bowel movements, and then start feeding the crickets if I think it will be up for it.......

thanks for your help so far and I will keep you posted.....

 

[DrCarrotTail]

Glad to hear the vet said he should be okay! I would switch out the sand to paper towels ASAP. Anything they can ingest can make the issue worse. Also make sure you have him on a supplement of vitamins and calcium. They tend to chow down on random things more if they have a deficiency in their diet.

 

[Ozy]

Yea.. Take all of the sand out. Sand is not good for Leopard Geckos. I kept mine on paper towels when she was a baby. Give your leo a humid hide because this helps them to stay properly hydrated. Do 2 warm soaks a day, massage the belly gently in a head to vent direction and give a couple of drops of Olive Oil on the nose once daily.

 

[scotlandgecko]

unfortunately my wee gecko died this morning.......gutted to be honest..........

followed all the instructions from the vet but i think he was just young, was only 3 or 4 months.......

we were managing to syringe feed him butter worms with a small amount of goats milk.......

so sad.......will miss him.....

 

[indyana]

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. RIP, little one.

 

[sausage]

sorry to hear the sad news

 

[DrCarrotTail]

Sorry to hear